Weather is always a challenge, especially in the spring season when it feels like summer and winter are fighting it out. This is why it's good to have a little flexibility in your schedule. Had a half-day charter for Alex's birthday, joined by his father-in-law, and two brothers in law. The first day was just too rough, so we rescheduled and got out there. With the inlet crossing a little gnarly due to tides and winds, we had to make an extended boat ride down to Masonboro Inlet where we had the protection of a jetty and deeper water. It was still a bit of a rodeo going out, but once we hit open water it was a lot more manageable. The wind was not supposed to come up until later in the day, but as usual, the forecast was off and it was already gusting over 10 knots when we came out of the inlet. With whitecaps forming and waves close together, I made the quick decision to keep the trip close to shore... which is fine, because the Spanish mackerel are running strong. The bite wasn't fast, but it was steady and we put plenty of good fish in the boat. All of the fish were legal size or better, which was a nice change from the last trip where we had to release so many shorts. The bluefish and lizard fish put in a brief showing as well, and kept things lively. We finished the day in fairly rough conditions, and I think everyone was ready to come back in. 15 Spanish and a blue will make for plenty of fish tacos as this crew finishes out their vacation week!