Monday, March 28, 2011

Cold Wet Rain and Wind



Another week has come and gone and this one sucked. Windy and wet, and to make matters worse, its cold outside too. Hopefully there will be some nice weather ahead. I've got the Night Shift and my Boat is still at Hatteras so maybe a Fishing Trip will be possible...... This past week, I haven't caught anything. I rode around in the Croatan National Forest one day and I did find an Alligator, but no fish. The "fishing highlight" of my week was: this was the week that happens every spring, where my mailbox was stuffed with NC Fishing Citations. Two standouts were my career best 94 lb Cobia and my 23 lb 3 oz Blackfin Tuna that was caught in the fog, a mile off the beach, on a stingsilver! Photos above are of my "Fishing Wall of Fame". (31 NC Citations for 31 different Species), my Blackfin Tuna Citation, and the Alligator in the Croatan Forest.

Friday, March 18, 2011

March 18 Bluefin Tuna Chewing




After watching my boat sit on it's trailer up here for a month and not fishing for various reasons. Weather, cancellations, bad timing, etc. Yesterday I pretty much made my mind up to go Bluefin Tuna Fishing. The night before fishing, the bad news started coming in.... First the weather forecast that was 10-15 SW added in "becoming 15-20 SW in the afternoon.... Then I got the fishing reports from Thursday. More bad news, the 25 mile run from Hatteras had become a 60 mile run from Hatteras. Oh Jeez. Then I recruited Tuggy, who is pretty damn fearless and a Rescue Swimmer, and we made the decision to pull the boat to Oregon Inlet. We carved about 20 miles off the run that way, but we put the SW on the side of the boat, all the way out there and all the way back. That was brutal. On the way home we made 14 knots and we literally took TEN THOUSAND solid walls of 45 degree Ocean spray straight across the boat from left to right. Right in our faces, for nearly 3 hours. It was was a nightmare of EPIC PORPORTIONS that can be easily fixed with a $1000 set of curtains. Oh well, too late now.... On to the Fishing and it was great! Here's the story as best I can remember it.... Soon after setting out 4 lines, we lost our first Bluefin Tuna after a vicious surface strike and smoking 600 yards of line and the 130# dacron buried in the spool as Tuggy tried to move to the bow of the boat (in 4-6 foot swells). I was trying to clear 3 other lines and drive the boat in horrible conditions. The line popped like a 22 rifle shot and Tuggy was sent sprawling 10 feet backwards and laid out with  a seperated shoulder. One rod was permanantly crippled and out of the action. As we evaluated the injury and what had transpired, another Bluefin Tuna rolled up and swallowed the only bait that I hadn't cleared. After dumping a 50 wide, I felt the ping as something broke. After recovering 500 yards of line we discovered a broken crimp. The score at this point was Bluefin Tuna 2 and Top Water Charters 0. From that point on, we never put out more than 2 lines. We never went more than 10 minutes without a strike. Next came a 10+ foot long, 500+ pound Hammerhead Shark that Tuggy released after a hour long slugfest with 40 lbs of drag on the reel. Following that, Tuggy announced "he was done". Setting out 2 lines, the wait for a strike was very short. I took the next strike and everything ran smooth this time and an hour later I had this fish close and it battle was nearly over when another catastrophe struck. The engine shut down with an overheat alarm. I quickly passed Tuggy the rod (okay I lied, I was done too!) while I reset and refired the engine. Minutes later I had the leader and we each struck with a gaff and we had a 190 lb Bluefin Tuna on the deck. With the pressure off and 2 lines back quickly in the water, we didn't troll too far before we had another savage strike. Unfortunately, I popped the leader on another big BluefinTuna. With so much action, we failed to notice the rising wind that would make our lives so miserable very shortly! With Tuggy recovered from battle and big slicks appearing everywhere and pods of Pilot Whales and Common Dolphins all around the boat, Tuggy decided he was game for another fight. We had another quick strike and for the next 68 minutes he battled a Bluefin Tuna that we released (ouch) at 75+ inches and around 280 pounds. Finally, with one line left in the water and another big slick behind us, we had a strike that Tuggy and I double teamed and released another Bluefin Tuna in the 280 pound class. All the great times were soon forgotten as we started all long, cold, wet ride home. Eventually we made it to the Inlet and all ended well and it was the longest day of my life. We really had no business out there 45 miles offshore, in 6 foot seas and blowing spray, fighting immensely powerful fish in 6000 foot of water, with a harness on attaching you to a life and death struggle with a fish (and the man). I say this because every fish ran into the wind and the seas, so as an angler we ended up on the bow, recovering line, as the bow rose and dropped 4-6 feet, and we both stumbled and fell and held on and reeled. It would have made a great reality show. Trust me, you had to be there. I'm sure Tuggy will comment soon!  But we survived. Total Catch for the Day: 3 Bluefin Tuna up to 280 pounds and a 500+ pound Hammerhead Shark

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

March 15 The Ides of March are upon us.....

I'm back at Hatteras, working the Night Run and itching to go Bluefin Tuna Fishing. We'll see how the weather responds to my wishes.... Today I drove to up to Hatteras, and casted shad darts all along the way. In the Neuse River, Swift Creek, the Roanoke River, the Scuppernog River, and a ditch near the Alligator River. I caught nothing. I hope my pals Chris, Shane, Capt Steve, and Josh did better. I know Josh did...... Hopefully, better days are ahead. The above picture is a Fried Herring plate from the Cypress Grill in Jamesville. Kick ass. Total Fish for the Day: Nothing

Sunday, March 13, 2011

March 12 Day-Night Doubleheader

Early in the day, I went to two local Mung Holes here in Beaufort. One is right by the road and everybody sees it and drives by it twice a day. What most people don't know that it is a steady producer of Bass and Bream. I realize that 99% of the people don't care, but..... So I went there and in 30 minutes I caught 11 Largemoth Bass and 1 Bluegill. Then I went to my "secret spot". Two years ago, this little puddle could produce 50 Bass and 100 Bream in 200 casts. No joke. Unfortunately, on this day, my little spot was choked with algae and I didn't catch a single thing...........JUST WHEN THINGS CAN'T GET ANY WORSE........ Then around 6pm I got a "wild hair" and I made the incredibly bad move by texting Chris the following words: "Let's go Catfishing". Ten long, cold hours later, at 4am, I made it home and collapsed on the couch. Nothing. One nibble and one drag pulled for 3 seconds. We dunked fresh cut Hickory Shad in deep holes, on flats, into downed timber. Everywhere that we thought logically would hold a Catfish. One thing is certain.....We suck at Catfishing. Right now, I'm looking to trade a Cobia sightcasting all day charter for somebody to take me and Chris out to catch a Catfish.... Total Catch for the Day: 11 Largemouth Bass and 1 Bluegill

Saturday, March 12, 2011

American Line Burner

The American Shad is a great fighter. Smoking runs and direction changes. Multiple jumps. A true trophy among the hundreds of Hickorys that we have to plow through to get an American Shad bite. They are also a Tasty Fish, if you don't mind a few bones in every bite. Great Flavor.

March 11 Hickory Shad

Back in the Neuse River this morning and the wind was cold and the water was muddy. Two hours in and we'd seen a few Hickory Shad caught, but we were skunked. Finally we abandoned the Neuse and motored up Pitch Kettle Creek. Good move. Our first 2 casts produced double-headers. After a short flurry, we became interested in the many Longnose Gars that were rolling in the Creek. Now, I don't understand this, but we started fishing for Gar. People catch Gar by accident and they are a major head ache for fishermen. However, Chris and I couldn't catch one to save our lives. I hooked 3 and they all escaped while Chris pulled off a major mystery fish! As time wound off the clock, before we knew it we had wasted 3 hours and we had a piss poor catch of Hickory Shad. Nobody around us was catching anything. As a matter of fact, Pitch Kettle was nearly boat-less. On a whim, we ventured into the swamp where a boat like Chris's had no business.....and we found the motherlode. Unfortunately, they were in such a small pool, we could only annihilate them for a few minutes, but it was "every cast". Big, swollen Roe Shad and double hook-ups. It was a great 10 minutes and we jacked up some numbers. We ended our day in the River again looking for a mythical Catfish. Never found one. Again. Total Catch for the Day: 25 Hickory Shad

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

March 8 Shad Fishing

Chris and I broke me out of my slump with a day of Shad fishing on the Neuse River. The Fishing wasn't great, but it should be improving every day. Between the two of us, we caught 30 Hickory Shad in about 3 hours of fishing. We fishing in the vicinity of Pitch Kettle Creek, the scene of many great memories for Chris and I. Every stretch of shoreline brought about stories and laughter! We needed the Rouser with us bad!! The 5 lb Shad he lost off the rocks at Pitch Kettle Outpost is a Fish of LEGEND now! The day Linwood removed Chris and I off his property will also NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. As the years have passed, we can't recall if he was reaching for a pen and notepad to write down our license plate number OR if he was reaching for a PISTOL to make a statement to all trespassing, no good for nothing, freeloading Shad Fishermen...... Anyway, the highlight of our day was the 2 lb 4 oz American Shad that I caught. American Shad are more commonly known as White Shad are very good to eat. The Sanitary Restaurant in MHC sells a ton of them every Spring. Everyone should try it...........We also spent a couple of hours soaking cut bait on the bottom. We only had one bite and I pulled the hook on a 10 lb Bowfin right at the boat. No Catfish. Our Catfish program needs some work, for sure. For our efforts, I got about 10 roe Shad and one nice "eating" Shad. I'm out the door with a fillet knive right now.... Total Catch for the Day: 30 Hickory Shad and 1 American Shad

Sunday, March 6, 2011

March 6 The Forecast Looks Windy

Another week at Hatteras is winding down... Crappy weather has been the norm... I will bw leaving my boat up here and I am still trying to get a day off on a pretty day so I can go Bluefin Tuna fishing. We'll see how it works out this week. From the forecast, it looks more likely that I'll be chasing Hickory Shad in the Neuse River. Really, I could care less as long as there is a chance to chase something....Please. Its been a strange year. Send me some fish. Please.