Monday, April 30, 2012

Apr 29 Chasing Bonito

Tuggy and I went for a little boat ride today. He did all the work, I was an observer. We chased the Bonito schools around for a while. They were under great pressure and they never stayed up long enough to get a good shot at them. Unless, you were in the right spot at the right time. Unfortunately they were not keying on structure today at all. Made the whole operation a crap shoot. Actually, trolling was a better bet and the few I saw landed were caught by trollers...... Anyway, nice to get on the water. We did manage to catch 30 Bluefish while casting and jigging. Neither of us ever hooked a Bonito. Total Catch for the Day: 30 Bluefish

Monday, April 23, 2012

Apr 23 Spinal Injection #2

Lots of people in my "outer circle" are not doing good. Lots of them are clearly doing it to themselves... Others are just getting blindsided by doctors and other "real problems". It is a very depressing world right now. I never thought I'd have to worry about anything other than a crumbling relationship with a girlfriends (and I'm going back 20 years, no one in particular) OR which way to got out of Beaufort Inlet, east, south, or west! Then, a month ago, I got a MRI result that was a life changer. In one day I went from an over grown adolescent punk to a middle aged man with a bad back.  Its all about the Back now. Steroid Injections, exercise, stretching, and physical therapy. I HAVE GOT TO GET OVER THIS!!!! I am trying to avoid surgery. I miss fishing. I miss the Ferry. I miss being happy. I feel an attitude change coming and the depression that I've been hiding is being pushed away by anger and fear... I HAVE GOT TO GET BACK TO THE WATER. I am sorry for all of you that love to follow my reports. I am very focused now on getting it back together. I've had my dose of KARMA and I'm done with REGRET also. There is an old saying, "When Life Kicks Your Ass, Make Sure It Kicks You Forward..."  Not sure where I read that, but that's my new attitude. I had a steroid injection today and my physical therapist said I was moving my toe better this morning.... Physically, it was a good day and tomorrow is going to be better...

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Apr 17 Killing the Cownose Rays


Capt Tuggy sailed on the Top Water Boat today and it was too windy and sloppy for the Shoals where the giant Red Drum schools reside... So, only looking for big fish, he took the best game in town and caught 6 Cownose Rays from 25 to 35 lbs. Honestly, blindfold a fisherman and the consensus will agree on one thing......  Cownose Ray kicks a Red Drums ass... No comparison. A 35 lb Cownose Ray on 10# spin requires a chase and several circles around the boat at the end of the game... Total Catch for the Day: 6 Cownose Rays up to 35 lbs

Monday, April 16, 2012

Pics Some Fishy some not, from Washington DC






I had to get away, so I went to DC and saw a Baseball Game and a lot more......

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Apr 11 Steroid Injection Today

41 Days after I suffered my Injury, I finally began treatment today. A Steroid Injection into the area of my Bulging/Herniated Disks and Blown Disk. My back feels great and hopefully I will soon be back at work and back on the water. I'm afraid that some things will never be the same. The phone call that I recieved on Monday March 26th was a world changer... Right up there with Dec 19th when Robin drove herself over to the Hospital... I didn't have no Crystal Ball. Those 2 days changed my life and things will never be the same. But, like Steve Austin who became the 6 million dollar man (Remember that Show!) I can rebuild myself. Bigger, Faster, Stronger.... so far bigger, damn steroids!!! Don't worry fishing fans... I will be back. As soon as the Doctors says "Go For It"...... Come On Cobias, they better come quick. In the meantime, Im headed to Washington DC to recooperate. Besides, I might already have the next "bikini girl" lined up!

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Apr 7 White Perch Revolution




Two Buddys invited me along to watch a Pond Fishing guarantee become THE TRUTH. Best White Perch fishing in the World? Not sure.... In North Carolina? Not Sure.... In the Central Coastal Area? ABSOLUTELY.... Two dudes casting and it WAS EVERY CAST, caught a White Perch for 90 minutes straight. I looked over some of the ones kept this morning and counted 18 NC Freshwater Citations. Many were released. Two seperate loads of them were hauled away. My cooler had 39 White Perch in it. My Aquarium has 4 White Perch in it! Including Citation-sized brutish twins named Stacy and Tracy (The Mills brothers), and sexy little gals named Robin and Ashlyn. Honestly, they are a little too big for their new home. I plan to release them soon to the Mung Hole. Hopefully, they will get it on and start a breeding population of delicious White Perch just across the street from my house. It was tough to watch fishing this good. I got to participate with instructions and moral support. I love to be the Fishing Guide when instructions such as "Hit the Water with your Cast" results in an immediate bite! Before yesterday, I had never caught but 1 White Perch in my life! Honestly, I never fished for them, and never fished alot in "Perch Water". I know they are great eating and hard fighting. First cousin of Striped Bass, that says enough right there.... Total Catch for the Day: 80 White Perch up to 1 lb 4 oz and 2 Longnose Gar up to 8 lbs  

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Apr 3 Great Weather & Great Fishing







It was a beautiful morning. Capt Christopher Columbus (not really!) sailed the Ocean Blue on the Top Water Boat. On the first cast of the day Shane caught a 40 lb Cownose Ray on my first cast with a bucktail. There were so many Rays, in fact, That they effectively hid the Red Drum schools, if they are still around??? He did report tens of thousands of Cownose Rays from the Cape Lookout Bight to the Cape Lookout Shoals. Capt Chris did a quick change of plans and ran a few miles east and we hit the fishy motherlode. Vertical jigging brought fish on every drop. Nice Fish. Bluefish from 1-3 lbs. Gray Trout up to 21". Black Sea Bass from 12" to 17". Albacore were a cast away. He did catch one off the bottom that really fooled him.... The first Pinfish of the year caught on my Boat, was also caught on a stingsilver jigged over the wreck! The boys also saw a big (10-15 lb) mystery fish on top. Had to be a Chopper Bluefish. Whatever he was, he wouldn't bite... All in all, a great day of fishing. They didn't leave the dock until 11am and from 1:00 to 4:30, we were flat out bailing fish! Total Catch for the Day: 5 Albacore up to 10lbs, 2 Gray Trout up to 3 lb 8 oz, 15 Black Sea Bass up to 3 lbs, 60 Bluefish 1-3 lbs, 1 Pinfish at 1 lb and 1 Cownose Ray at 40 lbs 

Monday, April 2, 2012

Apr 2 Injection Day

Today is the day that I have my first Steroid Injection into my Back. Hoping for the Best. Im tired of being crippled...  This really couldnt have happened at a worse time. Why not January?