Top Water Charters Fishing Reports and News Beaufort Morehead City Atlantic Beach Pamlico Sound: May 2012

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Capt Marty's Birthday

May 30. Is there reason to celebrate? Yeah it is. My Back DOES NOT HURT. I am back to work on the FERRY. I am freed up to FISH. And Im not constantly thinking about things that I cant change....

Looking ahead... Lets Go Fishing June 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 are open...

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

UPCOMING WEEK

Im at Hatteras working on the Ferry and so far so good concerning my back... And its good to be back. Its a lot of fun! Its a lot of fun! I dont see me doing any fishing this week, but next shift I will be bringing some tackke!

Next week when I get home, I will be looking to run some fishing trips... I am open for business on May 30 and 31, plus June 3 and 4. Please call me if interested. Missing work has put me in a dilemma and I need to earn some money... And I promise you, lack of fishing, improving health, and eagerness to please my clients will result in 100% effort to not only catch fish, but flat out murder them. Im looking for some MONSTER catches. For Real!

****June 1 & 2 are booked****

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

NC Fishing Citations

Reminded of the 17-18 lb Bluefish that recently escaped by the boat, I thought somebody out there might be interested in seeing a list of the NC Saltwater & Freshwater Fishing Citations that I have managed to collect in my fishing career. It all started with a 66 lb Amberjack that at my clark spoon on June 24, 1988....

Salt:
Amberjack, Shark, Barracuda, Crevalle Jack, Tilefish, Sheepshead, Red Drum, Black Drum, Dolphin, Sp Mackerel, King Mackerel, Wahoo, Bluefin Tuna, Sailfish, White Marlin, Blue Marlin, Black Sea Bass, Yellowfin Tuna, Blackfin Tuna, At Bonito, False Albacore, Triggerfish, Porgy, Red Snapper, Grouper, Spot, Sea Mullet, Pompano, Gray Trout, Flounder, Cobia, Striped Bass and Speckled Trout

Fresh:
Largemouth Bass, White Perch, Bowfin, Blue Catfish, Bullhead Catfish, Yellow Perch, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Chain Pickerel, Redfin Pickerel, American Shad, Hickory Shad, Flier, Green Sunfish and Pumpkinseed

What a Nice List..... I can't concentrate on conquering the Freshwater list.... In order to finish off my salty quest, I needed that Bluefish. The minimum weight for Bluefish used to be 17 lbs. I caught quite a few 15 and 16 pounders, but since they lowered the minimum, a 15 pounder is hard to come by... As far a Tarpon goes, I've caught plenty in Florida, but never put in the effort here in NC to catch one. Seems like I would have bumbled into one over the past 25 years, but I never managed to get my hands on one of the few that I did encounter! That leaves 2 tough ones! First, there is Bigeye Tuna and you pretty much have to be in the right place at the right time and get lucky... Off Oregon Inlet.... A couple years ago a boat right beside me pulled it off. Five strikes and Five Bigeyes between 150 and 225 lbs each... While we hooked baby Blackfins...My number never came up. Finally, a 3 lb Croaker in the 21st century off NC is like finding a Unicorn... But I did catch a 2 lb 10 oz Croaker 3 years ago on a jerk bait casting for Puppy Drum.... So who knows... I always promised my beautiful ex-wife Meredith if I ever caught them all, I'd quit fishing.

Monday, May 21, 2012

May 21 Cleared to Return to Work

The worst period of My Life is coming to a close and I am about to return to my old job and my old life.... Hopefully, I wont fall into any of my old bad habits! The Downward Spiral that started on Dec 19th, accelerated on March 1st has run its course and slowed to the point that I get get back on and attempt to start this thing spinning in the right direction. Upward! Back to Hatteras. Back to the Ferry. Back to being a Fishing Guide. This period of my life will never be forgotten..... I've had a great Physical Therapy crew over at Beaufort Physical Therapy. Ive had the steroid injections. I've got the education.. I so am ready to get out there and try and see if I can do this without hurting myself! Bring on the Ferry. Bring on the Fish.

Also, I haven't told my Legion of Fishing Followers..... On May 16th I had the worst possible thing happen to me... I missed a golden opportunity to land a 17-18 lb Bluefish. Oh Lord, it was a Citation Opportunity of a Lifetime. I sightcasted to him from the Tower with a bucktail and he grabbed it. I watched the whole thing from above. I battled him for 45 seconds... Unfortunately, he was never hooked, just had a mouthful of chartreuse hair. Finallly, on a jump he ripped the hair out and I watched him swim away, spitting out globs of hair as he hauled ass.... I was absolutely devastated...... After 24 years of chasing the dream of catching all the NC CITATIONS..... After collecting 570 Total NC Citations for 33 species.... only 4 species to go and Bluefish is one of them.... It was just as bad as Dec 19th.........It was just as bad as March 1st.........

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

May 16 Bluefish Frenzy & Missing Cobia

Capt Chris took BJ Swain out today for a Cobia/Bluefish trip and he definitely fulfilled half of the promise. Last year, I took BJ, and we caught 10 Cobia on bait and lost a monster... It was a great day, 10 out of 11 on Cobia bites!! This year, everything is different... From my back to the fishing! So here's how it went...... The boys actually caught a net full of Menhaden so things were looking good for bait fishing. However, they decided to go sight casting first and unbelievably, they found 12-15 Leatherback Turtles and every single Turtle was cobia-less.... Two years ago, finding a Leatherback Turtle in May or June off Beaufort Inlet was an automatic Cobia.... This year, it just aint happening... The crew did find a monster school of Chopper Bluefish off Cape Lookout and they hammered them... Casting into a 1000 Bluefish that weighed from 7 to 10 pounds each, you couldn't miss. It was awesome action and they threw all the junk on my boat that nothing else would bite, and it was a bite on every cast! Between the Turtles and the Bluefish, the day slipped away. They finally tried bait fishing late in the afternoon and caught one measly Shark. Another terrible Cobia day in a terrible Cobia year.... Total Catch for the Day: 15 Bluefish from 7-10 lbs and 1 Sharpnose Shark

Sunday, May 13, 2012

May 12 Happy Mother's Day and a Largemouth Bass on the Fly

Today I was catching food for my pets (an Oscar named de LaHoya, a Bluegill named Little Sid, a Pumpkinseed named Jeffrey Dahmer, and a Algae Eater named Jeremy) and I nailed a spunky Largemouth Bass on my 3wt fly rod and a popping bug.... The aquarium fish are pulverizing misquitofish and mummichogs. The Oscar gets bigger every day. Total Catch for the Day: 1 Largemouth Bass

Also, Tomorrow is my FINAL STEROID INJECTION. Hopefully, this little chapter of my life is nearly over. I know things may never be the same, but I certainly hope that I will be deemed WELL ENOUGH to return to work.....

Friday, May 11, 2012

May 11 Sheepshead of the Century and Giant Bluefish in Shallow Water

Miss Jennifer went out today with Capt Chris at the helm for some sun and some excited yelling and screaming... I rode along as an observer and potential date in the running for Jennifer's charms.... At times, I thought I met my long lost twin sister. Other times I wanted to spank her with a feather duster... She managed to cast to a catch 3 Chopper Bluefish from 10-13 lbs and lost another. The highlight of the day was the HUGE Sheepshead that attacked a swimbait on the Shoals. Right before we landed the FISH of the YEAR candidate, a 100+ pound Sandbar Shark came out of nowhere and grabbed the Sheephead. Punched out a bite that took half the Sheepshead's body. The remainder weighed 12 lbs. Half a Sheepshead and it was still a NC CITATION.... We also found an 80 lb Cobia in 2 ft of water at Cape Point. The first bucktail almost bought him a ticket to Beaufort, he followed it all the way to the boat and did a headstand on top of it.... Not bite though. Then after he lost interest and continued his trek, he turned the bucktail down again. Then another different colored bucktail. Then he ignored a swimbait.... Pissed off now, I rigged the harpoon and called in Capt Columbo, who was nearby... However the Cobia slipped into the breakers and entered the "Eastside" and disappeared... Total Catch for the Day: 3 Bluefish from 10-13 lbs and a * * *15 lb Sheepshead* * *

Capt Marty's Day

Physical Therapy is going great! My last steroid injection is monday. Hopefully I will go back to work on May 22nd.... I've been out catching misquitofish to feed my Oscar, my Bluegill, and my Pumpkinseed. The Pumpkinseed is named Jeffrey Dahmer. He is a sick cookie to say the least. These fish love misquitofish, pinfish, shrimp, and stonecrabs. I have company right now. Another Bikini Girl. As soon as she finishes her breakfast she thinks she is going on a nice little boat ride and get some sun.... In reality, she is going out on a hardcore sightcasting for Cobia, blood and guts fishing mission....

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

May 8 Blazing Spanish Mackerel

Capt Tugwell Jones sailed the Top Water Boat today and reported "every cast" fishing for 1-2 lb Spanish Mackerel. Action packed casting top water plugs for Chopper Bluefish. Finally, a carefully presented bucktail that was expertly delivered to a 25 lb Cobia..... The problem was, the Cobia wasn't interested. Also, a picture is worth a thousand words. Unfortunately again, there is no picture and the words elude me, but the crew reports a 8-10 lb Flounder rose off the bottom in 4 ft of water and smashed a top water plug. Swam back to the bottom and after a 30 second tussle, the flounder shook the hook out of his mouth! Crew on drugs? Lucky flounder? Is this the truth? We'll never know! Total Catch for the Day: 30 Spanish Mackerel 1-2 lbs and 3 Bluefish 10-12 lbs

Monday, May 7, 2012

May 7 Chopper Bluefish & Wild Turkey Hunting

Capt Chris Chadwick took the Top Water Boat out today and thanks to Capt Chris Kimrey (Custom Saltwater Taxidermy and Mount Maker Charters) we caught 10-14 lb Bluefish on top water plugs in 1-4 feet of water. Awesome sight casting and top water action... I'll have to check with the Captain for a count... Also, its worth adding that Capt Chris Chadwick picked me up this morning at 4am and allowed me the honor to join him on a Turkey Hunting Expedition. Unfortunately, the Turkeys made Turkeys out of us by not showing up.... Turkeys or Cobias, Im not sure which is more annoying. I had a blast though. I found some bear tracks and followed them far enough to find a big pile of Bear Shit! And I can definitely say that this Bear did actually shit in the woods! I also saw my first Fox Squirrel. I also saw a beautiful Painted Horse with one blue eye and one brown eye. Cool. Pictures from today's adventure will be posted after tommorrows adventure! Thanks for everyone's patience with my horrible fishing reports and my horrible Marty's Life Reports. To those that propelled me towards my early demise.... Sorry, yall need to try harder. Capt Marty is on the comeback trail... Total Catch for the Day: 6 Bluefish up to 14 lbs

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Captain Marty Notes

A HAPPY PICTURE TO PROMOTE A POSITIVE OUTLOOK

Here it is the month of May. My back is better, I hope. There is little pain, just numbness in my right big toe. I have one more steroid injection and a couple of weeks of physical therapy. Hopefully, I will return to my job on May 22nd. Fishing hasn't been great off Beaufort Inlet. It seems the motherlode of Bonito, and possibly Cobia, have slipped by us. Its too early to tell about the Cobia, but Capt Rick Caton did see 70 in a couple of hours off Rodanthe two days ago. So, it definitely appears the first big wave has not only passed Cape Lookout, but Cape Hatteras as well....

Some of the other things that have been bothering me seem less important now... My back and getting back to work has definitely been my #1 priority. I've had support, both personally and professionally from a few good friends. Keeping the Top Water Boat running at least a few trips. Bending and lifting and pulling are going to be my challenges moving forward. Raising my tower.. I may have to consider a change of fishing styles and a change of boats in the near future. I hope not, but if I do, I had a great run in the Ocean. On the Shoals and Wrecks...

Capt Marty has a new prospect lined up too. Another Bikini Girl possibly. Definitely a water lover and a boat lover. And a "aint scared of a bikini" body! Its about time that I find that balance that I've searched for since the early 90s.... Too Good.... Too Bad.... I hope that I've had enough bad luck. Maybe I'm due for something really good to happen to me. Also, hopefully someone will help me to a Citation Bluefish in the next couple of weeks.... And a couple of Cobia. I'd like to put some meat in the freezer myself..

Capt Chris is here and I'll be home until at least May 22nd, so I am open for business. Capt Chris is perfectly capable of leading a successful sight casting charter. Call me at 252-241-8350. Open May 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21

May 5 Cobia Strike Out #1

Capt Joe took a trip today. The wind was a little higher than normal and all the Menhaden schools disappeared overnight. Make for a tough day. After a 50 mile ride looking for bait and looking to sight cast in poor conditions, the crew finally settled in at Cape Lookout with some old bait and gave it their best try. Looking at the fleet, there was very little happening. The boys did lose a 15lb Cobia under the boat after a brief battle on light spinning tackle and a plastic jerkbait. They also caught and released a 7 lb Sharpnose Shark. Tough Day.... Total Catch for the Day: 1 Sharpnose Shark

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

May 1 Bonito, Spanish Mackerel, & Bluefish

Bob Becker was on it today. 2 Atlantic Bonito out of a fleet of nothings. Lots of Bluefish. Killed a few and released a bunch. Then we ended up in a Mackerel flurry to the east. We also saw the first Cobia of the year. A small one that hauled but when we fell off a wave before we could fire away... We also saw a grown Leatherback that had NO escorts... Weird. Total Catch for the Day: 12 Spanish Mackerel, 2 Atlantic Bonito up to 24", and 30 Bluefish

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Big Fish on Light Tackle

Top Water Charters and Capt. Marty Moore is one of North Carolina's Premier Nearshore and Inshore Big Fish on Light Tackle Fishing Guides. Consistently producing Fish that earn NC Citations is my trademark. Since 1988, I have personally landed 846 NC Citation winning Fish for 34 Different Species. A few of my Personal Top Fish are 10 lb 11 oz and 10 lb 6 oz Flounders, a 83 lb Red Drum, 94 and 83 lb Cobias, a 83 lb Yellowfin Tuna, 96, 85, and 83 lb Wahoos, a 66 lb Amberjack, a 67 lb Black Drum, a 9 lb 6 oz Speckled Trout, a 53 lb King Mackerel, a 33 lb Permit, a 12 lb 8 oz Sheepshead, a 19 lb 4 oz False Albacore, a 11 lb Spadefish, a 12lb 4 oz Bonefish, a 4 lb 8 oz Ladyfish, a 2 lb 14 oz Sea Mullet, a 140 lb Tarpon, a 66 lb Swordfish and a 380 lb Bluefin Tuna.

A few of my Best Light Tackle Catches are a 240 lb Bluefin Tuna caught on a 20# live bait tackle, a 350 lb Blue Marlin caught on a 30# trolling tackle, a 50 lb Yellowfin Tuna caught on 10# spinning tackle, a 34 lb 8 oz King Mackerel caught from the Beach on 10# spinning tackle, 75 lb Cobia caught on 15# spinning gear, 73 lb Cobia caught on 20# spinning tackle, 61 lb Cobia caught on 10# spinning tackle, a 60+ lb Red Drum caught on 10# spinning tackle, 83 lb, 85 lb, and 96 lb Wahoos all caught on 20# livebait tackle, a 46 lb Red Drum caught on 8# conventional tackle, a 39 lb Red Drum caught on a 7wt fly rod, a 7 lb Largemouth Bass caught on a 3wt fly rod and a 135 lb Sandbar Shark caught on 12# spinning tackle.

I also caught a 37 lb 4 oz King Mackerel in 2001 that was worth $52,000 in the Snead's Ferry King Mackerel Tournament

My Clients and Guests have landed over 500 NC Citations since 1998 with Standout Fish like the N.C. State Record 11 lb 3oz Spadefish, a 68 lb Wahoo, a 67 lb Wahoo, a 92 lb Cobia, a 85 lb Cobia, a 84 lb Cobia, a 82 lb Cobia, a 81 lb Cobia, a 85 lb Amberjack, a 83 lb Amberjack, a 80 lb Amberjack, a 375 lb Bluefin Tuna, a 500 lb Great Hammerhead Shark, a 200 lb Sand Tiger Shark, a 62 lb Black Drum, a 24 lb False Albacore, a 15 lb Sheepshead, a 10 lb 8 oz Speckled Trout, 47 lb Striped Bass and too many Red Drum and Flounders to count.

UPCOMING BEST FISHING

In the Boxes that follow are the types of FISHING and varieties of FISH that Capt Marty recommends fishing for! I try to keep this pretty current as we move forward through the calendar year. As the seasons change the Fish available and the methods of Fishing change. I will do my best to accommodate my Clients wishes, but I will also be completely honest about our chances if a Client wants to Fish for a specific type of Fish. I will always recommend what I believe is our "best bet for success" based on the weather, the time of year, and what happened yesterday! This is how I fish and it's based on 30+ years of Experience and Learning the Hard Way

So what's happening NOW or what's coming soon..... Look Below and Keep Reading

Live Bait Fishing for King Mackerel

Live Bait Fishing for King Mackerel is usually done with 20# mono on light rods and small conventional reels. We fish with very light drags and small treble hooks. When a King Mackerel strikes, usually a live Menhaden, you have no idea whether you have 2 treble hooks stuck in the jaw and throat of the King Mackerel, or you could also have 1 prong of one hook snagged into the Mackerel's skin. Therefore, the idea is to let the King burn off line versus a light drag. After withstanding the initial blistering run, we move the angler to the bow of the boat and we track him down! Without a doubt, on pretty days in October and November, this is what we "need" to be doing.... Since I took up this fishery seriously, back in 1988, in addition to the targetted King Mackerel, the potential bycatch is staggering... Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna, Blackfin Tuna, Bluefin Tuna, Sailfish, Barracuda, Amberjack, Crevalle Jack, Spanish Mackerel, Cobia, Red Drum, Red Snapper, Grouper, a dozen Shark species, False Albacore, Houndfish, Gafftopsail Catfish, Tarpon have all been hooked and/or landed onboard Boats that I was personally fishing aboard..... Oh yeah, back in 1998 during the Hardee's Atlantic Beach KMT we hooked up 4 Billfish at one time. Two pulled off, and we released a Sailfish and I tried my best to release my catch... Because it was caught on a ribbonfish, it had 4 treble hooks in it. By the time I got him unhooked, he had expired! What was it? It was a 44", 8 lb SPEARFISH! So yeah, when Live Bait Fishing for King Mackerel, anything is possible

Run and Gun Casting.... Spring Summer & Fall

Casting Metal Lures, Top Water Plugs, and Flys in the Spring, Summer, and Fall is one of my all-time favorite fisheries. Our main targets are Albacore, Spanish Mackerel, Red Drum, Atlantic Bonito, and Bluefish. The Red Drum are usually found on the Shoals at Cape Lookout and generally, we are casting into huge schools of fish in crystal clear water. These Drum schools are a year-round possibility. The Atlantic Bonito is a special fish for a few reasons. They are a handsome fish that also happens to be a rugged fighter. Very similar to Albacore, but there's one major difference. The Atlantic Bonito is delicious on the table, it prepares and eats just like Yellowfin Tuna. No Joke! Another thing that makes the Atlantic Bonito so special is that they are usually only around for about a month and on a day to day basis, they are usually only worth fishing for about 2 hours every morning. We really need to be sitting on the spot at first light. Atlantic Bonito are one of the few fish that are worth this kind of trouble! Adult or "Chopper" Bluefish also provide many thrills in the Spring. Finding vast schools of 8-12 pound Bluefish in 2-3 foot of water guarrantees a great day of fishing. Great jumpers and surface strikers, these Chopper Bluefish aren't really that good to eat, however I'd never pass up an opportunity to catch a couple of them! Smaller Bluefish can usually be found at various places and at various sizes throughout much of the year. The 1-4 lb class of Bluefish is often a trip saver from April through November. These smaller Bluefish are still great fighters, but are also very tasty. Spanish Mackererel are very reliable from May through October. These Mackerel are beautiful, sporty, and great eating. Spanish Mackerel tend to get progressively larger throughout their season, and large numbers of 5-7 lb fish are sometimes common. They are a very popular fish. Albacore are a good possibility in the Spring, great in September, and keep right getting better right through November! Albacore are lengendary fighters and they are definitely the best game in town on many windy, cold mornings in the Fall when fishing is impossible for anything else!

Cobia Fishing

Cobia Fishing is one of the most exciting inshore Fisheries that we have here in NC. It offers the inshore angler a chance at catching a tough fighting, great eating gamefish that averages 30 pounds and grows to weights over 100 pounds. Fishing for Cobia is availiable by 2 completetly different methods. The "old way" is to fish with bait on the bottom and wait for a Cobia to find you. This method can produce great fishing at times and there is usually enough bycatch (Bluefish, Sharks, and Rays) to keep you busy. The other method is far more exciting, but can be limited by the weather. In this fishery, we ride around and search for Cobias and cast to them. This is probably the most exciting and suspenseful inshore fishery that we have going right now. Delivering a bucktail to a cruising 50+ pound Cobia is very exciting. This method also allows us to fish with much lighter tackle since there is usually no anchor lines and other boats in the immediate vicinity. By either method, catching a big Cobia is a fish that will always be worth bragging about and provide lots of great fish dinners.

NIGHT (and Day) FISHING for GIANT RED DRUM

In August and September we have a very reliable and outstanding fishery in the Southern Pamlico Sound and Neuse River for Trophy Red Drum. These fish will average from 30 to 50 lbs. My personal best came in August of 2000. Caught just a couple hundred yards off the Beach at Cedar Island, this huge Red Drum was 59" long and weighed 83 lbs. I started fishing for these Red Drum in the Cedar Island area back in 1997 and since that year, my success rate has hovered around the 90% mark. Catches of 20-30 Red Drum per night isn't all that uncommon.... I offer this type of fishing from mid-August through September. I fish out of Cedar Island, right by the NC Ferry Operation. The hours for this trip are usually 6pm until midnight. Cost is $350

In addition, Red Drum commonly "turn up" in the Ocean as I run my regular trips out of Beaufort Inlet. Sight casting when conditions are good and fish are avaliable is a Fantastic Fishing Experience! If I had to generalize, I'd say March through June is our best bet for sight casting to Large Red Drum. Then I would guess that August through December are mt best months to find schools of Slot-sized (18" to 27"). Red Drum also turn up while fishing for other fish. They are a distinct possibility 12 months of the year!

Sight Casting to Red Drum

This is why I bought the Tower! I feel like for the first time, I will be able to consistently sight cast to schools of Red Drum in the Ocean nearly year round. These Drum will average from 7 to 15 pounds and when we find them it will be a very memorable fishing experience. I expect that I will be able to target these Red Drum consistently from April through May and again from August through mid-November. Possibly even on into January and beyond! Finding schools of Giant Red Drum is also becoming more common at Cape Lookout! Sight Casting for Red Drum is something that we can easily combine with other types of Fishing trips such as Cobia, Albacore or Speckled Trout. It would usually only take an hour or so to determine if the schools of Drum that I like to target are availiable.

Wreck Fishing

Wreck Fishing is a great way to spend a day on the water. Two of my all-time favorites, Amberjack and Barracuda, are very exciting and fun fish to catch. Amberjacks can be caught on Top Water Plugs, Bucktails, Metal Jigs, or Live Bait. Top Water Plugs draw awesome surface strikes and provide a great visual experience. Live Bait would be my second choice. Watching a pack of aggressive Jacks chase a 2 pound Bluefish down is incredible. Either way most people who haven't fished a Wreck before have never experienced seeing dozens of "big" fish swimming around the boat. Amberjacks frequently do this! Barracudas are another great fish. They respond best to live baits and tube lures. They are awesome jumpers for both height and distance, easily out-performing King Mackerels and Wahoos in this department. They have blinding speed and are also rugged fighters. Bigger Cudas fall for live baits more frequently, but the ones that chase down and bite tube baits are amazing too. You simply CAN NOT reel these baits too fast. It is impossible. Other Wreck Fish include: Flounders, King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, Spadefish, Crevalle Jacks, Cobia, Sea Bass, Sharks, and others. Anything is possible on a Wreck off Beaufort Inlet!

Dolphin Fishing

The traditional "Big 3" of the offshore meat fishing world is Wahoo, Dolphin, and Tuna. Of these 3, Dolphin are the most common and readily accessible to the Small Boat, Center Console Fleet. From early summer until mid-October I am able to target for Dolphin with some degree of consistency from Boat and I can usually do this within 25 miles of land. Wahoo and Tuna are also possible, especially later in the season. Giant Wahoo actually are fairly common catches among the small boat fleet in late October and early November. My 3 career largest Wahoos all came within 10 miles of land and were all caught close to Halloween. I would never claim to compete with the regular Charter Boat Fleets in the offshore trolling game, but I do offer this type of Fishing at half their price and lots of "hands on action" for my clients. Of course, great weather is absolutely necessary!

Bottom Fishing

Bottom Fishing or Jigging with Metal Jigs or Bucktails off Beaufort Inlet is a great way to spend a day on the water. This is a Year Round fishery, only affected by NMFS closures. On pretty days, it is possible to fish farther offshore in deeper water and catch a variety of Groupers, Snappers, Amberjacks, Porgys, Black Sea Bass, Grunts, and Sharks. This type of Fishing is for Full Days only and very weather dependant on my 25 foot Center console for obvious reasons, but the fishing can be awesome when conditions are favorable.

A totally different fishing experience can be had by bottom fishing or jigging speck rigs much closer to the Beach. This fishery is best during Fall and Winter. Staying within 3-4 miles of shore allows me to fish many more days with type of weather that is common in winter. Fishing can be excellent for Black Sea Bass, Bluefish, Gray Trout, Sea Mullet, Black Drum, Croaker, Hogfish, Dog Sharks, and many other varieties.

Bottom Fishing in the Sounds and Inland Waterways can be fantastic from September through November. This is a great way to introduce children to fishing. Our most commonly targetted fish is the small, but tasty Spot. If we can find a Spot we jusy might find a cooler full! Other fish caught while "Spot Fishing" include Croakers, Sea Mullet, Gray Trout, Bluefish, Flounder, Black Drum, Red Drum, Hogish and more.

Capt Marty's Top 15 Catches

1. 50 lb. Yellowfin Tuna (my 1st Tuna) caught on 10# and a stingsilver while casting to Albacore 5 miles off the Beach on 9-19-1988. Amazing.
2. 240 lb Bluefin Tuna caught on 20# and a cigar minnow light line while Grouper fishing on 11-28-1997. I fought this fish for 4 hours and covered 7 miles.
3. 83 lb. Wahoo caught while King Mackerel fishing by myself out of a huge fleet of Carteret County's best fishermen on 11-8-1995. This story is too long to tell here...
4. 66 lb. Amberjack caught on a #00 Clark Spoon on 6-24-1988. The Amberjack swallowed a 2 lb. Mackerel I was reeling in. This fish really got me "HOOKED".
5. 96 lb. Wahoo caught on 15# and a boston mackerel on a light line while Grouper fishing on 10-2-2001. I hooked this one seconds after Gerald Currin had decked a 67 pound Wahoo and was still "bragging".
6. 10 lb. 11 oz Flounder caught in Taylor's Creek on a windy day on 10-18-2003. My career largest Flounder was caught in a place I'd ignored during 20 years of Flounder Fishing!
7. 83 lb. Cobia caught off Cape Lookout while fishing by myself on 5-15-2002. I hate to admit this, I actually tried to break this one off because I was convinced it was a Stingray!
8. 350 lb. Blue Marlin caught on 30# while Dolphin fishing off Ocracoke on 5-20-2001. I rigged the baits, set out the lines, hooked the fish, fought the fish, wired the fish, tagged the fish, and released the fish!
9. 7 lb. 4 oz. Largemouth Bass that I caught on 5-2-09 on a 3 wt fly rod and a tiny rubber-legged spider. I hooked a tiny Bream that the Bass swallowed. I knew when she jumped, she'd throw the Bream... When she did, as the Bass re-entered the water, line started to peel off my reel again. the tiny fly was somehow lodged in the Bass's lip! Caught in a tiny pond at MHC Wal-Mart. Unbelievable!
10. 3 lb 8oz Spanish Mackerel caught on the Morehead Ocean Pier in August of 1974. My first "REAL" fish. I turned down a trip to the movies so I could stay out on the Pier that afternoon.
11. 37 lb. 4 oz. King Mackerel (combined with a 30 lb.4 oz the day before) that won $52,900 in the Snead's Ferry KMT on 8-12-2000
12. 34 lb. 8 oz King Mackerel caught from the Shackleford Banks surf on a peanut shad rigged up on a Penn 440SS (small spinning reel) with 8# on 7-14-2001.
13. 12 lb. 8 oz Sheepshead that ended a 10 year quest to catch a Citation Sheepshead on 8-12-2007.
14. 24 lb Blackfin Tuna that ate a stingsilver one mile off Atlantic Beach on 5-6-2010. I was casting for Bonito with a 10# spinning rod and had chased some Albacore inshore of AR-315. The Tuna was a blind strike and took an hour to land!
15. 67 lb. Black Drum caught on 5-3-2011 that outweighed my previous best Black Drum by 62 lbs and made me actually believe (for the first time) that I might actually accomplish my life's mission of collecting all the NC Citations!

Capt Marty's Personal NC Saltwater Citation Tally

All Fish caught by Capt Marty on Rod n Reel
Starting with a 66 lb Amberjack caught on June 24, 1988 in Beaufort Inlet
Species / # Citations / Largest Wt
1. Red Drum / 363/ 83 lbs
2. Flounder / 70 / 10 lb 11oz
3. Speckled Trout / 68 / 9lb 6oz
4. Cobia / 67 / 94 lbs
5. Amberjack / 48 / 66 lbs
6. Sheepshead / 34 / 12lb 8oz
7. Spanish Mackerel / 31 / 9 lbs
8. King Mackerel / 30 / 53 lbs
9. Bluefin Tuna / 21 / 380 lbs
10. Wahoo / 21 / 96 lbs
11. Barracuda / 15 / 36lb 8oz
12. Shark / 8 / 241 lbs
13. Black Drum / 8 / 67 lbs
14. Sailfish / 7 / 88"
15. Striped Bass / 7 / 35lb 8oz
16. Grouper / 5 / 35 lbs
17. Florida Pompano / 5 / 2lb 9oz
18. Black Sea Bass / 5 / 4 lbs
19. Crevalle Jack / 4 / 28 lbs
20. Red Snapper / 4 / 15lb 6oz
21. Tilefish / 4 / 12lb 8oz
22. Atlantic Bonito / 3 / 25"
23. Yellowfin Tuna / 3 / 83 lbs
24. Sea Mullet / 3 / 2lb 14oz
25. Triggerfish / 3 / 7lb 15oz
26. Blackfin Tuna / 2 / 24lb 8oz
27. False Albacore / 2 / 19lb 3oz
28. Gray Trout / 2 / 6lb 2oz
29. Blue Marlin / 1 / app 400 lbs
30. White Marlin / 1 / app 60 lbs
31. Spearfish / 1 / app 8 lbs
32. Dolphin / 1 / 40 lbs
33. Spot / 1 / 1 lb
34. Porgy / 1 / 6lb 7oz
TOTAL 849
Citation Saltwater Fish from other States
Snook / 4 / 35" (Texas)
Striped Bass / 1 / 47 lbs (Virginia)

Capt Marty's Personal NC Freshwater Citation Tally

Starting with an 8" Flier caught in a Wake County Pond in July of 1982
Species / # Citations / Largest Wt
1. Hickory Shad / 38 / 2 lb 9oz
2. White Perch / 25 / 1 lb 4oz
3. Blue Catfish / 6 / 42 lbs
4. American Shad / 6 / 5 lbs
5. Rainbow Trout / 5 / 21"
6. Largemouth Bass / 3 / 8 lb 4oz
7. Bluegill / 3 / 2 lb 2oz
8. Bowfin / 2 / 33"
9. Chain Pickerel / 2 / 28"
10. Green Sunfish / 2 / 10"
11. Pumpkinseed / 2 / 11"
13. Yellow Perch / 2 / 1 lb 6oz
12. Brook Trout / 2 / 20"
14. White Catfish / 1 / 4 lbs
15. Bullhead / 1 / 2 lb 8oz
16. Redfin Pickerel / 1 / 14"
17. Flier / 1 / 8"
Total 102
Citation Freshwater Fish from other States
Brown Trout / 2 / 16 lbs (NY)
Walleye / 6 / 28 7/8" (Ohio)
Freshwater Drum / 3 / 24" (Ohio)

2001 NC Citation Count

Citation sized fish caught by Capt Marty or Top Water Clients and Guests
1. Blue Marlin 1
2. Bluefin Tuna 4
3. Cobia 4
4. Dolphin 1
5. Flounder 2
6. Grouper 1
7. Pompano 1
8. Red Drum 70
9. Red Snapper 2
10. Sailfish 2
11. Speckled Trout 7
12. Spot 1
13. Wahoo 5
Total 101
***I spent 45 days in South Padre Island, Texas from early October until Thanksgiving catching Mangrove Snapper (up to 3 lbs), King Mackerel (up to 19 lbs), Spanish Mackerel, Hardhead Catfish, Pompano, Speckled Trout (up to 3 lbs), Red Drum (up to 5 lbs), Ladyfish (up to 5 lbs), Palometa, Gulf Sea Mullet (up to 2 lbs), Little Tunny, Bluefish, Sand Sea Trout, and (finally) SNOOK (up to 9 lbs). Of course, I fished every day or night possible.***.