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