New Year's Eve and Giant Sharks in the Hatteras Surf

This was supposed to be "Happy New Year" to everybody, but something amazing is happening today that got my attention in a BIG WAY! Unfortunately, as far as the Fishing goes, I got up here too late.... Damn... Hopefully I will have a very interesting Jan 1, 2014 Fishing Report Tomorrow!!

So, here's the deal as I gather info.... Evidently there is a somewhat freaky, but not totally unheard for Hatteras, event taking place at Cape Point in Buxton. There is a body of water that is pushed right up against the sand that's temperature is in the mid-60s. Surrounding water both north and south is in the upper 40s to lower 50s. I was happy yesterday in Beaufort Inlet when I saw the water was 53 degrees. Anyway, up at Hatteras, this warm water is freaking FULL of SHARKS. And I do not mean Dogsharks. As a matter of fact, the boys are using half a Dogshark for bait. My pal Zack, formerly of Red Drum Tackle Shop Fame, caught a few massive Sandbar Sharks in the surf late this afternoon. He was informed that this morning there was an EPIC SHARK BLITZ out on the Beach. There was a 12 foot Shark released. I am still trying to figure out what variety it was, but we can eliminate lots of species. At that length, a Great Hammerhead or a Tiger is most likely. Zack's friend released 4 jumbo Sandbar Sharks over 125 lbs each . Amazingly the guys reported Sharks busting into groups of Comorants like Bluefish busting into silversides.... I am damn glad to report that something might actually eat those damn nasty birds..... Anyway, tomorrow morning I am going to do my best to get out there and take part in this AMAZING FISHERY.... Honestly, who would surprised if a few Great White Sharks aren't out there nearby. Guys, these mid-Atlantic Great Whites aren't eating Seals and Sea Lions like their cousins World Wide. They are too big to chase Menhaden, Mackerel, and Bluefish... I can promise you that 75-125 lb Sharks and big ass Rays are pretty damn high up on their Menu.... Commercial Dogshark season opens tomorrow as well... I expect lots of big Thresher Sharks will be By-catch up here at Hatteras as well... You know, I should've brought my Boat up here. I could've played Capt Quint. You know, in an early Winter season where the fishing has been slow and disappointing...... THIS IS EXCITING. The New Year's Day Massacre. The Cape Hatteras Surf SHARK BLITZ....

Okay that's out of the way, so, Happy New Years to all and to all a good night... I Love You Jennifer, Momma, Daddy, Michael, Edith, Ellen, BJ, and other family members. And Sam and Alyx, loyal followers and "Top Water Girls".... And Savannah, Betty, Bobby G 1, Bobby G 2, and the Dukester...... My new family! To The Tiger, Little Sid, Trixie, and Emma. To my neighbors, to my friends, to my "on the water" adversaries and enemies.... Happy New Year to all!

My New Years Resolution: Get in better shape, shake off this "blown disk excuse" for everything and FISH MORE and catch BIGGER FISH and make my Parents Proud and keep my Wife Happy

Dec 30- Fun Day with Lots of Action

With Poor Speckled Trout fishing dominating the Local Fishing Scene and Red Drum spread way too far inside for my 25 ft Boat to reach...... I had to figure out another plan today. Private Yacht Captain and avid fisherman John was visiting home from down in South Florida and he really wanted his son, John Jr to catch some fish.... Well, I explained how poor that the fishing has been and especially with the challenges created by yesterday's wind and rain.... I really wanted to say, "Hey Guys, let's go to the Mung Hole!"   That's a poor thing for a Veteran Fishing Guide to say! Anyway, John explained that he just wanted Action and lot's of it! So, I grabbed some shrimp and bottom rigs and headed out looking for a "very uncertain" Sea Mullet in the Turning Basin and a "pretty certain" Black Sea Bass and Spiny Dogshark at the AR's...... Five fun hours later, John Jr got his Sea Mullet from the Turning Basin, but it was tiny and the action was S  L  O  W....... So, we ran out to AR-315 and found all the regular winter inhabitants except the Dogsharks.... Crazy, that kid wanted a Shark so bad.... But he had a time with Sheepsheads and Sea Bass, and a suprizing number of Spottail Pinfish too... Finally, we ran up to Cape Lookout, where John Jr got Black Drum and another Sheepshead. The daily prize winner was a 6 lb Black Drum that will be headed back to Raleigh to participate in a New Year's Day Fish Sandwich!  Total Catch for the Day: 2 Black Drum up to 6 lbs, 2 Sheepsheads up to 1 lb 4oz, 2 Southern Sea Mullet, 2 Atlantic Croaker, 5 Spottail Pinfish up to 1 lb, 1 Pinfish, 1 Gag Grouper, and 15 Black Sea Bass up to 1 lb 4oz

Dec 28- Urban Fly Rodding

I wanted to go Boating and Salt Water Fishing but it didn't happen. Reports from the Cape Lookout Rock Jetty were poor and a potential Red Drum trip on another boat didn't pan out..... So I took the easy way out and drove 3/10s of a mile to the Beaufort Mung Holes. I grabbed my 3wt Fly Rod, which was probably a mistake. I could've used the 7wt Fly Rod to cast farther with larger flys. The Bass seemed to be active in one area that I could only reach from directly across the Pond. The 3wt simply wasn't up to that job. My best efforts were consistently 25 feet short.... Oh well. There will be other days, but they will probably occur in 2014! So what did I catch? Well, within 5 minutes, I had a very healthy little Largemouth Bass eat a green wooly booger. I thought I'd show them something other than a popping bug and right off the bat it seemed like a good idea. Then came a dead period. So it wasn't a goo idea! I tied on my trusty popping bug and I quickly got a roll, a flash, and a swirl under my bug. On my next cast, my Fly got ingulfed by a real nice Largemouth Bass and then I screwed this up. I wasn't sure exactly what I had hooked but for 8 seconds it tried to run and my left hand was too reluctant to give back the fly line that was coiled at my feet.... Should've let him run... Suddenly the Bass jumped and this was obviously the largest I've ever hooked in the Mung Hole. As the heavy Largemouth Bass cleared the water, his first gyration threw the hook. He landed with a mighty splash and it was over.... I should've quit right then. The little Mung Hole never recovered.... In the next 30 minutes, I got one bite and caught one little Bluegill. Damn what a Fish I nearly showed y'all.... I'd say 6-7 lb Largemouth Bass. Not a Fish for the tiny hook of a "small" popping bug. My largest Largemouth Bass on fly came on the 3wt and a tiny bug, but I knew I was lucky. Not today, I messed it up, or I was unlucky... Perhaps I was LUCKY to simply Hook this Beautiful Bass.... Total Catch for the Day: 1 Largemouth Bass and 1 Bluegill

Christmas Day Fishing

Too much Turkey. Feeling as stuffed as that damn bird. So I saw that it was a sunny, cool, breezy day. It wasn't too bad considering that it's late December! So I grabbed my beloved 3wt Fly Rod and headed across Hwy 70 to my Urban/Resisdential Fresh Water Fishing Playground, also called the Mung Holes. I nearly had a beautiful young lady with me, I thought! She faked interest and as I started to believe that I might have company, Alyx busted out laughing and chanting "Mung Hole Marty" over and over to roars of laughter from her enlightened crowd of sisters, cousins, and aunts... Even Emma was laughing with them, at me!  Alyx's Aunt just happens to be my wonderful wife, Jennifer.... Anyhow, I ashamedly creeped back into my lonely world of Urban Pond Fishing..... As I walked out to my beloved Pond,  I realized that all this was in "a catch basin for Rainwater" that the EPA mandated during the construction of this subdivision..... This is the Poorest Excuse for Fishing that I can think of.... Elsewhere in this Country, men are headed out, just like me, feeling a little too full and ready for the holidays to end.... These guys are going out on Majestic Mountain Lakes and Glacial Ponds, Roaring, Rock Strewn Rivers, Huge Southern Impoundments, and even Farm Ponds that are ecologically perfect... These guys are catching giant Florida Strain Largemouth Bass, huge Salmon and Steelhead fresh from the Sea. Mighty Northern Pike and delicious Walleye, Huge Brook Trout in full spawning colors.... Meanwhile, the best I can hope for is a stunted Bluegill or a sadly trapped Largemouth Bass... A pitiful existence for the Fish and the Fisherman.... I couldn't get any lower...... Until that Bluegill ate that popping bug! It was on! Christmas Day Baby! Fly Rodding Carteret County, It got better when the Bass slammed that fly! No Pumpkinseed meant no slam, but Mission Accomplished anyway. A Fish is a Fish is a Fish! Merry Christmas.... There are only 2 KINDS of People on Earth! Those who caught Fish today and Those who Didn't!  Total Catch for the Day: 2 Bluegill and 1 Largemouth Bass

Dec 23- Hatteras Freshwater Fishing

Disaster strikes during an interesting day of fishing...... Disaster strikes during an excellent week of fishing..... Take your pick! First, it was blowing too hard for the Ocean and it's Red Drum and Speckled Trout. So, wanting to go fishing today, I decided to make the into a place known to local's as "The Horseshoe Pond"... This place is far and away the Most Popular Largemouth Bass location on Hatteras Island. Everybody has a story about a Giant Bass that got away. Most locals believe that this Pond will give up a 12 lb Largemouth Bass eventually... There are other Ponds in Buxton and Avon. What sets this place apart is that this Pond is NOT susceptible to flooding and fish killing salt water. Also, you have to hike into this place. So, today I hiked in there and my first problem was that I didn't have any Bass tackle. As a matter of fact, the only freshwater tackle I had was a pack of "Trout Gulp".... Long, thin brown sparkly worms... They looked good, but definitely had the look of a great Bream bait. Plus, it was real small and weightless. Casting was going to be a problem... After a very, very brief search, I found a deep looking corner and I made my first cast! Half way in, my line went "weightless".. I quickly reeled up the slack and firmly lifted my rod. Pow Baby! fish on! After a large swirl, the rod throbbed briefly and the fish was gone. Hey, its looking good so I quickly re-cast the tiny worm and it got slammed. Quickly a Largemouth Bass went airborne. Not large, but its a fish. I got him in my hand and snapped a quick picture. Looking at the Bass, he looked wilder and healthier than Beaufort's Urban Subdivision Bass. Not sure why I said that, but its true. Then disaster struck. The little Bass flipped hard in my hand and swatted my Apple I Phone 5 out of my grip and into the clear cold water of the Horseshoe Pond. Within seconds I had the Phone in hand and the Bass was returned to the water... Oh Lord No. Soaking wet, but it was still working. I shook it dry, wiped it off, and sucked the water out of all the open ports the best I could. I found a dry, sunny spot and sat it down and returned to fishing. My heart wasn't in it though. In the next 10 minutes, I caught my first Hatteras Island Bluegill and several other Bass. I think one day I will return to the Horseshoe Pond and I would expect to find great Largemouth Bass fishing. I would also expect incredible misquitos and lots of Cottonmouth Water Moccasins. The Great Things in Life always come at a High Price. High Reward, High Risk......Now, my great week of Fishing and what happened to that? Well, Monday through Thursday, I fished every day with some degree of success... Then came Friday, Saturday, and Sunday... Its late December and the temps were near 70 with light winds! Why did I quit fishing? Well, I GOT SICK...... XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX (TOO MANY DETAILS and is that better Cousin Ellen?)....... By Monday and it's better now and I am looking to fish again. As a matter of fact, I even snuck out and smoked a Grass Carp that is in XXXXXXXX's XXXXXXXXXX XXXX on Hatteras Island. I ain't giving a lot of details and I promise I released him gently, but dammit... I'm Marty Moore and I Fish and I Can't Help It and I am an Addict and that damn Carp has been making fun of me for 10 years... I showed him who's the Boss..... Total Catch for the Week: 7 Largemouth Bass, 1 Bluegill, and a 11 lb Grass Carp

Dec 20- The Rod, The Gig, The Skunk

That's a BIG FAT ZERO....... I didn't make it out to the Jetty's where the fishing has been good, but steadily declining from the All Out Blitz that occurred on Monday. I had fished out there 4 days in a row and I had brought home a nice fish each day. I've been "living off the land"..... The water actually and the living's been good. Nice fat Drum and Trout fillets.... Well, today I screwed up. I slept too late and missed the Drum bite.. Good or Bad, at least I knew without a doubt, the fishing has been good, has the potential to be great, and there's a good chance that I won't come home empty handed.... So I was "all in" for tonight's action. Between gigging and casting on the south shore of Hatteras Inlet, I was certain that I'd score and I just might hit the "Motherlode".... I was bristling with anticipation.... Well. To make a short story painlessly shorter..... Gigging was bad, but casting was worse. At least gigging I saw a Squid and several Pinfish and Silversides. The highlight of casting was when I changed from a mirrorlure to a gulp..... And I dropped the gulp/leadhead in 2 feet of water... After 20 minutes, I successfully hooked the hook in the eye of my rod so I didn't have to bend down and get my sleeve wet. Small Battle Won.... War Lost.... Living off the Land? Looks like I'm going hungry. Total Catch for the Day: Nothing

Dec 19- The KING of the BEACH

If Cape Hatteras is one of the Greatest Surf Fishing Destinations in the USA.... At Cape Hatteras right now you basically have: #1 The Point and #2 The Jetty's.... Right now, The Jetty's are where THE BEST ACTION IS..... Therefore, in my opinion, the Jetty's at Buxton, NC is one of the USA's greatest surf fishing destinations. Dominate the fishing here and you might just be "the best fisherman on the East Coast for the Day". Right? Well today, this kid pictured, he brought the heat! He was the best fisherman on the Beach. He caught an AMAZING FISH. He caught a freaking Giant Sea Mullet. He also caught a Red Drum on a slow day... I didn't catch one and I consider myself to be an "okay fisherman"..... I dont know his name, but his Dad is John Canning and has a Charterboat at Hatteras named Reliance.   (www.fishreliance.com) Call John up and he will take you offshore out of Hatteras Harbor Marina......  As for me, I had a slow day. I saw 4-5 Red Drum caught. I had seen a Speckled Trout and a Giant Sea Mullet caught. It was looking bleak. Finally I caught a 2 lb 8oz Speckled Trout. It was my only fish of the Day... Damn, I wish I could've caught that Sea Mullet. It was a real trophy. But it was cool seeing that boy "light up"... He is a fisherman for sure, He knew the significance of that fish. I didn't catch my first NC Saltwater Citation until I was 21 years old. That little boy is lucky and he is already a damn good fisherman. Bright future and lots of fun ahead of him..... Total Catch for the Day: 1 Speckled Trout at 2 lb 8oz

Dec 18- Gigging for Not Much (part 3)

It was too pretty last night. I was restless. I had my buddy, Frank's, Flounder Light with me... I am trying to give it back because I've had it since August!!! Anyway, I asked Frank for "one more night" and he said yes...... Frank, like Tugwell and C-Bo, is after Deer, not fish.... Anyway, so I spent 90 wonderful minutes walking around Hatteras Inlet. Unfortunately, I probably walked where no man has ever walked before. This was due to the incredibly low tides.. That was cool and I found lots of hardcore and "fishy looking" structures that I'd never seen before. Didn't even know it was there .... Next year, Sheepshead heaven! Other than that, I saw many many "Flounder Footprints". I also saw a Flounder. A Summer Flounder that unfortunately will be a Flounder sandwich shortly... The most atrocious act I have committed against an innocent fish in quite a while also occurred last night... Wanting to test my skills as a potential "spear-wielding Wild Man of Borneo" I thrust my weapon at a hapless 3" Striped Killifish. Believe it or not, I hit paydirt. Hey, I might just audition for Discovery Channel's new reality show, "Naked and Afraid". Me and Jennifer and Emma.... "Hey Honey, I'm home. I got us a Mud Minnow for supper"...... Sheesh. Total Gigged for the Night: 1 Summer Flounder and 1 Striped Killifish

Dec 18- Red Drum Fishing (part 2)

Got a little bored this afternoon so I headed back out to the Beach... Honestly, I was looking for Speckled Trout so I avoided the Jettys. For that matter, I didn't feel like going all way to Buxton. I made it as far east as the Frisco Pier. The surf was freaking pounding and the water was very dirty. I made a couple casts and knew I was wasting my time. So I back-tracked back down to Hatteras and drove out on the Beach. Here I headed west until I came up to a recently un-sanded chunk of a Shipwreck. Presumably the famous Carroll A. Deering. I'll go into a little history on that one day... Anyway, I stopped to admire the Wood and Iron that was laid together in 1919.... There was also a nice slough right in front of the relic. I waded out there and started casting. The waves were pounding and the current was like a Class IV Rapid for Whitewater Rafting... I have NO IDEA what that last sentence means BUT IT SOUNDED GOOD! Anyway, after 5 minutes, I said "10 more casts".... And wouldn't you know it.... On the 10th cast I had a bite and after a terrific struggle (6 kts of current is a plus for the fish) I managed to land a 23" Red Drum. Amazing. First Cast this morning = Red Drum. Last Cast this afternoon = Red Drum. 400 casts in between = Nothing...... Total Catch for this Trip: 1 Red Drum at 23"

Dec 18- A Pretty Damn Awesome Cast (part 1)

On some small level, today was my day..... Its was little too windy and the water is a little too dirty. It is a great day to soak bait in the surf for Red Drum.... Not the best conditions for tossing "fake baits". Personally, I like to cast grubs or gulp. So does a large percentage of other fishermen.... Okay, so today I slept until 10:30am. I got up and headed to the Jettys. When I got there all I found was a few disgruntled fishermen that had been there an hour and they had never had a bite. Oh well, I figured I drove all the way up there, I might as well make a few casts too.... And my first cast--BINGO. I got a beautiful 24" Red Drum out of the slough that runs right along the shore. It was a great battle right in front of me. Up and down the trough a mere 25 feet from where I stood. I finally slid my Drum up the steep beach aided by the crashing waves..... Mission accomplished and those guys hate me now..... I'm going to carry this report a little farther... I am eating a Red Drum for lunch as I type this. Here is Capt Marty's easiest way to prepare Red Drum. First, fillet the Drum and leave scales on..... Salt and Pepper (Old Bay or Blackening Seasoning or Cajun Seasoning)  the fillets..... Place the Red Drum fillets on the grill skin and scales side down...... Close the lid and forget it, you DO NOT have to flip the fillets...... 15-20 minutes later put the fillets on your plate and eat it right out of the skin.... Scales turn hard and black and meat pops right out of the skin..... I call it: Drum on the Half Shell.... Delicious! Total Catch for the Day: 1 Red Drum at 24"

Dec 17- A Red Drum from the Surf

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday was Epic. Therefore, today was full of hope and anticipation. With yesterday's memory fresh in everyone's mind, it was hard to give up and quit no matter how poor the fishing was...... All the fishermen that were on the Beach yesterday felt like it was going to "go off" at any minute. Unless it started after I left, it never went off...... I actually went home early because I am supposed to work tonight. Incredibly, there was a brief moment of hope when 3 guys all hooked up within a 20 second period! Imagine with 8 guys casting- casting- casting, and out of nowhere, 3 rods bowed as Red Drum ate gulps far out on the Outer Bar.... Thank goodness, my rod was one of the lucky ones that bent over! So I got my Red Drum. I must say, that after fishing 5 hours, driving all over Cape Hatteras, and slinging that 1/2 oz leadhead and gulp bait probably 400 times today, it was a sweet hook-up for me. That 25" Red Drum fought an incredible battle. There was a heavy surf running out on the offshore sandbar. There was also an incredibly strong longshore current running inside the sandbar. This mighty little Red Drum used all of these adverse conditions to his advantage as well as any fish I've fought from the surf in a long time. I also caught and fought this Drum right up against the Southern Jetty. It looked for a while that he was going to dart through a hole in the rusted steel sea wall, or whats left of it. If that Drum could've stuck his head through that jagged steel, my line would've parted with the ease.... It looked certain for what seemed like eternity. He was really bulldogging in that direction. However, I finally pulled him just inshore of his escape route. Now all I had to do was not give him any line back... Suddenly my Red Drum changed tactics. It was a fatal mistake. He rose up to the surface and fought in the wave crests. It was a beautiful sight, his faint redness thrashing in the dirty water and his lesser known trademark the blue margin on his tail punishing the Ocean as he beat the current and the whitewater as he propelled his body from right to left in front of me. The blue tail flashing in the brilliant sunlight. If I had more time and the fishing was "a little bit" better, I would've released this Red Drum. I haven't fought a gladiator of a fish equivalent to this Red Drum since a  memorable Snook at South Padre Island, TX in November of 2001. That ain't no lie. I wanted to release this Fish, but I'm trying to put a meal together for my Ferry Crew. I need 5 or 6 Red Drum and/or Speckled Trout. The Trout fishing looks bleak. Anyway, I killed a Red Drum that deserved to live. I am sorry..... Total Catch for the Day: 1 Red Drum at 25"

Dec 16- Red Drum Blitz

Blitz! I do not use that term lightly..... I've been up here at Cape Hatteras half my life since November of 2002. I had the pleasure of being in a blitz of Striped Bass in the fog one afternoon at Hatteras Inlet in January of 2004. Adult Striped Bass were pushing Menhaden up on the Beach. Unfortunately, it was so foggy, you couldn't see what was happening in front of you. I left the Beach with 2 Striped Bass that day. Others caught more and I weighed a 38lb Striper for a guy.... Today was much different, but it was still a freaking EPIC EPIC Red Drum bite. Chew. Whatever. I'll call it a BLITZ for the Hell of it!  What started out with me noticing 4 guys consistently hooking slot sized Red Drum a couple hundred yards away from where I was casting.... It was about 12pm.  I was at the Northern Jetty, they were at the Southern Jetty. At Buxton, or the "Old Lighthouse Location"..... Eventually I walked over to those 4 guys. I cast a white gulp. Slam Bam. As soon as it hit the water I had a Red Drum hooked up. I landed a 25" Red Drum and tossed him up on the Beach for my one keeper..... I walked back to the surf and cast again. Slam Bam, again. Another Red Drum. In fact, my first 5 casts resulted in hook-ups. Then I popped off Drum #5. I quickly borrowed a jig head and resumed casting and catching Red Drum. Then I lost another jig head. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot! I was using PowerPro and the Drum were causing such abrasion to wear out that PowerPro.. That's a first for me! Anyway, I hiked the considerable distance back to my Truck to put my fish in the cooler and retrieved more jig heads.... Looking at the distance, I actually drove around and parked in a different location. This entire process took 30+ minutes.... I wondered, "Is it still happening?" When I finally arrived back to the spot, there were now 8 guys fishing and everyone was hooked up or unhooking fish! Okay, this is a Special Bite. It is a BLITZ. I quickly walked back down there and over the next 75 minutes I caught 14 Red Drum on 14 casts. The 15th Red Drum popped the PowerPro again. I tied on another jig head. I was now close to 3pm. An incredible bite. I cast again and released a Red Drum. I took a few pictures and relaxed for a bit. Then I cast again and immediately hooked another Red Drum. I was popping pics of every Red Drum I caught. I figured I just as well go for 25 Red Drum. I cast again and released Red Drum #24. My final cast, I was wrapped around my rod tip and the frayed PowerPro snapped..... I watched my 5" white gulp jerk bait land out on the sandbar in the white water.... There was an immediate swirl over the spot. Another Red Drum had eaten my bait only this one was unattached.... I decided not to catch another one and grabbed my stuff and headed for the Truck. I turned a looked back. It was 330pm. This had been going on since 12pm. There were 9 guys still fishing. Three were unhooking Drum. Four were hooked up. The Blitz was still on.... It was A DAY TO REMEMBER in the Hatteras Island Surf. A special day. Total Catch for the Day: 24 Red Drum from 23" to 27" 

Back to Work Time Again

Tomorrow I am headed up to the Stumpy Point to Rodanthe Emergency Ferry to work 3 extra nights. Tuesday morning I will journey down to Hatteras for my regular shift. Therefore, I will not be home until Christmas Eve. That sucks......  Hopefully next week down at Hatteras, the Red Drum will still be biting and the maybe a few Speckled Trout will filter down out of Chesapeake Bay. The "big ones" I hope.... I heard about a 7 lb 11oz up there at Hatteras but in reality, somebody probably caught that one in the Hot Ditch up in Virginia and brought it down here to be a "Beach Hero"..... Oh well, I will post again when I catch again! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

Dec 12- Radio Island is Over

I don't know.... I'm guessing that it's over. This week, in 3 trips, I've witnessed a progressive decline in the Speckled Trout fishing. Today I was hoping yesterday was a freak occurence. I was wrong. Today I started at low tide. I fished for 90 minutes. I caught 2 Speckled Trout. I missed one bite. That's alot of casting for 2 fish. I won't be going back until November of 2014. Emma and I enjoyed a good run of great fishing. When I get home on Christmas Eve I will have to get my kicks somewhere besides Radio Island. Sad. Total Catch for the Day: 2 Speckled Trout

Dec 11-Brrrrr Trout

Fishing at Radio Island was freaking COLD today. The wind was cold. The air was cold. The water was cold. The fishing was a little different today. For me anyway. Joe Dixon was down at the end of Radio Island and he had his way with them..... "Forty Trout" was the last number he yelled in my direction. Joe is a great Trout Fisherman and a Force to be Reckoned With in general. As for me, I struggled with my Shimano Stradic with PowerPro. I couldn't get the hang of it. I missed dozens of bites. My other rod and reel that I carried down there, evidently I got a little sand and salt intrusion last time down there. That reel is on its last leg. Anyway, I caught 25 Speckled Trout in probably 2 hours. Seems like I had streaks of 10 casts between bites and then went 50 casts without a bite and decided to quit. I know those fish were there yesterday and it surely seemed they were there this morning (for Joe).... This afternoon, great weather but cold, rising water, everything seemed perfect. The Trout just were not biting this afternoon. Total Catch for the Day: 25 Speckled Trout up to 14"

Dec 10- Speckled Trout as Thick as Fleas

Well that "no more fishing in 2013" didn't gain much traction, huh? As soon as I got home from Hatteras, Emma and I hiked out to Radio Island to see what was there.... Lots of interesting stuff... First, I met Sandy Harris coming off the Beach. Sandy is Tugwell's former Boss and Mentor and is a great fisherman. Sandy told me all I needed to hear. "Every cast and 100 Trout".... Same ole thing and exactly what I wanted to hear. So, Emma and I walked down there and fished until the wind and rain chased us away. I made 15 casts. I had 22 bites. I caught 8 Speckled Trout. Emma ate one unfortunate Trout. Total Catch for the Day: 8 Speckled Trout from 10" to 12"