The Undefeated Carolina Panthers

As the Bluefin Tuna were being caught on the Crystal Coast, Capt Marty could've cared less! HA! Never thought we'd get to this point. I remember, about 12-13 years ago, a good friend of mine and avid fisherman AND probably Carteret County and North Carolina's BEST COBIA on BOTTOM BAIT fishermen, I am talking about Jeremy Cannon..... Anyway, Jeremy sold his boat and pretty much QUIT FISHING. He told me, "Marty, there is MORE TO LIFE THAN FISHING".......

Blasphemy. Never Ever would I consider making such a statement.... Until very recently, I considered a Day that I didn't go Fishing, I considered a MISSED OPPORTUNITY and there WAS NO WAY TO EVER MAKE IT UP. It was devastating to miss a day of fishing. My goal was to fish every single day....

Recently, that has changed. While not ready to announce there's more to life than fishing, my wants and needs and desires have changed..... Make that my "Fishing" Desires..... I WANT to go to Far Away Places and Fish for Beautiful Freshwater Fish in Beautiful Places..... I am NO LONGER driven to fish every single day of my life with Cape Lookout as my backdrop. No, I want a Mountain Stream or a Great Lake, or some other far away location in my background. It used to be my "travel dollar" was ALL spent headed South, chasing exotic Saltwater Species down through the Florida Keys..... Nowadays, I'm dreaming towards the North Star. My fantasy is to battle a Steelhead or Atlantic Salmon while standing knee deep in a clear cold river while soft fluffy snow falls around me. Meanwhile, my beautiful, sexy wife waits by a roaring campfire with camp coffee brewing and a 4oz medium rare Flat Iron Steak sizzles.... Of course, she is wearing only a pair of Mink Fur Scarfs and Fluffy Boots and our Velvet covered Air Mattress with Silky Sleeping Bags wait inside our strangely warm tent and Emma is happily tied off to a nearby Tree..... Ooopppps, I'm rambling......

Back to this weekend..... In spite of the Tuna Bite, my mind was Far From Fishing and Jennifer and I traveled to Charlotte to see the 9 and 0 Carolina Panthers play.... Honestly, this was probably the first time I have traveled anywhere in the last 20 years with NO Rod and Reel packed somewhere......

Charlotte was great. The game was great. Cam Newton was great. Luke Kuechly was great. It was great to see Chris Culliver (Garner Boy), Robert Griffin III (College Football Legend), Colt McCoy (College Football Legend). We saw Cam Newton pass for 5 TDs. We saw a Deadskin run a Kickoff Back for a TD. We saw Culliver run an Int back for a TD, only to get it called back. Game Changer. We saw Greg Olsen set a Team Record (all time TE recieving yards). We saw how incredible an "EVENT" an NFL Game really is....... It was a GREAT TIME and I have NO REGRETS about missing the Fishing. Honestly, I need to get busy trying to get my Outboard motor fixed.... I miss Fishing, I really do. I have seen some nice Speckled Trout caught and some monster Bluefin Tunas... I need to get back in the game. In the meantime..... We got FOOTBALL... And there is More To Life Than Fishing. I think I need a little diversity in my life..... Too much Fishing from April of 1986 until November of 2014 (when my stuff was stolen). Right now, I need to add a little Fishing back into my Life and find that perfect Balance. And be patient until I can hit my next Freshwater Adventure Trip.

My Apology

I am sorry for last nights tirade. The thieves that stole my equipment never got punished and, at the same time, the Bluefin Tuna have showed up again and I don't have any tackle to catch them. Its not fair.

Nov 20- Speckled Trout Fishing

Looks like a Football Weekend for me. No Boat and No Calls for Fishing, Thanks to my buddy Jeremy Dixon for offering me use of his 21ft Carolina Skiff. I could've would've should've caught some great Speckled Trout this week. Lots of Fish around. All the Small Trout you can imagine. Real good numbers of nice keepers in the 15-18" class. Quite a few Trout in that lovely 20" class that weigh 3 lbs each. These are the Trout that make us fall in love with Trout Fishing..... And, due to appear at any time: The Trophy Trout. The 5-8 pounders that we all encountered in our youth! Them boys are due any time now.................. So okay, no one called Captain Marty Moore that wanted to go Trout Fishing from Tuesday November17th through Sunday November 22nd. I don't blame you guys. It seems that I'm just a shell of my Former Fishing Self. The reality is..... I wanted to go and take someone out on a Serious Trout Fishing Trip. I needed the Income. But since no one was interested, I didn't go.... See, I'm not that interested. All I want, is to get my ass in a River either in the Mountains or Up North. My thoughts and dreams and desires have left the Salt Water of Eastern North Carolina behind...... Now don't get me wrong, I still want to fish, but in this case, I chose Radio Island. It's easy, it's fishy, it's good exercise. I did not want to kill a bunch of Speckled Trout. So I did not borrow Jeremy's Boat. I simply walked out to Radio Island and caught Speckled Trout. Now, I think the rest of my weekend I will go on a "FOOTBALL TOUR". Starting with the East Carteret Mariners Friday Night. "Little" cousin Duncan Englehardt is killin it at Middle Line Backer for the 10-2 Mariners. Saturday, its on to Raleigh and the NCState vs Syracuse Game. Where "real" student athletes play football, pretty poorly, but hey, these guys got real tests and can actually read and write. No Pine Cone Turkeys or paste and copy 5 th Graders Book Reports..... Should be a real crapfest, but "Go Wolfpack" Or as Ryan Handsbro says, "Go Wolpfack"..... Finally, on Sunday, Jennifer and I will be attending the Carolina Panthers gane against the Washington Redskins. This will be a great time for us, even though my scheme to end up at South Mountain State Park (Blue Ribbon Trout Streams) fell through.... Damn I nearly pulled off a rare doubleheader. NFL Football and Mountain Trout Fly Fishing..,... Oh Dammit. Oh yeah, I walked out to Radio Island today. Fished the Western Shore. Tough wind on the "other side" hampered fishing. On the west side it was to my back. Cast a country mile..... Trout, Trout, Trout..... Then, holy shit I hooked a monster. Standing waist deep and about 30 yards from shore I had hooked a deep boring and head shaking monster. I knew what it was..... On the 8# mono, I was going to have to get lucky. I got him TO ME but I had NO NET. Now I had to walk him to shore. Halfway there, one final incredible head shake and my approximately 25" and 7 lb Flounder was GONE. Damn man, it made me smile. 5 years ago when I actually caught 2 or 3 Citation Flounders a year, if this would've happened, I would've gone apeshit ballistic.....Beat Myself Up for days..... I have mellowed. I actually smiled and chuckled to myself. Really it was a great fight and a great feeling. All that's missing is a Picture and a Baked Flounder. Total Catch for the Day: 11 Speckled Trout from 12-14" and 3 Inshore Lizardfish     

Nov 18- Trout Trout Trout and the "BOATLESS" Fisherman

The Boatless Fisherman makes out pretty good around Beaufort Inlet for a few weeks around the period from Halloween to Thanksgiving..... Lots of options. You can "roll the dice" by hitting the surf at Atlantic Beach. Fishing just east of the Stop Nets right at sun-rise will increase your odds. This is your Best Bet for a monster-sized Speckled Trout for the footbound angler..... A larger time commitment and a little cost and a determined angler could catch a Ferry over to Shackleford Banks. A few hours spent over there would give you a decent chance at larger Speckled Trout, plus a decent chance at large numbers of small Trout. The wild card here would be the potential to encounter Red Drum. From the lone fish cruising the Sloughs to the Westward marching Red Army! Yes, the years in the Tower have taught me that the stretch of Beach from Rough Point to Beaufort Inlet is one of our more consistent Beaches to encounter schools of Red Drum numbering from a loose aggregation of 10-30 fish to Schools of Thousands of Red Drum that appear as a Purple Spot in the water that drifts westward and slowly morphs into different shapes......  A Gulp cast here is an automatic hook-up.... The Final Fishing Spot is the "Easy One". The one I chose. Radio Island. Here you park at the Beach Access and hike 10 minutes down the Beach to the area before you get to the Fence. From here, wade out and cast towards the Rock Jetty. If it isn't visible, you can see the ruffled water directly over the rocks. Cast here and slowly start reeling. If its hot, you will get a bite on nearly every cast. 99% of your Radio Island caught Speckled Trout will be to small. Sneak past the "Deadly Force is Authorized" sign (YIKES) and you will find another and much different Fishery and Environment. Here the Fishing Techniques are different and the Trout can be totally different. Not just keepers, but Big Ass Trout are definitely possible..... I like it out there, actually I LOVE IT OUT THERE... Lot's of y'all fished there with me the Top Water Boat through the Years... However, right now I am hobbled with a badly injured Right Knee and I can't take the Rock Hopping or (the potential) Running from the Law! So................................ I stayed on the flat bottom, in the cool water. Casting gulps and grubs towards the Rocks on the incoming tide. I fished from 11am until 3pm. I did hike across Radio Island to the Western Shore. Here you cast towards the east end of Bogue Banks. The Atlantic Beach Coast Guard Station is diagonally across the Shipping Channel. Here is another "small" Speckled Trout hangout. What I like about this spot is that it works great on a Northeast wind. Not really a factor today. It is also a spot where you could concievably catch nearly anything. Beaufort Inlet is right there! On the other side, you pretty much catch what's "behind" the Rocks. Fish get "set" in there on a Falling Tide. On the Western Shore, there is No Jetty out front, just open water. Oh well, who knows. Speckled Trout were biting in both places. A few Gray Trout on the Western Side. A few Flounder on the Eastern Side. Preacher Pricks were everywhere. Total Catch for the Day: 60 Speckled Trout from 12-15", 3 Southern Flounder from 12-15", 3 Gray Trout from 15-18", and 5 Inshore Lizardfish

Nov 17- Speckled Trout on Foot

The last few days that I spent on the Cedar Island Ferry were tough. Absolutely gorgeous weather. Pamlico Sound has been just like a mirror. I've been getting antsy knowing that the 2015 season is coming to an end and the Speckled Trout should be chewing. With the Flywheel cracked on my Suzuki, I am pretty limited in my opportunities. Begging rides or Foot Fishing. Since I just finished up my shift at work, I hadn't had time to set up anything really intriguing. So I decided to make the hike, despite a swollen and very sore right knee, out to the south end of Radio Island. Based on recent history, there should be plenty of action for "foot warriors". I haven't been around in a couple of weeks, but based on about 2008 through 2013, fishing should be really good for small Speckled Trout. 100 fish days are possible. I remember many rallies were I'd catch a Trout on 25-30 straight casts. The problem (nothing can be "that" good) is that 95% of these Seatrout are to small. Fun but too short. Averaging 12-13". In my experience, 2014 numbers were down, as was my effort. Getting older? I can't remember why I didn't make the hike as much last winter.....  Armed with this info and history, I limped from the Beach Access down to where the Jetty begins. Emma and I. She loves it and she stayed mad at me all last year. Emma loves to devour a Trout while laying in the sand at the water's edge. She watches my every move and she knows the instant that I set the hook on my first Trout of the day. If I don't start for shore as I reel in my first Speckled Trout; she will actually swim out to where I'm standing. Well, today the fishing was not great. I fished from 230pm until 4pm. The Tide was High but Falling. There was a Boat that was struggling to anchor in a place that ruined the area we fish from the Beach. This NitWit was bound and determined to anchor up "inside" the Rocks. Oh well, I wasted the first 45 minutes fishing in 3-5 foot of water that was run over by a 175HP Evinrude every 5 minutes for 30 minutes. Bite Buster! After these guys left, I finally caught 8 Speckled Trout before my leaking Wader forced me off the water. Emma got hers. I had one keeper at 15". That's all. Total Catch for the Day: 8 Speckled Trout up to 15" and 1 Inshore Lizardfish

Open Dates for Speckled Trout Fishing

Attn Fishermen: I will have access to a Boat. Not the Top Water Boat. I will not be chasing King Mackerel as they retreat offshore and follow the warm water. I will have access to a 19 foot skiff and be fully capable of whacking the Speckled Trout. I will be availiable for this Fishery on Tuesday November 17th through Friday November 20th. There will be incredible numbers of Speckled Trout a available. Live Shrimp Bobber Fishing for 4 to 7 pound Speckled Trout could  blow up at any time. From Thanksgiving to around the December Full Moon has always been "Citation Trout" time. Call me at 252-241-8350. Leave message becsuse I am in the Engine Room somewhere between Cedar Island to Ocracoke to Swan Quarter.

Don't call and you're gonna regret it!

Nov 9- Welcome to Beaufort

I'm back at home and headed back to work tomorrow. Woe is Me.

Fishing is Good.

Working is Bad.

I Can Not Complain. I have fished WELL OVER 100 DAYS A YEAR every single year from 1988 until 2014. I screwed up this year. We all know that. Some years I fished up to 275 days. Hell I fished every Friday night, every Saturday all day and all night, and every Sunday morning from May until October way back to 19 frigging 70. My parents had to drag me off that Pier.

I remember the "Big Board" at the Morehead Ocean Pier in 1971.

POMPANO.   Marty Moore    3 1/2 pounds   8/15/1971

It was always a more than a past time. It was a competition. It was life.
FISHING WAS LIFE.

Nov 7- New York Heartbreak

This Salmon refused to leave my Boot. I swear she beached herself when I left the River

Someone else's fish..... Brown Trout, Atlantic Salmon, and a Steelhead. I'd kill for this stringer

I landed this pitiful Salmon. Believe it or not, this guy put up an epic battle. First fish on my new 8wt Fly Rod

Very very very disappointing. By Oak Orchard mid-November standards, the fishing is OFF. The Salmon are nearly done. Lots of dying Chinook Salmon all around. For a good ole North Carolina boy, I'm not used to "ignoring" dozens of 10-20 lb fish swimming and splashing all around me. Its different. Also, according to the multitude of experts that I met, its too early for the Steelhead to be running good.... I have also learned that, with the exception of the two Monster Browns that I stumbled into 5 minutes into my Fishing Vacation, I have Absolutely No Skill, No Knowledge, or No Insight into this Fishery At All...... In summary, from 9am yesterday until 3pm today, I SUCKED. The one decent Salmon I hooked, I broke my rod and my line, then made a damn fool out of myself bellyflopping on my fish in the cold, turbulent water. I got him, damn it could've been much worse. My Phone, my camera were all at risk. That, my friends, was my highlight. Two Trophy Browns and Two Chinook Salmons on Day 1.  Day 2 was an error after error after error...... Early I missed a "NC Monster" Brown Trout, that wouldve been a baby here. Maybe a 3 lb Trout that ate my bait and charged out of the shadows right in my direction. I never came tight and he was gone as fast as he came. POOF. That was it. That was my entire story from 7am until 3pm. Pitiful. Then, finally, at 3pm I got in a spot and a stretch of fishing that was as Good, Tense, Exciting, and Challenging as any Fishing that I've done in Years...... I pretty much found an active Redd, which is a spot where a female Salmon have created a nest by actively swishing their tails in the gravel.... So, pretty much for 2 hours I stood twenty feet from a spot that was constantly attended to by from two to eight Salmon. At times you could see the males roll on their sides and shudder as they released their milt. Casting my wooly boogar into the Redd, I hooked Salmon after Salmon. It was incredible and intense action. Unfortunately for the "bottom line results", the topography and other obstacles made it necessary to put lots of pressure on these Salmon pretty quickly. The end result of this was that I broke off 3 Chinook Salmon and pulled and/or bent hooks on 4 more Chinook Salmon. When I finally landed a 15 lb Chinook Salmon, it was a male fish that had started to deteriate. He only had a few days of life left in him, but he still managed to battle me for 7-8 minutes. Then, in the rain and nearly dark, I hooked a green female Chinook Salmon. This girl had to be fresh in from Lake Ontario. An incredible fight and when I finally beached her, it was pouring rain. I was soaked and I had planned all day to "harvest" a Salmon. This wouldve been the one. But, I couldn't do it. She earned her freedom. (That and too many guys had told me that I'd be disappointed in their taste). I had a gallon bag full of Salmon meat from the day before. By the way, a guy beside me caught a 25" Atlantic Salmon. Judging my the jumps and fight in general, I believe I lost one yesterday. DAMMIT if True.... I hooked a "smallish" Salmon that was prodding and harassing the old beat female Salmon that was fascinated with my leg/my boot. (See top picture) So I hooked the small Salmon and its strength and quickness caused me to screw up by committing a foolish foolish mistake. As the little Salmon ripped line off my Reel, the simplistic action of a Fly Reel actually causes your reel to spin backwards. With my lack of experience, I allowed my fingers to get caught by the spinning knob on my spool and PING he was gone. I was reminded of my epic failure at least 3 times in the next 5 minutes as the Salmon continued to leap in effort to shed my fly. This badboy jumped straight up and did a backflip. Three times. Had to be an Atlantic Salmon. Had to be. I'm sick thinking about it. An Atlantic Salmon. Fish of Kings. Fish of Aristrocracy. Fish of the Super Wealthy. Fish of the Elite. The Atlantic Salmon are in the western NY tribs right with the rest of them! I never thought I'd see one beyond the pages of a magazine. Total Catch for the Day: 2 Cinook Salmon at 15 lbs each

Nov 6- Brown Trout of a Lifetime

My 16 lb Brown Trout caught in the first 5 minutes of NY Fishing

I watched 35-40 Giant Brown Trout caught in 2 hours. All less than 100 yards from the construction site!

Sandy Creek looking upstream from the Bridge Construction

My 13 lb Brown trout with a Fly that I pulled from the 16 lb Trout's dorsal fin

The WORLD FAMOUS Archer Club at The Oak Orchard River

Lots of company. Lots of Fish

The First Salmon of my Life

Yesterday, I drove 853 miles to the Shore of Lake Ontario in the State of New York. My plan was to chase Steelhead and Salmon that had left the deep, cold Lake waters to run the Tributairies to spawn and/or gorge on Salmon eggs..... Then this morning, 5 minutes into my fishing....... The Blind Hog found an acorn every once in a while! While lifting my fly to recast, my rod developed a deep arc and my line refused to "lift". Hooked a rock was my first thought. Then the "rock" started moving into the current! Ten tense minutes later and 50 yards upstream, a fellow angler came to my aid with a landing net. Amazingly, I reached in and pulled out a 34" Brown Trout. Holy Shit! My previous career best was less than 1pound! This guy bottomed out my 15 lb BogaGrip. What a feeling! This alpha male Brown Trout  was adorned with 4 broken off Fishing Flies pinned to various spots on his body, in addition to the Wooly Boogar that I fooled him with! He wore them like a Soldier wears his hard earned Purple Hearts and Congressional Medals of Honor. It was a testament to his incredible size and power......... After "cleaning him up" I spent 10 minutes reviving this monster and released him back into Sandy Creek. A Brown Trout of a Lifetime! Then, miraculously, an hour later, I beached a 31" Brown Trout that weighed 13 lbs on the BogaGrip.. This one, I harvested and will be the centerpiece of a nice dinner....   My NY Fishing Excursion had 3 goals. BROWN TROUT. STEELHEAD. CHINOOK SALMON. By 930am, I had caught 2 monster Brown Trout on my 7wt Fly Tackle..... I left Sandy Creek, which I hit on a whim, and headed to the World Famous "Archer Club" on Oak Orchard River. Here I'd be fishing with 50 to 100 other Anglers, shoulder to shoulder...... Honestly, I'm over 800 miles from my comfort zone. This was going to be interesting! I quickly learned though, Fishing is Fishing and Its What I Do! After 20 minutes of casting, I had a 17 lb Chinook Salmon and my 7wt TFO Fly Rod was broken in 3 places....... I also found a pesky 5lb male Salmon a little later that I subdued on my trusty 3wt. I could very easily be overpowered here with my 3wt. Hell, its nearly guaranteed! I actually found a perfect fish for the "little rod". Lucky........ That was Day 1. Awesome! I need to find my Steelhead tomorrow! In the timeless and epic words of  KISS drummer Peter Criss, "Jenn I hear you calling, but I can't home right now. My and the Boys are Fishing, but we just can't find the Steel Steel Steel Heads. Just a few more casts and I'll be right home to you.... I think I hear them splashing. Oh Jen, what can I do? Oh Jen, what can I do? Total Catch for the Day: 2 Brown Trout at 16 and 13 lbs and 2 Chinook Salmon at 17 and 6 lbs

Nov 3- What's Up!

I am at home. Its been raining all day. My Boat is Broke Down....... Why am I so happy?

Well............ Based on last years GOOD FORTUNE, why don't I just Shut the Hell Up. Save it until I'm holding the damn thing up by the River.

Salmon and Trout, beware.........