The Top Water Boat

She should come Home this weekend!

Time for BONITO

Time for COBIA

Time for BLACKFIN TUNA ???????????

April 27- Great Fishing on Foot

First Tar River Bass since 1985

All my Shad were Bucks. Emma got this one. The rest were released.

Upstream

Downstream

The Bank behind my position. 

Finding a truly great Fishing Spot that you can walk into and Fish on Foot is pretty hard nowadays.... Especially harder as I get older. There must be millions of great spots on Salt Water, as well as Rivers, Lakes, and Ponds. Unfortunately, most of these great fishing opportunities are off limits due to Private Property Restrictions or they might just be "too hard to get to"..... A few years ago, my pal Tuggwell Jones took me to Battle Park in Rocky Mount. It is quite a drive from Beaufort.... i always meant to go back, but for whatever reason, I never did..... Until yesterday. I grabbed a couple of rods and that damn dog, Emma... Can't go without her! She is asleep in the bed of my truck right now.... Afraid she'll miss a trip...... When we got to Battle Park, the first things I noticed was how low the water was. And how clear. The conditions were a treat. I remembered and angry, rock strewn River that was suited for White Water Rafting the last time I was there.... The catch was: The River was full of White Shad. Or, American Line Burners as me and Columbo affectionately called them back then. Now, with conditions perfect to "get in the River and cast" if the White Shad were present, I was going to have a good day..... Four hours later, I must say, it was a GOOD DAY. Not Epic. Strikes were too few. But, there was enough action to keep me excited..... All 5 of the White Shad that I landed were smallish Bucks, or male fish. I lost a couple of Females, or Roe Shad. Those two that I lost were 3-5 pounders. One in particular I will never forget. This fish hit at the end of my cast and jumped way out there. Somersalt. Then I rapidly gained line as she swam upstream towards me. 50b feet out, she stopped and bore down hard and steady.... I must say after a minute, I thought I was hung..... Then she would make a subtle twitch that was too direct feeling to be a snag. hard to describe, all I can say was 40+ years of fishing told me she wasn't hung up. After about 2-3 incredible minutes of stalemate, she made forward progress up stream.... That is, where my line entered the water progressed forward.... Remember, all this time I am lifting upward and pulling inward in an attempt to "Catch" this fish.... Still she bore downward. Another 2-3 minutes passed with absolutely no progress.... People I have LEANED on a 350+ Pound Blue Marlin, 300+ Pound Bluefin Tunas, 90+ Pound Wahoos, and 500+ Pound Hammerhead Sharks. You PULL as MUCH AS the tackle you have WILL ALLOW.... They ALL BUDGED in my direction.... This Female White Shad DID NOT BUDGE..... I feel like a damn LIAR. After app 10 long minutes, this app 5 lb White Shad finally and begrudgingly allowed itself to be lifted high enough in the current, that was GIN CLEAR and less than 6 feet deep, for me to see her..... There she stood her ground, head down, kicking furiously left to compensate my pulling to the right..... I was sweaty and fustrated, now she was 15 feet from my rod tip. I started back pedaling towards shore and Emma.. At this point, after all that, I tried to pull her over the edge of a drop contour where she would glide over the bottom would rise from 5 feet of water to 2 feet. She sensed the change and the threat and she peeled away towards deep water. The hook pulled and my grub shot at me like a sling shot. She was GONE. Ten Minutes wasted? I dont think so. Maybe at this point in my fish career, it is finally about the experience and not the end of the day Kill Sheet..... I was honestly glad she got away. All I didn't get was a picture! So..... I also caught a beautiful little Bass. The first Bass I've caught in the Tar River since 1985. All in all, it was a great day and I wish I didn't live so far from Rocky Mount. I could see myself fishing there every single day in the Spring.... Total Catch for the Day: 5 White Shad 1-2 lbs each and 1 Largemouth Bass 

Why I Fish..........

Let's Start Thinking About Fishing..... 

Top Water Charters 

Big Fish on Light Tackle

I was a 260 lb Minnow in this picture, so.........

I didn't get many good pictures THAT DAY, but......

There Are Only TWO KINDS of People on Earth...... Those who caught a BLUE MARLIN and those who Have Not

SWORDFISH seemed like an Impossible Dream..... Thanks you Webb Brothers

I LOVE THESE NUCLEAR POMPANOS

My Constant Companion. I LOVE MY DOG. EMMA ROCKS

My Favorite Color and Thanks to the Feds..... I may never top these guys..... Legally.....

Many many many years ago, I told my now ex-wife, " If I ever catch all the NC Salt Water Citations, I'd quit fishing"

On June 24, 1988, I caught a 66 lb Amberjack inside Beaufort Inlet on a 00 sized Clark Spoon. Trolling for Spanish Mackerel. There had been a few earlier but I didn't know about the North Carolina Fishing Award Program. From that first Citation Amberjack I have pursued and collected Fishing Citations. On October 17th of 2015, I caught and released a 42" Red Drum off Shackleford Banks, just a 1/2 mile from where I caught the 66 lb Amberjack 27 damn years earlier! According to my records, it was the 849th Salt Water Fish that was Heavy Enough and/or Long Enough to earn a NC Salt Water Fishing Citation that I have landed according to the rules of the North Carolina Salt Water Fishing Tournament. Out of the 37 Species that North Carolina recognizes as  "Worthy of Citation Recognition", I have recieved Citations for 33 different Species of them.....

In addition, I have caught 102 Freshwater Fish of 17 species that have qualified for The North Carolina Freshwater Fishing Angler Recognition Program, or simply referred to as a NC Freshwater Fishing Citation.

Furthermore, I have recieved Salt Water and Fresh Water Fishing Awards from Florida, South Carolina, Texas, Ohio, New York, and Virginia. Most recently, I received a "Fish Pin" from New York State for a 16 lb Brown Trout.

Now, at age 50, I would still LOVE to collect Every NC Citation. But, I must admit, the prospects of a 3 lb Croaker are bleak at best! I will never forget the damn 19" Croaker that slurped my white 6" gulp jerk shad one day in Taylor's Creek while fishing for Puppy Drum. That Croaker weighed 2 pounds and 6 ounces. That was it. As close I got. The Dream died a little bit that day......

Other than that, I need to set aside a week in July and/or August to catch a North Carolina Tarpon...... I've caught 15 in Florida up to 140 pounds, but I just haven't stayed connected to one in The Tar Heel State. The past 16 years I've been too busy being a "Beaufort Inlet Fishing Guide" to pursue my own Angling Dreams..... Then there's the simple Bluefish. For years (Decades) the Citation Program Coordinator said a Bluefish had to be 17 pounds to worthy of an NC Citation. From the 1970's through about 2011, I caught a SHIT POT FULL of 12 pound Bluefish. I caught an occasional 15 pound Bluefish. But I couldn't crack the magical 17 pound mark.... Then, based on low numbers of Bluefish applications no doubt, the Rule Makers decided to lower the minimum weight for Bluefish from the old 17 lb standard down to a very manageable 15 lbs..... Thank goodness, now with a little luck the Bluefish Citation is very "doable".......

And the massive schools of Spring Time Choppers that we had been hammering in the "Pre-Cobia" weeks suddenly vanished...... And a Bluefish Citation is nearly as unlikely as a 3 lb Croaker....

And that leaves ONE. The Bigeye Tuna. And there is a ton of Bigeye Tuna Citations wrote in North Carolina every year... BUT..... BUT..... BUT..... BUT... You HAVE to be fishing up at Oregon Inlet. You HAVE to be on the Lucky Boat for that particular day. And you HAVE to be the Angler thats "up next"...... That's alot of LUCK. And that's definitely the ONE FISH that I can not DO-IT-MYSELF..... Even the mighty Blue Marlin was a Do-It- ALL- BY- MYSELF FISH. I was younger then. And stupider.... And a Better Fisherman. Today I might Know More, but as much as that helps, it also hurts... I know a 1000 things can go wrong. Every day we go offshore and make it back is a day that we survived. On May 20, 2001 I fished the Rock Pile out of Ocracoke Inlet and released a 350 lb Blue Marlin. On December 19, 2001 I caught and killed a 360 lb Bluefin Tuna by myself just west of the Cape Lookout Shoals. I actually had to sink that fish to the bottom with a poly ball float attached and run in and get help to "Boat" this fish. That was a $3000 fish....... To imagine me running 45 miles Offshore of Oregon Inlet in pursuit of a Bigeye Tuna by myself nowadays in absolutely laughable..... I WISH..... As a result, the pursuit of a Bigeye Tuna Citation pretty much comes down to a $1800 "roll of the dice".  Or whatever those guys up there charge for a day of Gulf Stream Fishing these days.....

In other words...... As hard as that freaking Sheepshead Citation seemed...... Or however lucky I was to stumble into my Porgy and my Spearfish Citations..... Those last 4, the Tarpon, the Bluefish, the Croaker, and the Bigeye Tuna seem impossible.... If that's the case, I will fish until I die. I will never quit! 

RANT OVER

April 20- The Top Water Boat and The 2016 Fishing Season

There she sits

and there sits the problem......

Its almost time for the Bonito and the Cobia Show to start. Capt Marty has had a horrible winter of 15-16. Bad knees with No Help in sight and now a case of Lyme's Disease....... But, th at is not going to stop me. NOT RIGHT NOW. I am fixing the Suzuki 250 that moves The Show and The Show must go on! Yes sir, The Top Water Boat will be Fishing in the 2016 Season........ Call 252-241-8350 if interested. I will be fishing either way. Bonito and Bluefish, then Cobia, Drum and Shark, then Live Bait for King Mackerel, Amberjack and Grouper. If that don't work, I will be Slinging Metal for Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish or Dropping Finger Mullets for Flounder...... Lets Go Fishing. I'm tired of "not fishing".....

Last Fall I took my 1000th Career Charter Group

This Year is my Final Push towards 1000 NC Salt Water Fishing Citations

March 25- Fly Rod Flurry

Right at sunset. Twenty minutes of action in the Pond closest to my house in Beaufort, NC. Spat, spat, slurp. Every cast for a while. Rises and Swirls. Bites until a hook-up. Bluegills and Pumpkinseeds. I could not get a Largemouth Bass to bite this afternoon. I do love tossing popping bugs. I actually fished for 15 minutes with a plastic worm too. No luck. I got a worm "cut in two". I figured it had to be a turtle because I have yet to see a Bluefish in the Beaufort Mung Holes. Total Catch for the Day: 5 Bluegills and 4 Pumpkinseeds

March 22- Capt Marty is going for a Comeback

I it has been a SLOW winter for me. About the same time I was landing maybe the Greatest Fish of my Lifetime, a 16 pound Brown Trout on my 5wt fly rod in a New York tributary, I was also feeling a twinge of pain in my right knee...... Now, here I lay 5 months later and I am feeling an incredible amout of pain in my left knee. Nearly constant ache accompanied by the sharpest "jab" of pain I have EVER EXPERIENCED. This pain rips throughout my left knee every single time I move it from a straight position to any "bent" position. In other words, bent means anywhere over the entire range of motion. Pretty much, my left knee has left me "crippled". Incredibly, a few weeks ago, my right knee was much, much worse than my left knee. I just dont get it!  Before November of 2015, I had never experienced knee pain. If you guys remember, back in 2011 I experienced a blown disk in my lower back. Thankfully, that injury is not causing any discomfort right now. The knees though, that is another story. This new pain, the intensely sharp jolts of pain that rip through my left knee are a Life Changer. It has been very very hard to get excited about Fishing. It has been nearly impossible to work on my Boat. I havent missed much work on the NC Ferrys. A 7 day stint on the Ferry this winter have left me starting my week off with swollen knees that have resulted in water being drained off them and steroid shots into the knee. In other words, Capt Marty has lived 50 years of "Charmed Life" but is suffering now. Hopefully things will change soon. I gave an MRI scheduled and Im starting to feel excited about another season. 2016 will mark my 16th year as a FISHING GUIDE. I am trying to work up a jaunt to the Roanoke River for Rockfish and Hickory Shad. I am starting to feel the excitement for the upcoming Bonito run. Cobia and Chopper Bluefish too....... Please Knees Get Better.

There are Fish that need Catching

March 10- Poor Capt Marty's Pity Party

Tonight is Thursday March 10 of the great year 2016. It is a beautiful night in Eastern North Carolina. In Beaufort, a quaint little village nestled away from civilization down by Cape Lookout and Fort Macon. Historical and Geographic standouts in their own right..... I digress..... Back to Beaufort. In Beaufort, I have a nice little house and in that house waits a beautiful, perky, funny, smart, ( and sexy) little woman that I call "my wife". That's amazing. She waits in a comfortable, plush, warm and inviting bed. She waits for me, her husband, to come home from a day spent in pursuit of Hickory Shad. Poor Jennifer. She really could SOOOOO much better. Sadly, I ain't coming home. Me and my "other woman" Emma, are holed up at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park near Seven Springs, NC and on the shore of the mighty Neuse River. See my goal is to obtain enough Shad Roe to feed my Ferry Crew next week at work . Wish me Luck. My "BAD LUCK" streak is nearly 15 months now. Everybody used to say "Capt Marty is living a Charmed Life." Not anymore. It's a SUCKFEST now! Jennifer and Emma are all I got......
Total Catch for the Day: 12 Hickory Shad

March 9- Why Did I Go Fishing

Why did I go fishing today? One day I decide to go fishing. I caught a nice Largemouth Bass and a nice Bluegill. But after two trips around the Pond, I decided to slip out on a Dock that was submerged under about 2" of water. From my perspective, if I went out on this dock, I could hit lots of fishy shoreline in both directions. So....... I pulled my socks off and tiptoes out on the Dock. Three steps out, my feet found a slick spot covered with submerged algae. After 2-3 seconds of undetermined spastic balance seeking..... I crashed down, bad knees, bad back, cold water, and all..... So as I slid off the submerged Dock into the Pond Proper...... I checked myself for injuries. All I determined was that I had a saturated cell phone. $500 blown. Nice Bass. Nice Bream. Nice Life I got going here. Total Catch for the Day: 1 Largemouth Bass and 1 Bluegill

Jan 16- Pumpkinseeds and Bass

Here is an old picture of Little Sid when we were still roommates... Those were good times!

Before the NFL Games kicked off, I found myself all alone (me and Emma) and all my chores were done.... Jennifer was off doing "woman things" so I said, what the hell, I'm going to do some "man things".... To me that means Fishing. Here lately, that means tossing a popping bug or perhaps a San Juan Worm to our Beaufort City Limits stunted Bluegill populations...... So that's what I did. As usual, the goal was a Beaufort Freshwater Grand Slam. As y'all know by now, this consists of the very common Bluegill, the always sporty but sometimes hard to find Largemouth Bass, and the very shy but beautiful Pumpkinseed..... Most of the year, the Pumpkinseed is the key to "The SLAM". They can be very hard to find sometimes..... NO, that's not right... The Ponds are very small, therefore the Pumpkinseed are not hard to find, in reality, I guess it can just be a little more difficult to get a Pumpkinseed to bite sometimes.... In Fishing and Fish Literature, the Pumpkinseed is usually described as Shy or a very Non-Aggressive Species. A few years ago, I made my very own Scientific Assessment of the Tenacity and Aggression of the Pumpkinseed Species. In my self-created Environment, I studied Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, and White Perch extensively for over three years.... In my experience, my observations were somewhat surprising and would change the way Fish Science views the Pumpkinseed Species.... (As if ANYONE really cared what went down in my 38 gallon Aquarium) Ha Ha Ha Ha...... I sounded imporatnt for a minute there!  Truthfully though, I can not speak for the entirety of the Pumpkinseed Species Worldwide..... But in my controlled environment , my Pumpkinseed proved to be very very nocturnal.. Shy during the daylight hours, he would go absolutely berserk at night and was far and away the most aggressive fish in my Aquarium. He did all his damage at night..... All this would be good to know if the Pumkinseed grew to 5 to 8 pounds and was a great eating fish and a very valuable "market species"..... As it is, who cares if the once thought shy Pumpkinseed is actually a bad ass tail-nipper of the Pond.... with his 6oz size, a pack of Pumpkinseed  could surely reek havoc all the other stunted Bluegills and Bass of the Beaufort Ponds.... Back to the Fishing... The water was high in all locations after yesterdays rainfall.... The normally shy Pumpkinseed were pretty active. I got several to eat my fly. I also found a few small Largemouth Bass to bite.... Strangely absent today was the normally common Bluegill. I suspect that a few of my missed bites today was very small Bluegill. I do not encounter very many little tiny Pumpkinseed in my Beaufort Freshwater Fly Fishing.... All the Pumpkinseed I catch are small, but none of them are tiny. By comparison, I catch many many Bluegill that are no bigger than a Silver Doll. My old pet Bluegill, Little Sid was one of these "tiny Bluegills". By the way, Little Sid was well over a pound when I released him. I figured that I would've caught him by now. But I haven't. It's been a couple of years. I'm starting to lose hope.... Every cast in that I make in that Pond, Little sid is my thoughts.... I bet he is a damn Stud if he's still alive. Maybe one day I will find him! Total Catch for the Day: 8 Pumpkinseed and 2 Largemouth Bass

Capt's Prayers

Will my Prayer's be answered? I'm not asking for much........ Just the Winning $900million Powerball Number. A solution to my "now chronic" knee pain, my pay check from last week, a mount of my 35" long 16 lb Brown Trout, and a really nice platter of sushi and sashimi....

Is that too much to ask?

Jan 7- 1000 Trips

I forgot this little tidbit of info...... On October 21, 2015 Jim and Trish chartered me for a great day of fishing.... The Albacore Fishing was superb. We released 17 Albacore on light spinning tackle and we casted to some shifty, bruiser sized Bluefish too..... We saw a young Humpback Whale off Shackleford Banks and we saw an incredible Nature Show down off Atlantic Beach.... Millions upon Millions of baitfish. What we call "red bait" were being herded and assaulted from above and below..... Terns, Gulls, Pelicans, Comerants.,....... Bottlenosed Dolphin. Fish. You name it. It was great day. Great Fishing and a Great Show. Jim and Trish were outstanding clients in every way.

After a day like that, it was a great time to reflect..... On 15 years of being a Fishing Guide. On 30+ years of HARD CORE Saltwater Fishing..... I knew I was close to a personal landmark and when I got home I checked my old records...... I was excited and meant to make a BLOG Entry but..... Then the Fly Wheel Cracked. The Magnets Fractured. The Top Water Boat was OUT OF COMMISSION.... I still haven't gotten it fixed because a litany of personal problems.... I went to NY and winter was coming AND I thought winter was upon us..... In hindsight, I should've got her fixed already.....

As for the Landmark...... The trip on October 21st with Jim and Trish was my


1000th Fishing Trip with being Clients since I began in the year 2000!

Jan 5- Insomnia and The Virginia Creeper Trail

For those that may be worried about me.... I'd like to report that my Insomnia is doing just fine!

Its 117am and I get up at 530am for a Day of Ferry Boating.... Nothing to do but lay here and scan the Internet.... College Athletic Scandal reading has me down so I have moved on to searching for Personal Adventures.     The Virginia Creeper Trail has my interst piqued.  (Is that a word)

I can't wait to bike it and fly fish it, my challenge will be bringing Emma along.  She goes where Jennifer and I go. Like American Express...... I can't leave home without my Overgrown Yellow Stenchpot. I love that damn Dog.

Anyone who has visited the Creeper Trail, I look forward to your comments!

Jan 3- 50 Year Old Fly Rod (At Least)

A Pumpkinseed..... Always the Prettiest Fish of the Day

Emma moments before making the decision to go Swimming!

This little Bluegill was the first fish on the Ted Williams Rod

This little Bluegill was interesting

Years ago, my Momma bought me an old Ted Williams Signature Sears Roebuck 3 1/2 weight Fly Rod. It is made from freaking Bamboo! She bought it at a Yard Sale and paid a Dollar for it. It came with its original vinyl zippered case. I knew it was old. I knew it was cool. I fished but didn't fly fish so I set it aside and never gave it another thought. I had no idea then, or now, what this Fly Rod is worth. Nowadays I am doing a little fly fishing and I spend lots of time fantasizing about far away places and big fish on my fly rods! That's where my interest is right now. In reality, around here, if I want to "fly fish", unfortunately it means casting small popping bugs to Beaufort's mostly stunted population of Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Pumpkinseed. I long for Salmon, Trout, Walleye, and Pike..... So I figured, if I must catch puny runts in Beaufort...... I might as well do it with an ancient Bamboo Sears Rod. So I bought a cheap 3 wt reel from Cabelas and off to the Mung Holes #1 and #2 I went..... interruptions were frequent..... Emma is a pain in the ass to "Pond Fish" with... She thinks I can pretty much fish no matter what she does. She's right. The Fishing isn't affected, just the catching. A 90 lb Yellow Lab splashing around in 4 feet of water pretty much puts an end to any potential top water action around the shoreline. Thanks Emma. I did manage quite a few Bluegills and one Pumpkinseed before the big Yellow splashdown. No Bass. That sucked. I love the Beaufort Freshwater Grand Slam. The old 3 1/2 weight Fly Rod wouldve made Ted Williams proud. Fished just like it did when brand new, I'd guess..... . When I got home, I wiped it down and I put it up. One day I might pull it out again. I will look it up and try to date it and try to see what its worth. That will be interesting. As will my trip to an Orthopedic Surgeon tommorrow. Still llimping around. Bad knees. Total Catch for the Day: 8 Bluegill and 1 Pumpkinseed

Merry Christmas

Mine aint so Merry. But it is Christmas so be happy.... I am having trouble (as usual) posting pictures. I am at my breaking point People. Computers. Cell Phones. Pictures. Fly Wheels. Outboards. Knees. Backs. I am Sick of All of It. I got a really neat picture and story of a Tarpon caught on Hatteras Island 3 days ago

But.......

As with everythng else....Hope it gets better. Don't count on it.....

Temp at Ocracoke on Dec 26 is 73. Sunny. Slick Cam. Praying for 20 degrees. Wind and 8" Snow

Dec 16- Painful Right Knee

Still waiting on Workmans Comp and a diagnosis. This is getting old and a sense that "this may not end well".

Hopefully tomorrow is a better day.....

On the fishing front, great weather and I've seen Bluefin Tunas, Speckled Trout, and Sea Mullets!

Dec 11- Knee Injury

Well Damn...... Capt Marty is still on the Injured Reserve and there is NO RELIEF in sight..... So, I hurt my knee on November 12th and here it is a month later and I am still being held in limbo by the "system". Mostly my fault, I know that.... When I hurt my right knee back on Nov 11th, I had hoped it was minor and would go away..... Well, it didn't. It really hasn't gotten much worse, but it damn sure ain't got no better.... Now, I've had X-Rays, which were negative and I have been told that I need to see an Orthopedic Surgeon.... However, my case is moving very slowly and I'm still waiting to see if I'm accepted by Workman's Comp..... In the meantime, I am getting very frustrated by the nagging, constant pain in my right knee and also I am hit by incredibly scary and sharp JOLTS OF PAIN approximately 15-20 times per day..... What really sucks though is the ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL WEATHER and the fact that the waters right off Beaufort Inlet are teeming with Big Sea Mullet, mixed sizes of Gray and Speckled Trout, plenty of Albacore, and a steady trickle of Bluefin Tuna up to 700 lbs...... And I can't do a damn thing because of my knee..... I am just waiting for my back to erupt in pain, folks.... I can't take anything else negative or (especially) painful...... Right now, the weather is great and the fish are biting...... I got a great wife and a great life. Why am I suffering dammit..... Is this a Test?

Hopefully something good is right around the corner for me!

Dec 1- Notes

First, I am home fron Ocracoke and I am nursing an ailing knee. I am actually sitting in my Doctor's Office right now as we speak. My Boat Motor is crippled. Now, I am crippled. In the meantime, both the Bluefin Tuna and Speckled Trout are doing their thing! The Tunas are also being harassed by Giant Mako Shark, which is cool as Hell. I have well documented the "Saltwater Fishing Burnout" that I'm being plagued by. Now 400 lb Tunas and 7 lb Trouts excite me...... But my swollen right knee causes me to hesitate. However, the thought of a 10 foot, 450 lb Mako hurling itself into a 12 foot high backwards somersalt definitely excites me. To hell with that knee, I will be looking a ride tomorrow!

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.........

Oct 27- On the New Job Today

I've been tranferred to Cedar Island and I'm now working with the Big Boys! Newest boat in the fleet, MV Swan Quarter built in 2010-2011. I've got a lot to learn..... It'll be nice being home at night, that's for sure.

As for the fishing, hopefully the next fish I catch will be a King Salmon or a Steelhead. Its been a long time coming, but its time for Capt Marty to scoot 15 hours up the road and try something new. I will be standing knee deep in Lake Ontario's creek run Salmons and Trout. Please let them eat my fly......   I will be looking for my first King Salmon, my first Coho Salmon, my career best Brown Trout, and my career best Rainbow Trout. Atlantic Salmon also run these creeks but I damn sure ain't expecting to get that lucky....... I'm honestly hoping for 3 of the other 4 and I'll be lucky...

I'm hoping to check these guys off my bucket list. And hopefully this will propel me towards an Alaskan Fishing Adventure in the summer of 2016!

Bad News

I have got to say, I've seen this day coming from a ways off. She held up longer than I would have ever guessed. Unfortunately, concerns about the health of my Outboard Motor affected every decision that I've made on the water for the past year, and to some degree, the past 4-5 years..... Then last Wednesday, she finally did it. A pretty serious break down. My ole 250 Suzuki did have the common decency to run like a scalded dog all the way back to the Dock. The problem is, or better stated, the obvious symptom is the shards of fractured magnet that are stuck all over my engine and visible when the cowling is removed. Decision time ahead for Capt Marty. Pour $$$$ into a 2003 250 HP Suzuki that already belongs in the Outboard Motor Hall of Fame, buy a new Motor, or become a Surf Fishing Guide...... As for right now, anyone interested in foot fishing for Speckled Trout? The numbers are going to be good. Let's Go!

Also be on the lookout for a:

GoFundMe account for "Capt Marty's New Outboard"

WTH, also look for a GoFundMe for:

"Send Capt Marty on an Australian Black Marlin Quest"

Oct 22- Where Did All The Fish Go

Once again, what a difference a day makes.... Yesterday was probably the most sea life I'd ever seen. Acres of Menhaden and Anchovy. Thousands of Pelicans, Gulls, and Terns. Armadas of Predators. Bluefish, Albacore,  Bottlenosed Dolphin,  and Humpback Whale. All gorging like a Honey Boo Boo Family night at Golden Corral. Today, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. Absolutely beautiful weather and you would think, mid-October and Fishing will be Great. With the Top Water Boat on Life Support and in need of a new Outboard Motor (YIKES........  ) I joined Capt Christopher Columbus on the FV Santa Maria and we went out Straight Sight Casting Red Drum Excursion... Things did not go as planned! Chris and I explored the New World from Shark Island to the Sheraton at Atlantic Beach. We saw No Red Fish, hell we did not even see a Blue Fish, or any other if the ROY G BIV Spectrum................ I did fire a cast towards a swirl and a rip and I managed to hook a miracle Albacore. Amazing. We rode 50 miles and the lack of visible life was incredible. Moreso after yesterdays plethora of Life. Well, it wasn't 1492, but I did sail the Ocean Blue with Christopher Columbus. Meanwhile, Capt Tyler Thomas took my charter for today while my crippled boat sat in my yard. Fate Unknown. Total Catch for the Day: 1 Albacore at 10 lbs

Oct 21- Great Great Albacore Fishing

What a difference a day makes! The fishing today was Outstanding! Well, let me rephrase that...  The "Albacore" Fishing was Outstanding! Some other things we tried, we struggled. Jim and Trish made their day out west of Shark Island where the Albacore presented themselves nicely, with some individual forays lasting from 15-20 seconds. This action lasted for at least 2 hours in the morning. There were plenty of opportunities to go around for each of the 10-12 boats out there. Whether you liked Fly or Spin, this was a great morning for catching Albacore........  Jim could cast a stingsilver with the best of them. Trish's casting was fairly short, but no matter, she did fine on her own. She had No Problem catching at least 5 total "Do It Yourself" Albacore. On occasion that I joined them casting, we accomplished a tripleheaders at least 2 times.....  Much to the chagrin of at least one "1 month a year" Albacore Guide. I found his eye rolling, shoulder shrugging humorous. Later his mumbling and preoccupation with what my Boat was doing got a little more offensive. I guess I need to apologize for the fact that not only can I catch 6 Albacore to his One, but I can also hang a stingsilver between his eyeballs from 200 feet away into a 15kt northeaster.... But, I love my Fly Rod too and I do appreciate the skill and the fishery... I do recognize, however, that there were PLENTY of Albacore to go around and I'll be damned if some Cat that you don't even see on the water until October is going to push me off of a school of fish. Especially when my clients are paying there hard earned money to catch the same fish that everyone else is chasing. Off soapbox. Also, it was an incredible day for watching Marine Life and seeing its abundance. We saw acres of Menhaden and Anchoviy.. We saw thousands of Sea Birds. Pelicans were feeding in a very unusual manner. Herding "red bait" in massive shoals and corralling them. Wings spread, scooping up shovel fulls of tiny Anchovy from a "sitting on the water" position. We also saw hundreds of Dolphin and a Young Humpback Whale right up in 20 feet of water. Awesome day, Great Clients. Lots of sore-mouthed Albacore. Sorry Charlie, this ain't the Chicken of the Sea. Total Catch for the Day: 17 Albacore from 8 to 11 lbs, 12 Bluefish from 10" to 2 lbs, 1 Inshore Lizardfish, and 1 Menhaden