June 3- GREAT OCEAN LIFE VIEWING..........

Capt Marty even got in a cast or two

At the Bottom is a Bluefish Roe...... Rare indeed, I hardly ever catch Spawning Bluefish!

............And not so great catching....... Honestly, we could've caught alot more but we were looking for "large" fish. Garland and Amanda joined me today and it was beautiful..... We found a spot with Glassy Clear Blue Water and it was full of spawning Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish! We pulled our bucktails off in favor of metal lures and spent an hour catching fish...... 18 Bluefish from 2-3 lbs and 12 Spanish Mackerel from 1-3 lbs..... Incredibly Fast Action. Casting over schools of acres of Bluefish! Also multiple schools of spawning Spanish Mackerel..... Then it was back to looking for Cobia..... What we found but DID NOT catch was amazing.... First, however, Amanda joined me up top for a Bottlenosed Dolphin show for the ages.... In 15 feet of crystal clear water we found a pod of app 25 female Dolphins and each one had a tiny 3-4 foot long infant..... I can almost tell you we saw some birthing but I can't be sure.... I was still in "fishing mode" but I did enjoy the show.... Then, east of Shark Island, from 12 noon until 3pm, we watched and searched and witnessed a SHOW that seemed just like Sea World. Here's the Line-Up and I hate to say, NO BITES....... But we saw: 5 Cobia, 12 100+ pound Tarpon, 1 Crevalle Jack, 2 1000 pound Manta Rays, 1 Barracuda, 10,000 Bluefish, 5,000 Spanish Mackerel, and a pile of Sharks, Rays, Turtles, and Sea Birds...... It was amazing. We had a feast this afternoon on fresh Bluefish and Amanda will never, ever forget the SHOW we saw today...... I am still working to figure out a way to catch Tarpon on Cape Lookout Shoals. I see them nearly every year. They are headed North as fast as they can swim..... There has to be a way! By the way, all the Cobia were on the bottom and I basically T-Boned them...... We had a couple of followers, but No Takers.... OUCH    Baaa Humbug    Whatever works!  Total Catch for the Day: 18 Bluefish 2-3 lbs each and 12 Spanish Mackerel 1-3 lbs 

May 30 and 31- Striped Bass Where They'd Never Been Before

I started working on the NC Ferry back in April of 1992. I have found good fishing at Night where ever Ferrys tie up for the Night. Three things are always present. Deep Water, Heavy Structure, and Light. Because of these three factors, two other things are usually present: Bait Fish and hungry Predators..... That being said, when I dropped my Speck Rig inside the Cedar Island Ferry Basin tonight, I was expecting Gray Trout.... Just like all those other nights back in the 1990's. Well, I was in for a big shock when my first strike resulted in a small Striped Bass. Wow. My next cast resulted in a double header of small Striped Bass. With a little wind and scattered rain, those little Stripers kept me busy for 90 minutes.  I figured I caught 16 Striped Bass that first night and actually worked 3 different schools. Different locations inside the Docks and they seemed to "learn" the Speck Rig after a few from each school were caught.  The following night, I caught 2 more Striped Bass...... Quicker to catch on...... Total Catch for Two Nights: 18 small Striped Bass and 1 Pinfish

May 26- HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my MOMMA

This year, 2016, on  May 26th, My Mom turns 80 years old. It makes me both very happy and very sad... Sad because we ALL are getting older with all (and then some) of All the Problems that come with aging..... Birthdays are always looking back, reflection, and moving forward.

I can honestly that was Blessed with the best mother anyone could possibly have. She was Always there with the Right Advice and provided every opportunity to me to succeed in every part of life. Many times I feel like I let both my parents down by not becoming something better than an Engineer on the Ferry. I know, and they know, I couldve and shouldve become so much more. However, 10-15 Years ago, the Ferry Job seemed like a Good Idea. I look back now and sometimes I see and feel wasted potential.  But my Mom has always been Proud and Supportive of me. And God knows I have given reason to question me. But she never has. She has Loved me Totally and Unconditionally, no matter what numbskull things I have done and brought into her life.... For that reason and more, I LOVE MY MOMMA and WILL DO ANYTHING I CAN DO TO TAKE CARE OF HER. I owe her more than I will EVER be able to re pay her.. She has been a Great Great Great Mother to me. My best friend and my Hero. Happy Birthday Momma, I wish I could make it your Best Ever!

May 24- Cobia Finally.....

SeaBoo with a Trigger

Capt Ryno with a Gag Grouper

Golden Delicious is what they're calling them now

Capt SeaBoo is the King of Cobias

Complicated day. I "left the dock" three separate times. Caught some fish finally. Best of it was a late afternoon run to a nearshore wreck where Cbo and Ryan wrecked some Jacks, Groupers, and Triggers. Oh yeah, along with 3 Cobia that came both early and late....... Im on Night Run on the mighty MV SEA LEVEL right now. Details and Pictures later....... Total Catch for the Day: 3 Cobia from 18 to 26 lbs, 6 Amberjacks from 18 to 30 lbs, 4 Gag Grouper from 20" to 10 lbs,  5 Gray Triggerfish from 2 to 4 lbs, 8 Black Sea Bass from 10" to 13",  8 Smooth Dogfish from 7 to 12 lbs, 1 Smooth Butterfly Ray at 50 lbs, and 2 Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks at 8 lbs each

More Details Later......

May 20- Serious Cobia Attempt

Boat running good. Knees feel good. Knew where the Bait was. Tide good. Calendar Good. Weather window good BUT....... Rain and Wind coming!

Three hours later, I foul hooked a Leatherback Turtle and he pulled 100 yards of line. That was it. Cold Green Water. 10 days ago, there were Cobia in 73 degree water. Today the there was No Cobias and  water temp was 64 degrees. I saw a few Butterfly Rays caught. I didnt catch any. No Rays, no Skates, no Sharks, no Nothing. I DID NOT CATCH ANYTHING! Total Catch for the Day: NOTHING

May 19- Day of the Dogfish

Finally got my knee pain and swelling under control enough to see is our first little procedure helped with the Top Water Boat's  fuel issues.... I can say this much: After running 25 miles I had NO FUEL ISSUES. So, I ended up throwing my cast net over bait off Barden's Inlet. With 10 dozen baits and an hour left on the incoming tide, Emma and I went fishing. Three hours later.........all i can say is, The Boat ran great. Emma ate several Menhaden. Emma was mad at me because I refused to pull a Shark into the Boat. The sight of my loyal companion dry humping the air and salivating like a pig over a thrashing Smooth Dogfish is embarrassing and was more than I could take today. So I released them beside the boat. One after another. I had three tripleheaders. Pretty good since I was fishing 3 rods. Smooth Dogs. Smooth Dogs. Smooth Dogs. Big pregnant females mostly, up to 16-18 pounders. Ive seen bigger ones only on a few occasions. I also caught 1 "biter" Shark. And that was it. Mission (boat test) Accomplished.  Cobia Fishing was a dud.....Total Catch for the Day: 15 Smooth Dogfish 8 to 18 lbs each and 1 Atlantic Sharpnose Shark at 6 lbs

Capt Marty Update

Sadly Sadly Sadly...... Here in the midst of Cobia Season..... I have been STRUCK DOWN with the most incredible pain in both knees that I have ever experienced.... Some background, on Wednesday May 11th, I was feeling really good about things and my knees were feeling fine again. Almost felt as good as they did back in November of 2015 before any of this crap ever started..... Then on May 11, we had an Annual Inspection on the MV Sea Level.... One small and seemingly insignificant part of my duty that morning was to manually set off a few of our High Water Bilge Alarms. To reach these, I had to crawl on my hands and knees across the Steel Bilge in the Bottom of the Ferry. No big deal and everything passed in flying colors.... However, by Wewdnesday afternoon, I was experiencing pain in both knees..... By Thursday morning I had swelling and tightness on both knees. By Friday, my knee pain on my left knee was about a 9 and my right knee was a 7...... By Saturday Morning, I could barely walk and called in sick..... Today, a week later, I had fluid drained off both knees and recieved 2 cortisone shots....

Now, I feel better all ready. People come hear to read about Fishing, not my health. I realize that. A problem Im having is, I have a MAJOR PROBLEM with my Boat's Fuel Tank. Two weeks ago, I tried a simple and inexpensive remedy. Then I went TO WORK. Then I HURT MY KNEES. I have NOT had a chance or gave a Damn to Try Her Out since then. So........ Tomorrow hopefully I will splash the Top Water Boat and see if she's fixed. I doubt it. Will it stop me from Fishing? I hope not, but I'm not sure. I am NOT spending 5,000-6,000 dollars to fix a 27 year old boat with a Motor with 6,000 hours..... Hopefully there is a simple solution for my Fuel Tank. Apparently there is NOT a simple solution for my knees....

Top Water Out..... I hope there's GOOD NEWS Tommorrow 

May 13- My Boys (BKA) Team Sea Spray

Capt Cbo with a 47 pound Cobia

Capt Ryno with 1 of the 13 Cobias these boys have captured so far......

Cbo with a NC Citation CREVALLE JACK! Thats a Hard One Fellas 

I never had a son to teach all about fishing..... And this reference is Stttttrerching it! But, I know pretty much for a fact the my great friend Cbo did not like to fish AND was not a fisherman when we met in May of 2000. I was older and had a Boat and was fishing 100+ days a year back then and Cbo probably saw me as a novelty and a BIG ADVENTURE back then. For whatever reason, we struck up a great friendship and lots of it was based on fishing. I needed another person to go with me for several reasons and Cbo filled the bill...... I also KNOW BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT, that I could be a fricking HARDASS BASTARD to fish with. Poor Cbo advanced through the Capt Marty's Fishing Academy......Well, here we are 16 years later and Capt Cbo is a fine young man, a great new father, a professional mariner, and (somehow this makes me a little proud) A GREAT FISHERMAN!

Yesterday on his first day in North Carolina Waters, Capt Cbo lead his team to 7 Cobias up to 47 lbs and a freakish 30+ pound Crevalle Jack. Im sure that Cbo wouldve picked up this Fishing habit without my influence. He is an avid hunter and archer.... But i do feel some responsibility and a touch of pride at Capt Cbo's skill level. He can and does flat out Produce. If yesterday is any indication, those boys are getting ready to have a big couple of weeks of Hardcore Fishig. It makes me smile. It remains to be scene how it will affect me next week when Capt Cbo sacks me up and outfishes me. I sorta feel like The Obi Won Kenobi of Fishing (remember haters, I do have 800+ NC Citations) but as my powers fade..... Knees. Back. Eyes......  Young Capt Cbo is poised to use the Force and surpass me as a Fisherman.  A Cobia Fisherman anyway. And if you fish INSHORE on the US Southeastern Coast these days, COBIA are "All That Matters".....

All I can say is congratulations to Capt Cbo and Capt Ryno as well. See you boys out there on Tuesday. And I hope yall take it easy on me and save me a few fish..... Also, some other guys that I Had Absolutely Nothing To Do With Developing......But forces to be Reckoned With are Capt Tyler Thomas and Capt Chris Kimrey. Congrats boys. All these guys are catching Cobias and Im very happy for them. These ARE the Good Guys. Not the Posers and Phoneys and they aint selling junk. These boys will bloody decks and give you reason to light your grills.  Meat roasts after these boys Go Fishing. I hope everyone follows that thread.... In other words, Cobia on the Grill is mighty fine eating

Capt Marty is on the MV Cedar Island today.  Ferrying pilgrims to Ocracoke. I wish I was fishing...... Next week I am availiable for charter. Im booked on Friday May 20th. I am available on wed and thurs May 18 and 19. Also on Sat, Sun, and Mon. May 21, 22, and 23......

May 5- Cinco de Mayo Parte Dos

Back on shore, with nothing but time on my hands and knowing about many many Bait Balls stacked up east of The Shipping Channel, I called my old "good luck charm" Jeremy up and conspired him into launching his 22 ft Carolina Skiff and going on an afternoon Cobia hunt.....Now Jeremy is both the "World's Greatest" and "World's Worst" Fishermen rolled into one..... Quite simply, he doesn't fish. At age 34 and a life-long Harker's Islander he does not fish..... Since he and I became friend and co-workers, he's been with me 3 times..... Once we did well at the D Wreck with Cudas, AJs, Sharks, and Blues.... The other 2 days is where he shined....... One a day where Jeremy couldn't cast his bucktail 25 feet without slapping someone in the face or breaking off a bucktail, whatever, etc, etc.... He was part of a team of 3 that caught 24 Cobias. The first Cobia Jeremy ever gaffed was my 96 pounder..... We and he, had a great day that ended with a stack of tickets from the NC Marine Fisheries Enforcement and a stack of Citations from NC Marine Fisheries "Good Guys".... On Jeremy's only other rod and reel adventure, he and I "bailed" the 40-60 lb Black Drums over on the Eastside..... Yall get the point! I CALL JEREMY..... I CATCH FISH..... So, Jeremy and I cleared Barden's Inlet and ran west..... We started hitting bait balls looking for Cobia. And then, just as it was looking bleak, I got a mystery bite under a school of Menhaden. After a fair fight and a pretty long run, he actually had me believing for a minutes, and big Scaly Red Cobianot, better known as a Red Drum popped up for a quick release.... Sorry, my old Pal Me-Bob, would've loved to release him in the meat grease with taters and onions and corn dumplings...... After releasing my 45" Red Drum, Jeremy hooked up and quickly released a beautiful 50" Red Drum. I then caught another pair of Drum at 45" and 50"..... We then ran back to the east in a last gasp effort to find a Cobia. Way down off the Cape Lookout Rock Jetty, Jeremy had a nice mystery bite. But, once again, it proved to be a Red Drum. This one was the best fish of the day, 52" and fat as a pig.....  Nice to catch some Trophy Fish even though it isn't what everyone is looking for. We Want. We Need. Cobia. It is the only thing that will satisfy the Masses! Except Capt Marty! All I need/want/desire is a damn Bonito! Total Catch for the Episode: 5 Red Drum from 40-55 lbs each and 4 Bluefish from 2-3 lbs

May 5- Cinco de Mayo and The Beating of Drums

First of all, Capt Ryan and I sailed early this morning. Looking for Sarda Sarda and his very popular cousin, The Blackfin Tuna. Ryan had to be in by 930 in order to play in a Golf Tournament. Nearly a year ago, playing in the very same Tournament, Capt Ryan and I went Bonito Fishing and on the way in we found that monsterous school of Blackfins cartwheeling and somersalting their way up Bogue Banks.... Ryan had to be end by 930.... I hoooked 2 Tunas briefly. Both times the hooks pulled. That was the beginning of a "Fishing Slump" that has eventually grown into a "Life Slump". As a matter of fact, as I type this, my wife is in the other room pretty much HATING ME..... For nothing. Hard to figure out. All I got is Emma. Hard to see where this ends, Its not good, no doubt about that.... Anyway, back to the fishing. AR-315 was a complete and total bust. Nothing, We hovered around for an hour. Finally we gave up on the huge school of Bonito from May 1st and may 2nd. Evidently they had moved on, so did we. We ran west another 2 miles down to AR-320. Once we got there we quickly found a pod of Sheepshear Bluefish. (Old Downeasterner saying, makes about as much sense as the small Flounders they call Cuntcovers) Pretty filthy vocabulary, but used in this way it seems pretty sterile, for some reason..... Well, the clock quickly ticked around to 930 and The Team SeaSpray Boat headed home....... Total Catch for the Episode: 8 Bluefish from 1 lb 8oz to 2 lb 8oz and 2 Black Sea Bass

Sarda Sarda- One Great Fish

The Sarda Sarda, or Atlantic Bonito is truly my favorite fish. No doubt about that. They have nearly every quality I admire in a Game Fish. Their only drawback, to me, is that they are not Jumpers, meaning they do not leap on the strike or in battle.....They make up for this plenty with many of their other attributes. As a matter of fact, they would recieve high marks in every other criteria that Gamefish are judged on.....  Speed, power, change of directions, rugged, dogged. Their large eyes and excellent vision adds to the challenge of getting them to strike a hooked bait at times. Always a Challenge, never outright easy...... Futhermore, Bonito are Absolutely Beautiful in LIFE, they sport incredible horizontal racing stripes (reminiscent of Flames painted on Muscle Cars) and bars that fade in and out with an individual fishes arousal level. Also textbook body shading. All the incredible greens, blacks, silvers, and mother of pearl iridescence fades after death to a dull slate body with black horizontal stripes. This is also a fish with some very formidable teeth as well. Large and Razor sharp. King Mackerel-like. As a matter of fact the Bonito's appearance is reminiscent of a Tuna's body with a Mackerel's head. And I will throw in a Wahoo's speed, a Barracuda's disposition, and an Amberjack's stamina...... Now thats a BAD ASS FISH................... The Atlantic Bonito, Sarda Sarda's final chance to earn praise and respect is not wasted either. You see, by the time the regal Bonito makes it all the way to your dinner plate, he is once again all set to shine. Cooked any way except frying, I would give the Tuna-like Bonito meat high praise. Grilled rare to just done, it is everythibg Yelowfin Tuna is......except size of the flake. Raw dredged in soy/wasabi, it IS just as good as $500 per ounce Bluefin Toro offered at any Toyko restaurant.  Ha ha, like Id know! Cooked in a citrus bath, ceviche made from Bonito is my favorite. Salad made from boiled or leftover grilled Bonito is as good as any Tuna. So there you have it. Ive never fried Tuna but Im sure someone has.....Fried Bonito would probably work too. However,  it seems we always catch Bluefish and/or Gray Trout on our Bonito forays, so I always got a better alternative for frying...... All that in mind, Bonito are special fish. Their numbers are never great. They must not be the Greatest Fish in the Ocean at spawning or just surviving. And since they don't freeze well, don't kill more than you need. Sometimes when I am fishing, I decide that a particular fish "fought so well of a battle" that he "earned" his freedom, or better put, he "earned" his life. And I will release him back to the Ocean on a day when Id otherwise keep him. That his "fight" earned his freedom makes me feel good, however if there was consistency in my thought process, I would NEVER keep another Bonito. Because they all FIGHT SO HARD, they'd all earn their freedom. What I really want to say is, keep a few for a delicious meal, but release the others. They earned it. Remember,  when we are out fishing, it is supposed to be FUN. But the FISH are FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES. Respect your quarry. Respect your opponent. Respect the Fish.

Peace Out

The Fishing Kid

Doing Battle

This one is for Daddy

This one is for Mommy

This one is for Uncle Cory

This one is for Rameses

Capt Ryan's son, Cameron, had a great morning with us. He was pretty tough with the rod in his hands for a 4 year old...... The pictures tell the story!

May 2- Sarda Sarda Slow Play, The Whale, and The Kid

Capt Ryan and the days first Bonito

Cameron cashed in too, fatherly assisted

Capt Marty's Bonito came during the Frenzy so too much was going on for the "Live Shot"

a mile off Atlantic Beach, the Whale was hauling Ass

He also had a squadron of Dolphins jumping all around him!

Sarda Sarda is the cool as hell scientific name for the Atlantic Bonito. It stands to reason that a badass fish like the Bonito would have a badass "real name" as well..... I caught my first one back in 1987. By 1990, I learned that they were "the premier" gamefish that I access to in my 17' Boston Whaler during the SLOOOOOOWWWWWW time right before the Cobia showed up. I learned that by sitting on the Liberty Ship at AR-315 right at sunrise, I would usually get a two hour window of opportunity to "whack them"..... Back in those days, NOBODY knew what they were and 999 fishermen out of 1000 would tell you they were "No Good To Eat"..... I knew WHAT they were , because I learned how to read back in 1970 with Fish Field Guides and Fishing Books..... Anyway, I didn't care about eating them then, all I knew was they were Beautiful, Fast, Strong, Relentless, and Dogged..... I knew that they were elusive as False Albacore, struck metal jigs like Spanish Mackerel, and as tough as Bluefish..... They had EVERYTHING I desired in an Inshore Gamefish except they don't jump..... Oh well..... Back then, as well as today, they are North Carolina's Premier Inshore Gamefish in late April to Early May. Their arrival and departure is perfect. One of our first and greatest targets and they quickly move on as the Cobia move in..... They play their part in making May a Great Fishing Month. And, as a bonus, nowadays we all know that they are also a GREAT eating Fish too.... They are EVERYTHING a Yellowfin Tuna is on the plate, the only difference is the size of the loin. Just last night, I used Bonito in Ceviche, had it raw as Sashimi, and tonight I will grill it jusy like a Tuna Steak...... And for the Fishing..... In 2 hours of hunting Bonito, we saw a couple of quick, sporadic forays..... Then we saw the motherlode. An acre of boiling Bonito. it makes us wonder: How damn many Bonito there must be on this reef!!! Hundreds! Anyway, in the next 60 minutes, they never showed up again. Very disappointing. Only a fast moving Humpback Whale and his 2 dozen Bottlenosed Escorts pulled us away. And they did as we scoured the Beach for the mystical Blackfins from NeverNever Land..... Ryans little boy, Cameron, proved to be a trooper and a great young fisherman. That little boy will be an Outdoorsman Deluxe if he chooses to be. Whales nor Rain nor Wind, nothing deterred him . Going to be hard to keep him off the water. He has already sacked up his first Bonito and Bluefish. Great Short Wham Bam Trip. Total Catch for the Day: 3 Atlantic Bonito from 5-6 lbs, 12 Bluefish from 1-2 lbs, and 1 Black Sea Bass  

TUNA TUNA TUNA TUNA TUNA

May 6, 2010 I nailed this 26lb Blackfin Tuna on a Stingsilver 1 mile off Atlantic Beach

WILL  MAY 2, 2016 BE THE DAY ?

May 1, 2016 Pretty Good chance Capt Marty pulled hooks on a Tuna at AR-315 casting to Bonito.... I HOPE NOT !!!!! It was SOMETHING BIG, FAST, and STRONG as hell.......

May 1, 2015 Ryan and I chased a massive school of Tuna for 45 minutes and cast dozens of times. I Pulled the Hooks on One Tuna..... They were jumping everywhere. 35 pounders down to 10 pounders. Awesome

Early May 2014  My buddy, Capt Chris Kimrey caught a Blackfin Tuna near AR 315 casting for Bonito

Early May 2013 A Blackfin Tuna was weighed in at Chasin Tails by a Cobia Fisherman

Early May 2012  Capt Chris Kimrey chased a school of Tuna off Atlantic Beach and did not hook one

Early May 2011 A Blackfin Tuna was caught off the Bogue Inlet Pier

May 6, 2010 Capt Marty Moore caught a 26 lb Blackfin Tuna off Atlantic Beach while chasing Bonito

May 1- Bonito Frenzy

Capt Ryan's first Bonito of 2016

Ryan and Steven with a double-header. These were hooked up while Capt Marty battled the Mystery Fish

Capt Marty's triumphant return to the Salt was bittersweet. Double Bitter Double Sweet actually. First of all, Capt Ryan of Team Sea Spray invited me on a Cobia hunt and since my boat is still MIA, I decided to go...... Our first stop in the gray light of early morning was on a nice vertical structure in 50 foot of water. In the next hour, we made our day on a real good Atlantic Bonito bite. We landed 5 Bonito that weighed 4-6 pounds each. Sweet.. The ceviche I make here in a little while will be great and that will cover the other Sweet! As for the Bitters, number one is my left knee.... It was a little knotty out there today and the Sea Spray Boat was crowded with 3 guys and a bunch of tackle.... It was tough on my knee. Two hours into the trip I was hurting. I kept my mouth shut because the fishing was good and I wanted to see that first Cobia. Now, 2 hours after getting home, my knee is swollen and Im crippled...Oh hell, what am I going to do..... But, MY BIGGEST PROBLEM...... was at the end of "just another cast" over breaking Bonito west of AR 315. Remember guys, every year on one single day in May, every year since 2010, there has been a school of Blackfin Tuna that has marched up Bogue Banks from west to east. I know this FOR A FACT.... Anyway, I DO NOT think today was THE day. However, on that one cast, I had a strike and figured I had my third Bonito.. Wrong, this was no Bonito. This fish dumped 150 yards of line in a straightaway line burning run. No Bonito that I ever hooked has ever done anything close to that. Then my mystery fish turned and charged offshore. I reeled furiously. As my line sliced the surface across the bow, the hook pulled. Fish gone. Another Trophy Escaped. Capt Marty's slump continues. This one hurt. Mystery Fish, was it a Blackfin Tuna???? Crazy, it acted like a 30 lb King Mackerel. Damn if I know! Maybe it was a 20 lb Bonito? I did not see any Albacore, I dont think it was an Albacore! Dogtooth Tuna? Just kidding, I really haven't a clue what it was.... It struck in a frenzy of Bonito and Bluefish. Unfortunately,  I will never know. Its over and that fish is gone....Dammit. We also caught Bluefish and Black Sea Bass. No Cobia sighted. Total Fish for the Day: 5 Atlantic Bonito from 4-6 lbs, 18 Bluefish up to 2 lbs, and 2 Black Sea Bass

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!