Fishing Trip - August 29, 2006

Right after work today, I made a quick trip back tot the area we fished last saturday. I just kept thinking about that doormat that got away and had to go try once again. The tides were just right, the wind was blowing from the SW so the creek I was fishing was protected from the brunt of the 15 knot wind.

I anchored up and proceeded to cast in the same geenral area. After about an hour and no luck, I moved a hundred yards down the creek and promptly hooked-up on a 16 incher. Then a few moments later, another. I didn't find the doormat but hey, I'll take two keeper flatties anyday.

Enjoyed a beautiful sunset then headed to the hill.

Weekly Column - August 28, 2006

Beautiful sandy beaches, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, delightful ocean activities, fun-filled days and nights -- sounds like the description of some distant vacation destination?

Well, it is if you live far from here; otherwise, it aptly describes our home.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of taking a couple of friends fishing. They live in Cary and rarely get down to the coast. Seeing them reminded me of what I already knew -- how great it is to live here.

After leaving the boat dock, we navigated the channel through the salt marsh, and I heard several comments on how beautiful it is here. As we cruised down the IntraCoastal Waterway, I again heard comments on the beauty, this time accented with an observation about the peacefulness.

We anchored up in a marsh creek and began to fish -- still more comments on the beauty and peacefulness of the area. Then several porpoises passed near us, playfully displaying their gracefulness. Besides the "ooohs" and "aaahs," I heard remarks on the "wonders of this place."

Then came the big question from my visitors -- "Do you ever get tired of this place?"

After about two nanoseconds had passed, I answered with a decisive "NO." Interspersed with the laughs from my guests were comments like "Are your sure?" and "Do you want to think about it?"The answers to those questions was, of course, made clear by my response.

I grew up in the Topsail area. I cut my teeth swimming, fishing and frolicking in these waters. Then I moved away for a number of years. During my Navy years, I traveled and lived in many different parts of the country and of world. Later I did the same with my civilian job. After 20 years I was able to move back here, and I have no intent of ever moving away again.

Having seen the world, I choose Topsail! I really appreciate the beauty and joy that we have in our surroundings here. I hope you do to.

Oh yeah, did I mention that as a bonus to all the beauty, peacefulness and natural wonders, we caught some fish? Well we did, and I felt I should mention that since this IS a fishing column.

Catching report

The eastern wind seemed to shut down much of the offshore bite this past week. However a few kings, Spanish and mahi were reeled in. Days when the wind was from the south or southwest were more productive. In spite of the weather, flounder and drum fishing near the shore remained strong.

In the surf, reds continue to bite, especially near flood tide. Pompano, spots and Virginia mullet should be showing up in good numbers soon -- try shrimp, blood worms, sand fleas and cut bait on a double hook bottom rig to target these tasty favorites.

Jolly Roger Pier reports scattered catches of Spanish mackerel and blues in the mornings and evenings, with some black drum being caught at night. Fishermen at Surf City Pier have been catching spots, Spanish mackerel and a few pompano and one nice-sized king mackerel this past week. A couple of small kings and some nice Spanish mackerel were caught at Seaview Pier, where they also saw some Pompano, spots and croakers hauled over the rails.

Tight lines, and wishes for a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Fishing Trip - August 26, 2006

Took a couple of friends from Cary out fishing Saturday. We fished the sound and marsh creeks near Rich's Inlet and Figure Eight bridge. The bite was rather slow but we did hook-up on 3 flounder but only boated one of them and boated a nice gray trout. Also caught a small cobia.

Tired out a conventional casting reel, my first time using one for anything other than trolling. It will take some practice but I was getting the hang of it. This one was a right-hand model and was borrowed. I will definetely buy a left-hand model. Even though I'm right handed, I am use to retreiving with my left hand plus that way I don't have to switch the rod to the other hand after casting.

Weekly Column - August 21, 2006

Recreational fishing is one of those few sports that can be accomplished as an individual, as a loose group of individuals or as a team. But whether fishing alone, with friends or on a competitive team, fishing seems to bring out the best of people.

I’ve noticed over the years that when people are fishing, they are just plain nice and courteous to each other -- even perfect strangers. Often folks will go out of their way to help someone they just met tie a rig, give directions or help in finding bait. Sometimes they even reveal a favorite spot or two.

When fishing we seem more willing to chat with strangers, to get to know them. We seem a little less on edge, a bit more willing to be friendly. I know there are exceptions to this, but overall I think that is true of most folks’ experiences with other fisherman.

I’ve often wondered if this is because anglers possess a certain category of personality or set of traits. But it seems that anglers range the full gambit of personalities and traits.

Then I wondered if there was some aura surrounding us while we are fishing; or that somehow the act of fishing itself stimulates some kind of chemistry in our brains, like runners and other athletes sometimes feel. Maybe, but these are doubtful.

I finally concluded that the real reason is that when we are fishing we relax, let our guards down and enjoy ourselves. I know other activities bring out these qualities, but fishing is something that cuts across all gender, social and ethnic boundaries. It’s something just about everyone can enjoy.

Hey maybe we should require all that of our politicians go fishing together once a month. Well, it couldn’t hurt.

Catching report

The bite has been a bit "spotty," which is typical for the hot summer weather, but at other times it has been very good. Overall a wide variety of fish have been caught inshore and on the beaches.

The puppy drum have moved into deeper, cooler water but are still reachable. The big ocean drum, on the other hand, are now showing up in the surf and on the shoals. New Topsail Inlet’s shoals (around the north end of Lea Island) have been very productive lately.

The flounder bite has been really good during certain tides. Many fish are being found on the artificial and natural reefs close to shore. Some kings and a few tarpon have been caught off of piers and from boats trolling near the beaches. Spanish mackerel and blues are still working the inlet areas with mornings and late afternoons being the best time to find them biting.

King and dolphin fishing has been steady in the 10- to 25-mile range, with a few bill fish found in the outer part of that range as well. Further out, the bottom fishing has been very good, with many nice grouper, snappers, black bass and other bottom feeders coming in.

Tight lines to all!

Fishing Trip - August 19th

Went out yesterday morning with the plan to fish the "beach" for a few hours then move further out if the bite was slow. Fished the ledges 2-3 miles off Surf City, had 2 hook-ups, got one in the boat, the other pulled the hook on the first run. Both were on the down rigger line at about 30' on a pink and silver mylar skirt.

We then moved out and fished some ledges 8-10 miles out, nothing but a 30" shark. Moved south a bit, still 10 miles out, had another hook-up and boated another king off the down rigger line, this time on a blue and white skirt at about 35'. We moved a few miles further out, no luck.

Both kings were in the low teens. That was it for fish. We did chase a school of Spanish on the way back but no takers.

The Navy had 6 ships just off our coast, maybe 15-20 miles out. I was fishing with several other boats. We noticed several times our GPS units reported "satellite signals lost". Never had that happen before. Then after a few minutes, the signal would come back. Also the Navy was all over channel 70 but seemed to be in low power mode as you couldn't hear them 10 miles away. We had some radio reception problems that came and went. This was reported by at least three other boats I was fishing with. Maybe just a coincidence, but seems odd. Makes one wonder if some electronic signal jamming was going on or something.

Weekly Column - August 14th

I really enjoy fishing, as you probably have noticed.

It seems I never get tired of trying to outsmart those bait stealers. Nor do I get fatigued spending the entire day in the hot sun chasing an elusive king mackerel or dolphin fish.

It only takes the slightest suggestion to get me to go fishing. For instance, if my wife says, "Honey your fishing rods look good in the new rack" -- that’s it. Out of the rack and off to the water they go, and me with them.

However, if my fishing buddies ever diagnose me with fishing fatigue, I now know the prescription. Take a child fishing!

This weekend I had a chance to take a 6-year-old and a 13-year-old fishing. Wow!

First there were the hours before we went to the boat ramp, listening to their happy chatter in anticipation of catching a fish. Then as we loaded the gear on the boat and launched it, you could see excitement in their grins.

When that first bobber went under water, you would have thought a sailfish had just jumped behind the boat! But that paled to the level of enthusiasm and excitement I witnessed as a proud 6-year-old reeled in his first fish and held it up for the camera.

It didn’t matter that it was a common pinfish. Not one bit. It was a fish. It was on his line and he pulled it in. SMILE -- another fisherman created and hooked for life!

Sure I spent most of my time replacing lost hooks and sinkers, baiting hooks and then removing hooks from fish, untangling lines and other chores. None of that mattered. Nope, not one bit.

Yup, if you need a boost, take a kid fishing. It’ll put a smile on your face!

Speaking of smiles, I know one young man that was smiling ear to ear last week. That would be one Garrison Lore, age 9, pictured on the left. Not only did he catch his first ever King Mackerel, he caught two last week. The first one weighing in at 15 pounds with the second topping the first at 20 pounds. Both were caught from the end of Surf City Pier. Congratulations Garrison!

Catching Report

he piers are reporting some kings being caught in the 15-pound range as well as an occasional tarpon. The fishing is slow due to the heat, but anglers are seeing occasional catches of drum, speckled trout, sheepshead , blues and Spanish mackerel.

Inshore, the flounder are biting around the lower part of the tide cycle with some nice 20-inch-plus fish being caught. The drum bite is still strong near the marsh grass and docks in the waterway and creeks. Big drum are being reported near the shoals around the inlets, especially at night. Some nice-sized sheepshead are being found near dock and bridge pilings. Try some fiddler crabs or sand fleas on a Carolina-style rig.

Offshore the kings and large Spanish mackerels have moved near shore. Live bait is most anglers’ first choice for targeting these fish, but dead cigar minnows and ribbonfish have also been working well. Bull dolphins up to 20 pounds are being caught in the 15 to 20 mile range. Some nice sailfish have been caught in the same range. Not many reports have come in from the Gulf stream, but the few I have heard are reporting a good wahoo bite and nice sized grouper on the ledges.

Tight lines to all!

Fishing Trip - August 12, 2006

My son came down to visit from Fayetteville this week-end and brought his fiancee and her two children (ages 6 & 13). We took them out yesterday afternoon for some fun fishing. It was fun watching them pull in those pin and pig fish, they got so excited. Between replacing lost terminal tackle, baiting hooks and removing fish, I managed to hook-up with a 15 15/16th inch (hahaha, how's that for truth in reporting) flounder.

The morning weather was cloudy and threatening rain but by late afternoon it was sunny and beautiful. Nice evening on the water for sure! Kids & adults, all had fun.

Weekly Column - August 7th

A few months back I wrote about the importance of water access to our local economy. In order to accomplish the task of keeping our inlets and waterways open to commercial fisherman, boaters and recreational users, we need our local, state and federal representatives to band together.

I’m happy to report an instance of just that type of effort being successful. Topsail Creek channel, which leads from the IntraCoastal Waterway to the New Topsail Inlet channel, had become so full of sand that the Coast Guard could not maintain the buoys marking what was left of the channel -- not to mention the many boats that had grounded there and had to be towed off the sand bar.

The town of Topsail Beach’s government swung into action to fund a private dredge to clean out the channel as a temporary fix. Our local General Assembly representatives also pressed the Army Corps of Engineers, the body responsible for maintaining these channels, to fully dredge the channel. They were successful in their efforts. The channel was completely dredged and the Coast Guard had the channel buoys back in by the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Way to Go!

Of course that is a "drop in the bucket" in the overall scheme of dredging projects, but it was badly needed and was very helpful. Right now Congress has funding in the 2007 federal budget for the Corps to dredge New Topsail Inlet. Let’s hope it stays in there through all the revisions, negotiations and amendments.

No, let’s do more than hope. Write your Congressional representatives, and let them know how important it is our community and our economy.

Another area of public access we need to keep an eye on is the existence of our public fishing piers. They are dwindling in numbers as beach development increases. We are fortunate to still have three on our island. Many other state beaches aren’t so fortunate. But in at least one case, the state and local governments have stepped in to save a pier and keep it open to the public.

It’s not that I advocate big government, not at all. But some things can best be accomplished with the involvement of our government. Public access to our natural resources is one of those, I believe. Let’s make sure our voice is heard!

Catching Report

Vinita at Surf City Pier reported a 17-pound king mackerel caught this past week with another one lost while being gaffed. The bite has been a bit slow, but there have been some nice flounder caught along with some Spanish mackerel and blues in the mornings before the heat of the day sets in. Jolly Roger Pier has seen similar action and reported a 63-pound Tarpon caught! Seaview Pier fishermen have reeled in several nice king mackerel this past week. They also report the Spanish bite has picked up in the mornings and some nice black drum are being caught at night.

Inshore, the flounder bite has been good; look for them in the deeper channels and holes as they seek cooler water. Puppy drum and speckled trout are still being caught but in fewer numbers. Tarpon and kings are just off the beaches right now -- try trolling just outside the inlets. The artificial and natural reefs near shore are producing some nice flounder off of live bait. Offshore, the king and mahi bites remain good in the 10 to 20 mile range.

Tight lines to all!

Fishing trip - August 5, 2006

Well mother nature teased us with a great start to the day on Saturday, the first calm ocean SATURDAY in quite a while. Unfortuntely it didn't last past mid-morning. It never got what I would call sporty, just a little sloppy when the winds shifted to come from the east and increased to about 12-13 knots. Increased & shifted swells made the ride back in wet and bumpy.

But enough about the weather - how bout them fish. There were a lot of nice King Mackerel's caught yeaterday, some up to 35 pounds. Most of the big ones I saw or heard about were from near the beach although I saw some nice 18-25 pounders caught in the 12-20 mile range. Unfortunetly I didn't catch a king yesterday. I had one knockdown and a couple of fish sky near our spread but not even one hook-up of a king. I did however catch a very nice Spanish mackerel (on my king gear). He was just under citation size which is 6 pounds.

Overall a nice day to be fishing.