Wintery Day at Sea

Last night as I prepared to go fishing today my wife asks "have you seen the forecast for tomorrow". I answer yes, to which she says "you must be crazy".

Cabin fever will do that to a man, make him crazy I mean. I've been cooped up indoors too long with the bad weather. Dave B. agreed to join me for the day. He too is hard core about fishing and needed to get out and smell the salt!

We left this morning with temperature hovering at 36 and the skies threatening rain. The wind was fairly light but the weatherman promised that would change as the sun rose further in the sky and it did.

We anchored up about 8 miles off shore and started catching fish right away. First just some small Black Sea Bass, then some bigger ones. Pretty soon we were stacking up 15 inch plus black bass in the cooler.

Then I had a tug on my line that I knew was no Sea Bass. Several minutes latter this creature comes up to show its slimy self. Looks kind of pre-historic or something. We punched his round trip ticket and off he went.

Now the sharks show up. We noticed the creature had shark escorts when we brought him boat side and they decided to stay. So Dave says, rig me up the "big gun" as he prepares some bait. I get out the Penn 6/0 which is mounted on a broom stick pole and tie it off with a double swivel and a pair of 9/0 heavy duty hooks. Dave baits up, drops down and Wham - hooked up. Small dogfish shark, ugh. He baits up again and drops down. He keeps feeling something "big" knock his bait but can't get it hooked up.

Finally he checks his bait and he has two LARGE black bass on, one has been partially shredded by a shark. "OK - I'm gonna get 'em this time" he says. Baits up, drops down and pretty soon I hear a big grunt and then "gottcha!" coming from him. Tugging and pulling up comes not one but 2 large dogfish sharks. Hmmm.

The rain is falling now and the wind is howling in my ears (literally). So we do inventory: Raining, cold, dogfish everywhere, cooler of nice black sea bass = time to go home.

We only fished a couple of hours but it cured the cabin fever and felt good to taste the salty water on my mustache again.

Man I love this place!

Update

I've been lax in posting lately, I haven't had much time to fish and when I did have time the weather didn't co-operate.

A quick reminder to self and all of you, check your fishing license for its expiration date before you go fishing next time. In NC it expires one year from the date you purchase it.

I have reports from friends that Striper and Speckled Trout fishing has been hot in the Cape Fear and Brunswick river. Some really nice Specks in the 3-5 pound class are being caught on live shrimp and gulp. The Stripers are falling for swim shads, eels and bucktails.

Hopefully we'll have some decent marine weather next week and I can get out and try for some ocean flounder & maybe grouper!

Till then, tight lines to all!