One Tank Dive.

Did a one tank dive yesterday while doing some bottom fishing within sight of land. After bailing huge sea bass for an hour I decided to get wet. Donned a semi dry and hit the bottom.

Bottom was loaded with big sheepies, grunts, sea bass, and a few nice taugs. Took a couple of sheepies about 8-10 pounds a nice tau-taug and a 30 inch gag.
The sea bass were so big and thick they all but gutted the gag for me before I could get him on the stringer. To bad they are near extinction.
There may come a time that we need to start getting federal protection for the ledges and wrecks from the sea bass before they eat all the coral and sponges off. We'll be seeing dead bottom before to long. Even the ones that were caught and released were throwing up sponges and coral.
Anyhow, water was 58-60 degrees. Could have dove a five mill with no hood but took the semi dry instead.

Funny how just a little bit of time on the water does so much to clear your head.

A Week In Hatteras

SENCFishing spent a week in Hatteras for our fire department annual fishing trip. Weather the first few days couldn't have been better followed by what has quickly become another blow. 
One can't help but notice the unusually light crowds for a surf fishing mecca that once was. Added to the mix was that a storm skirted the island two weeks ago and caused a great amount of beach erosion in areas that are regularly encroached by the ocean. The locals on Hatteras persevere as the bureaucracy is dragging along.

The fishing however was a different story. One of the highlights of our trip is our annual self imposed tourney whereby the winner takes all in a battle of inches.  This year the lead changed often throughout the days.  The largest fish was only a 21 inch pup however we caught plenty of them as well as many blues and sea mullet.

All day everyday even in the wind when you could find a place to fish, the fish bit. I got to say I can't wait till next year.

Drum Bite

Well, to say the least. It is on.  I've been delaying the report since I've been a tad bit busy. Headed North a few weeks ago and started catching fish the first full day I was there. Heard reports of fish up and down the Outer Banks. That was good as my friends and I shared our spots alone.

Returning home I got a call from another fishing friend who was heading out last weekend to a local haunt.  His crew did considerably well.  The Big Drum bite seems to be a bit better down this way then in Hatteras.

Monday came and I fished the same area but was overwhelmed by all the bluefish anyone could want. Bait was full on in the ocean wash; not hard to catch at all. By blues I mean five pounders on every cast. I wasn't in search of the bluefish and since they were taking a toll on my tackle and arms, I headed home.

Tuesday was the next trip out.  This time we had a crew of eight with four leaving after dark. none, and I mean none of us were disappointed.  Best we could tell we beached 98 big reds with the majority of them caught by the four of us that stayed until noon the next day. (The bite continued).  I caught 23 and tagged about 20.  I also understand that they bit just as good that night.

Wow, Where to begin...

Wow, it's been a while since my last blog. Right after the last time I put my feet in the sand to fish to be exact. That's not to say that I haven't been fishing but I've been fishing and diving so much that I put a few things on the back burner. Let's just say it's been a very good year so far. Last week I found myself wondering if I would be able to even meet some friends for our annual fishing week in the Outer Banks. Thankfully I made it and was glad I did. Instead of going into details I'll just say that as a group we had what was arguably one of the best fishing weeks ever for large Reds. I think the final tally was fifty fish for the week. Interesting to note though is there is a side story to all the fishing that I began to notice a few weeks ago. While out about 35 miles offshore on an unrelated charter I mentioned to one of the mates and a customer that I have been seeing endless

amounts of bait fish in the water including the large school of big menhaden that we were currently passing. Customers on the boat were in awe as the black fin tuna skied everywhere around the school. I can't remember the last time seeing so many schools of fish, specifically the menhaden in such large numbers. Not even off the outer banks. Fast forward to last week and beach fishing. I got a text from one of my friends telling me not to worry about bait. They had plenty, and there was plenty in the surf for catching. Once I arrived, and sometime into the afternoon we began to talk about all the bait fish in the surf and how we couldn't,t believe. Gets me wondering about how much the effort to curtail the over harvesting of menhaden by purse seines has been paying off. Needless to say, we went on to fishing and perhaps had one of the most epic weeks ever. On a side note, fishing all over the coast is really hot right now with drum, sea mullet, and blues in the surf. With all the diving I've been doing lately, one couldn't notice all the flounder I've been getting. They are thick too however all of mine are coming from the wrecks right off the beach out to 40 miles. Offshore please remember that the black sea bass are closed as well as red snapper. Other bottom fish such as grouper, grunts, triggers, and pinkies are hot.

SENCFishing started out fishing pre all hallow's eve in the afternoon and finished on halloween.

After making bait we fished what would end up being a 24 hour grind so to speak.

Conditions were right and the drum turned on around 8pm during the rising tide until a few hours after. Around 3a. We sat down for what seemed to be a brief three hours only to wake to the wind still howling. Baits were back in the water by 8am as a few other hardy anglers walked out on the beach. About 10am the fish started chewing again. This time everyone on the beach was catching fish.

SENCFishing ended up with 21 drum total. I got 10, Justin got 11. I also managed a pup in the mix and lost another big one at my feet.

Nearest I could tell others on the beach landed five or so before we left...And we left them chewing.

The Story Continues...

We had a long week this week looking for drum. Everything seemed stacked against us. No bait (spots). However we did mange to catch mullet on Monday in a tidal pool.

No fish until Wednesday night. And they were all caught on the mullet from early Monday. The eyes on the mullet were already turning white. We had to cut them in half too as they were not very big.

At some point in the night, I broke off my rig while casting when a loop caught on the reel somehow and it snapped off. Lazy as I was, I decided that I would grip it and rip it without re spooling.

The tide had just turned and was beginning to rise. I could still wade out twenty yards to cast. I sat the rod in the spike and gave the reel a few turns. I figured O had enough line on the reel that I could stop most of the drum before the spool emptied. I had a 50/50 chance the fish would hit that rod anyhow.

About ten minutes after setting that rod, the clicker starts rumbling and the glow stick shoots out of the reel. I take off after it knowing I have to get to that reel before the line is gone.

I got there in good time to see the line peeling off and in about fifteen more seconds I'd be spooled. I thought this was a bigger fish as it ran strong. I moved into he water knee deep to try and slow the fish, or at least keep enough line on the reel so that he would stall and turn. After about five seconds though, the fish continued.

Steve walked up to me and I showed him the reel and moved towards the chest high shore break again. At this point I was about to write him off. However he stopped again and turned. I backed up trying to get the fish back into me enough to get some line back on the reel. It was a struggle but I managed to gain. After another five minutes the fish was working below the drop off formed by the shore break. It only took another minute or two for that big boy to come on in.

After delirium from fishing all night set in, we had to have some SENCFishing fun.

SENCFishing Fall Drumming

SENCFishing headed North to the Outer Banks for the first time this fall. After grinding out four days of hardly stop fishing. The SENCFishing crew pulled an all nighter and caught four big drum. Then we watched the sun come up before heading home.

The new bridge opened this week ahead of schedule opening highway 12 for access South to all of Cape Hatteras.

Post Irene Drum

Went back to the Nuese River the other day in howling South wind. After leaving one area due to the snottiness of the sound. I launched again upriver to a more protected area which always seemed to produce fish. After about 45 minutes we were rewarded with a couple of yearling class drum.

We went on to miss a couple of fish before moving inwards to ward the shallower water for a little night action. Fish stalled there for a little while until a couple of rods bowed up. One was fought to the boat and lost while the other never got hooked up. Dismal to say the least. But hey, we were fishing.