Archive for December, 2011
Happy New Year – What an Amazing Year It Has Been
It’s been quite a year!
I have had the opportunity to do things that most anglers only dream of.
It started in southwest Florida where I fished the Charlotte Harbor for redfish, trout and snook. We added a side trip to the 10000 Islands in the Everglades. Besides the outstanding angling, the scenery was amazing. Pictures can never begin to share the experience.
I had an opportunity to travel to Alaska for business and took a side trip to a fish for Artic Grayling on the Chena River just outside of Fairbanks.
My annual off shore out of Ocean City, Md. produced not only bull dolphin and yellow fin tuna but a beautiful catch and release sailfish.
The first mate and I also took a fishing charter just south of St Petersburg, Florida on the Tampa Bay for giant redfish. We hooked up twelve giants and landed six. The first mate’s catch exceeded 32 inches and sixteen pounds. It was such a catch that Mirrolure is using her catch for advertising.
Between all of this, I spent countless hours on my home surf and sounds, catching trout, spot, croaker, blues, drum and of course flounder.
I met several famous television fishing show hosts during my various outings and had the opportunity for casting and fishing lessons from a professional fishing guide.
I want to thank everyone for visiting and supporting my blog over the past year. My goal has always been to provide you with the best angling and safe boating techniques. And have a lot of fun doing it. I especially enjoy sharing with you my many fishing experiences from my trips around the various waterways. My hope is that my blog will exceed your expectations and help make you a better angler and boater.
As we close 2011 and ease into 2012, my wish for you is to have a safe and healthy new year.
Until next time, Tightlines
Waiting for the Fish to Arrive
Fishing has been extremely slow over the past two weeks. I am just now hearing that some nice Rockfish are being caught both in the ocean and sounds. But anglers need to work hard due the stubborn water temperatures. Water has become too cold to fast in the sound but staying too warm in the ocean.
It also seems that the regular migration of big Rockfish and Blues has changed. On a typical fall/winter season, we see the decreasing water temps in the upper Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay drive the fish right to the near waters of Outer Banks for several weeks. Then after feeding heavily, they head off shore to winter in deeper water. Recently, the warm water temps have dropped up north but stayed too warm here. So once the fish arrive, they head straight out to deeper water and away from us.
The slow period has given me time to re-line several of my reels and purge my tackle boxes of used equipment that has seen better days.
One focus should definitely on winterizing your water crafts. Stabilizing fuel, fogging engines, emptying water tanks and hoses, removing all equipment and storing batteries in a protected environment.
A good cleaning of the hull, decks, and other surfaces plus applying a good coat of wax should be standard procedures. Plus installing your winter cover will save you many hours of agony in the spring.
Hopefully there will be better news in the coming days and weeks.
Until next time, Tightlines
Early December Fishing on Outer Banks
I headed out this past week to the Wright Memorial Bridge for Rockfish. The weather was beautiful for an early December morning. Skies were clear, winds from south at about 5 knots and water temperatures were in the upper 50’s. We had just gone through a significant weather pattern which almost completely shut the fishery down so I thought the fishery might be on fire on this day.
This morning we were rigged for just about every rockfish scenario – trolling stretches, rattles, and jig heads. Also, brought along the down-rigger and in-line torpedo weights.
When we arrived at the bridge, we found only one boat. And they told us that they hadn’t marked a fish all morning. Not a fish to be found.
We trolled for an hour and then tried jigging at the pilings. During our time on the water, not more than 6 other boats joined us and promptly departed when they too were unsuccessful. After about three hours, we figured it was time to catch some football on TV.
Even though we can home empty this day, the trip was worth my time. It was the first time I had an opportunity to fish with my longtime neighbor who is an avid angler. Amazing that we lived next to each other for 10 years and never fished together.
On this beautiful day on the Albermarle Sound, my favorite saying could not be further emphasized – “Sometimes it’s not the fish we were after”.
Until next time, Tightlines
NCsaltaire 