Posts tagged ‘cape hatteras’
Fishing Flea Market and Swap Meet – One Week to Go
There is only one week to go until the Great Bridge Fisherman’s Association 3rd Annual “Fishing Flea Market and Swap Meet”.
The Fishing Flea Market and Swap meet will be held at the Hickory Ruritan Club on South Battlefield Blvd, Chesapeake, Virginia on 10 March from 0800 to 1500 hrs. It is just a short drive from the Outer Banks or anywhere in southeastern Virginia. Rain or shine. Parking is free but there is a $3 entrance fee.
This flea market and swap meet is both entertaining and educational. Local anglers set up booths to sell, trade, swap and give away many current and antique fishing and boating gear. Free Raffles, 50/50’ are held throughout the day. It seems there is something for everyone.
Last year I found several old rods and reel combos that I used when I was very young. It brought back many memories from my childhood.
So if you want a great time to wander through booths and tables of gear – most are antique, talk to experts and amateurs about their own “fish stories” and pick up that item that will bring back memories, then this is the place.
There will be food and beverages and plenty of parking. Get there early for the best deals.
Until next time, Tightlines
New Spotted Sea Trout Regs
More changes are coming to the Speckled (spotted) Sea Trout Fishery on the Outer Banks, effective Monday, February 27, 2012. As you recall we had a major kill off last year and the Division of Marine Fisheries has been working to help the stock recover. We are close but we still need to conserve.
According to the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, recreational fisherman may still harvest four (4) speckled (spotted) sea-trout per person per day by hook and line. There is no change from the limit in the previous proclamation.
The minimum length is still fourteen (14) inches total length. But the most significant change states that DMF have eliminated the limit of fish over Fourteen (14) inches. Previous rules state that only two (2) fish over twenty-four (24) inches could be harvested. Now there is no limit to size over fourteen (14) inch size.
As a community, we have all worked together to help this fishery recover. But the work is not over. When fishing for spotted trout, only take what you can use today and return the rest to be caught again.
Only with aggressive conservation can we save this fishery for future generations.
Until next time, Tightlines
Winter Fishing is Slow on Outer Banks
Fishing has been extremely slow on the Outer Banks over the past two months. The only news has been to discuss how beautiful and mild the weather has been. The big Rockfish have yet to make it south. They seem to have found a home off Virginia Beach. Want Stripers, head north just off the beach. Don’t want to travel, skates and Spiny Dogfish are plentiful on Jennette’s pier.
Water temps remain in the uppers 40’s so it anyone guess if we will get those monster stripers this year.
Spring is around the corner so it’s time to ready the gear. You need to go through you tackle box and throw away those old rusty hooks, lures and rigs. You should also change your line on each reel. The worst thing to happen is to hook up on that first fish of the year, only to lose it to defective gear.
I always clean and oil the reels and tighten any lose parts. Check the guides on your rods and if you are inexperienced, let your local tackle shop replace them.
This is a great time of year to step back and take a complete inventory of your gear and ready it for another fantastic fishing year. The spring season will be here before you know it.
I know the question you are asking, ‘Did you catch that monster tarpon in the picture?” And the answer is no it’s an artificial model hanging on the dock at a marina in the Florida Keys for pictures. But you can hook up with one of these beauties. Book a trip to Bud and Mary’s in Islamorda, Florida and you could be in a picture like this.
Until next time, Tightlines
First Fish of the New Year
I kicked off the New Year with a trip to the Kitty Hawk fishing pier. The pier is part of the Hilton Garden Hotel Complex and is open year round. Over the past several days I have been watching the birds circling and diving approximately 300 yards off the coast. They were chasing the winter migration of bait fish moving south to warmer waters. Typically, these frenzied schools are followed by big Rockfish and Bluefish. Some of these fish can weigh in excess of 40 pounds.
With such a beautiful day on tap for this first day of the year, I thought I would try my luck.
The weather had winds less than 10 knots and water temps in the lower 50’s. The seas were calm with minimal surf. It was just a perfect day to spend time on the beach.
I took my eight foot surf rod with a standard two hook bottom rig and one ounce sinker. The bait of choice was cut fish chunks. It didn’t take long for the “dogfish” or sand sharks to find my line.
I spent two hours watching the huge migration just out of reach but catching dogfish sharks.
I could not have asked for a better beginning.
Until next time, Tightlines
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
Meet “Henry The Fish”
I spent the last week in San Diego on a work conference and with the rough weather on the Outer Banks, I did not miss much. Water temps, now in the 50’s, have dropped significantly. With plenty of wind and grass, catching has been a challenge. But there still are plenty of opportunities to fish, so you might as well get off the couch before actual winter sets in.
While I was in San Diego I did the tourist thing in afternoon. One of the stops was a sea port museum. There I found “Henry the Fish”.
Henry is a collection of plastics, aluminum cans, dish soap bottles, lids, bottles, toys and many other trashy things found on a beach. These items may seem harmless but fish and birds are impacted from eating them or getting wrapped up.
Also, many of these plastics contain harmful chemicals and once eaten by fish, birds or other sealife, the cycle begins to enter the food chain. And unfortunately, this food chain leads up to us.
A group of concerned citizens assembled Henry to send a message. I think I got it.
When fishing on the surf, pier, bridge or other locations do your part by disposing your bait and gear wrappers, assorted debris and food trash in a proper receptacle.
Not only will it increase the health and mortality of our fish and wildlife, help to prevent a fouling of our waterways and recreation areas but it just looks good and makes sense.
So for a more pleasant experience, do your part. Pick it up.
Until next time, Tightlines
Changes to Speckled Sea Trout Fishery
Changes are coming to the Speckled (spotted) Sea Trout Fishery on the Outer Banks effective Monday, November 14, 2011.
According to the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, recreational fisherman may now only harvest four (4) speckled (spotted) sea-trout per person per day by hook and line. This is a change down from six (6) during the last proclamation.
The minimum length is still fourteen (14) inches total length. But the most recent proclamation eliminates the restriction where there is a limit to the total length. In the past we can only keep two (2) fish over twenty-four (24) inches. Now the restriction on the maximum size has been lifted.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind my angler friends that we still have a very delicate Speckled sea-trout fishery, so conservation is still the key to a complete re-bound.
Until next time, Tight lines
Been Tricked Not Treated
Weather on the Outer Banks has just “frightful”. This week following Halloween has been rainy and windy. The surf has not been this angry since Hurricane Irene visited us several months ago. Fishing has been halted in it tracks. Last weekend is, we caught all the trout, croaker, spot and black drum we wanted. But not this weekend. And the conditions don’t look to get better for another several days.
Thought you might enjoy the scene at the Avalon Pier today.
Heard earlier that even the ferries from Swan Quarter, Ocracoke and Hatteras have been suspended. Extended forecast is better weather first of the week. We sure hope so.
I plan to ride the beach and visit several of the sound side bridges on Saturday. With a little luck, I might find a calm spot and a fish that seems to like my lure better than holding on the bottom.
Until next time
Tightlines
NCsaltaire 