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Random Quote: An angler is a man who spends rainy days sitting around on the muddy banks of rivers doing nothing because his wife won't let him do it at home. ~Author Unknown
Well my vacation is almost over so here are some highlights of our catches. First let me thank Wiseguy from this forum for letting me park my boat at his place one night on the way down. He is a class act.
My boat is only a 18.5 foot Pathfinder so most of the time we were in the sound. A couple of the pics are from a trip out on "Release". The seas were very bad that day and we only managed 4 Mahi, 1 Sail and 1 Marlin. The rest of the catches were from my Pathfinder which includes two nice Cobia, some flounder and when we did get nice weather we took my boat out to AR230 and caught some kings and Mahi. We had a couple of good days and managed to get through the inlet and found some Mahi about 3 miles out. We raised a school and didn't know what to do. I only pulled in 3 mahi and also 3 kings that day. That night I made up some bailer rigs for the next time but the weather never cooperated. I'll know next time. That inlet is rough even on nice days. THT gave me tons of knowledge to prepare for this trip. Thanks guys.
HeadHunt
p.s. In the eighth pic., I am not trying to gaff that stingray. There was a Cobia with him. I couldn't get him to hook up so we pulled the stingray in close. If the Cobia showed up, I was ready to stick him but he would not come close to the boat.
I would never EVER EVER never never never EVER gaff a free swimming cobia. they will get in the boat and break everything you own, including some of your own limbs. even if he was smaller like the ones you have shown (not downgrading your catch, they were nice cobias!), but those things are mean and strong and i have heard stories of people gaffing free swimming cobia and losing rods, reels, rod holders, and have come out with bruises and cuts all over their bodies. just a word of warning...
other than that, it looks like you had a great trip. mahi within 3 miles, that is awesome.
Guess What?? I got a Fever.. And the only prescription is.. MORE COWBELL!
-2011 Blue Wave 2400 Pure Bay / Yamaha F300 4.2 with Command Link Plus
-2003 Sea Fox 195 Bayfisher - Mercury 125 Saltwater Classic (Sold)
-1994 Wellcraft V-20 Step Lift (Sold)
Looks like you had a great time .... sorry we didn't get a chance to meet up. I had problems @ work and didn't get down until late late Sunday. We did go out on Thur ... got some mahi and a few kings. Had two sails crash our baits but was not able to hook up. That was still enjoyable !! Stop by the cottage on you way out if you have time. (if you see my truck). Have a safe trip back !!
Great pics! Looks like you all had a swell time! May I ask a few questions?
If I'm hearing you correctly, you brought your own boat but on the day you had rough weather you were able to link up with a Charter?
Did you plan on that ahead of time? Or did you just promptly realize you couldn't go in your boat so you were able to 'spur of the moment' wrangle a trip on a Charter?
Where did you dock/keep your boat while you were there? Was it costly? Where did you stay? Was it a value?
Did you clean your fish and put them in a cooler on ice for the drive home? Or did you freeze them? Or did you just eat them there? (how long can you hope for them to keep in an ice-cooler on your way home, I guess is what I'm asking)
Nice catch. Thanks for posting your pics. Glad to see you all had a good time!
I would never EVER EVER never never never EVER gaff a free swimming cobia. they will get in the boat and break everything you own, including some of your own limbs. even if he was smaller like the ones you have shown (not downgrading your catch, they were nice cobias!), but those things are mean and strong and i have heard stories of people gaffing free swimming cobia and losing rods, reels, rod holders, and have come out with bruises and cuts all over their bodies. just a word of warning...
other than that, it looks like you had a great trip. mahi within 3 miles, that is awesome.
Good advice. The boat did come alive when I threw them in!! Tell me a better method.
Looks like you had a great time .... sorry we didn't get a chance to meet up. I had problems @ work and didn't get down until late late Sunday. We did go out on Thur ... got some mahi and a few kings. Had two sails crash our baits but was not able to hook up. That was still enjoyable !! Stop by the cottage on you way out if you have time. (if you see my truck). Have a safe trip back !!
wiseguy,
Thanks for everything. We have had a great time. I looked for you all week but now I know where you were. I stopped by your slip. Nice boat. I am going out one more time this evening for Cobia.
Great pics! Looks like you all had a swell time! May I ask a few questions?
If I'm hearing you correctly, you brought your own boat but on the day you had rough weather you were able to link up with a Charter?
Did you plan on that ahead of time? Or did you just promptly realize you couldn't go in your boat so you were able to 'spur of the moment' wrangle a trip on a Charter?
Where did you dock/keep your boat while you were there? Was it costly? Where did you stay? Was it a value?
Did you clean your fish and put them in a cooler on ice for the drive home? Or did you freeze them? Or did you just eat them there? (how long can you hope for them to keep in an ice-cooler on your way home, I guess is what I'm asking)
Nice catch. Thanks for posting your pics. Glad to see you all had a good time!
jackknife,
The charter was pre-planned. It just happened to be rough that day. The actual forecast was not bad but when we got to the stream it was rough. 8-10's, easy.
I did all my launching from Teachs Lair. I did not rent a slip because I do not have bottom paint nor do I have ample lockable storage on my boat. We stayed across the street on Grey Eagle drive in an oceanfront cottage. Very nice but not cheap.
I cleaned some of my catch and other days I took them to the "Hut" and let the guys do it. Just depended on how much of a hurry I was in. They do it fast and cheap.
All of the fish are vacuum sealed and frozen in my freezer. I have a sealer. For the trip home I pack them in ice and rock salt and they stay frozen for about 16 hours that way. My drive home is about nine hours.
You just have to try throwing everything you have at them... dead bait, squid, jigs, live bait, chicken wings, first born sons, crabs... if they don't bite, then try making them angry at something... if they don't bite, then just let them be. sometimes they'll bite everything, sometimes nothing... but as you obviously noticed when you brought a "tired" one into the boat, you can only imagine what a fresh one would do.
jackknife,
The charter was pre-planned. It just happened to be rough that day. The actual forecast was not bad but when we got to the stream it was rough. 8-10's, easy.
I did all my launching from Teachs Lair. I did not rent a slip because I do not have bottom paint nor do I have ample lockable storage on my boat. We stayed across the street on Grey Eagle drive in an oceanfront cottage. Very nice but not cheap.
I cleaned some of my catch and other days I took them to the "Hut" and let the guys do it. Just depended on how much of a hurry I was in. They do it fast and cheap.
All of the fish are vacuum sealed and frozen in my freezer. I have a sealer. For the trip home I pack them in ice and rock salt and they stay frozen for about 16 hours that way. My drive home is about nine hours.
HeadHunt
Thanks, HH. I know those were some nosy questions, but we're contemplating a similar trip and the possibility of staying longer in the future, so we don't want to get it all wrong the first time (with kids and in-laws and the like, if we are going to make a purchase in the area we want to impress everybody and have everything go smoothly)... and from the pics and your report, I can see that you know how to do it right. I'm glad you all had a great time and thanks for responding to my post!
Nice fish! We free gaffed a 35-40lb ling 5-6 weeks ago. Just had the ice chest open and ready and dropped him in. We did loose a chum churn in all the hassle though.
Its nice to have a .22 to put one in their head before bringing them onboard.
Nice fish! We free gaffed a 35-40lb ling 5-6 weeks ago. Just had the ice chest open and ready and dropped him in. We did loose a chum churn in all the hassle though.
Its nice to have a .22 to put one in their head before bringing them onboard.
Two Weeks in Hatteras w/ Pics 
photob
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