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Random Quote: Good work ain't cheap and cheap work ain't good.
Got a crew together from where I work and we fished Sat. and Sun.
Saturday tally - three medium sharks, one undersized short king, one legal king, and several 11" and 11-3/4" Spanish we threw back. For a long time you could't even buy a bite. Everyone who was "radio fishing" was complaining. We also had several short strikes and seemed to miss 2-3 as many as many as we had hit. Had a naked hoo pulled out of the downrigger and we reeled in and it was untouched, no bite marks, nothing. I started sharpening and changing hooks thinking that was the problem. Had about 4 rigs bit off.
We trolled around the shoals, #8 trawler buoy, then AR315 to the beach, and then almost the entire length of the shipping channel. Lost something BIG there that jumped and spit the hook, tail going in the water looked like a shark.
Back at Harkers Island Fishing center....seen some MONSTER spanish unloaded next to us, we got the story and all we heard was east side, east side, so we naturally headed to the east side of the shoals Sunday. A first for me, I followed someone in the morning but they peeled off to hard starboard when they seen the first whitewater, so I then followed someone else, they did better but I seen three feet on the sounder near the end and I nailed it to get as much boat out of the water as possible. Heading back later I followed a 30+ something CC and still had a crew member say they could see the bottom as we blew by the west side of the shoals with the tachs buried!
Saturday arrived on the east side to surface busting false albacore, so we put out clarkspoons and instantly boarded a 20" spanish, I thought it would be on like donkey kong, then it was albacore mayhem with lots of good fights, lost a big one at the boat, we kept three, then trolled for kings around AR285 with no luck. Sight casting to the fat alberts was fun, got a little roly poly out there when the wind picked up, but we had to head in around noon to get back home at a decent hour to make the wives happy.
Not a bad trip, but not the best either, really wanted to put the rookie crew on some smoker kings, but the albies showed them a good time!
Had a scare leaving Sunday morning, warm up the engines while the crew was getting ready (coffee) and we leave from the slip, starboard engine only, get away from the slip put the port in fwd and it starts clanking like heck! Horrified I shut it down and we back into the slip again, raise it up, and nothing but net" is wrapped tight on the prop, Looks like someones piece of a cast net with weights. The weights beat up the underside of the cavitaion plate, and I carefully cut it away and did pull any from behind the prop so I think my seals are probably safe. We went out in the waterway and it sounded fine and went fishing.
I must have picked it up as we backed into the slip the night before on dead low tide......scary stuff!
We all had a great time and came home safe so we're happy!
20 year anniversary this weekend so no fishing, but ready for MAD and the next several weekends for sure! Need to do more rigging and buy more clarkspoons, had some bit offs on those as well.
READY TO GET MAD?
__________________ Cobia 244 ~ Twin F115's
Volunteer Boat Committee Chairman for:
Throughout history there are few that have offered to die for you, almighty Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul and the other for YOUR freedoms.
Support both!
Hey Scott, I believe that was you we were slipped up next to at the fishing center on Saturday night. We were in 58 (21 Parker) and I think you were in 54. If so, glad to hear you got into some of those big Spanish and Albies on Sunday. They were definitely more scattered than on Saturday once that wind picked up.
We ran a little further out to the wreck on Sunday and only managed a small king, 2 bite offs, and a couple of black tips. There was quite a crowd so we headed closer to the shoals in search of a drum and got into the Albies on the way in and a citation 7 lb Spanish before we settled for a heard of undersized flounder.
__________________ Classic Parker 2100 CC
200 HPDI
We appreciate the beer and the advice Satuday evening. Next time we meet up I'll reciprocate with the beer, my fishing advice may be lacking.
We were a little late to the party because of the net wrapped around the prop episode, we had a blast Sunday but I need to figure some better numbers for running the shoals, I will head out further next time, a mile or so away my chart in the GPS was showing deeper water, but before heading back I seen some big CC's driving right near the beach at the point and then nailing it off at an angle to get to the other side. That's what I did and just avoided the whitewater.
Are the slot east and west numbers on most charts still good water?
I like it over there, lots of life and looked like some good structure at AR285 and the haven just next to it.
Take care!
__________________ Cobia 244 ~ Twin F115's
Volunteer Boat Committee Chairman for:
Throughout history there are few that have offered to die for you, almighty Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul and the other for YOUR freedoms.
Support both!
Sorry to hear about the net in your prop - what a pain. Didn't realize how low it was in those slips until I raised my motor up a little and I all of a sudden swung towards your boat.
Anyhow, these are the slot numbers I use. I took that same path close to the point on Saturday at low tide when it was so flat and didn't have a problem, so I felt pretty comfortable running it on Sunday when there was a little more white water. There is a lot of life on the east side. Did you see that huge school of rays moving around shark island? When we were coming in we saw a huge 'red tide' coming across the shoal and thought it was a big bait ball. When we got close rays started doing back flips out of the water and there must have been 150 of them in about 5'. Pretty cool.
West 34 31.950 76 31.300
Center 34 31.282 76 30.101
East 34 30.692 76 29.037
Probably won't be back down until 11/8 weekend - need to work on the honey-do.
Tight lines.
__________________ Classic Parker 2100 CC
200 HPDI
Had a scare leaving Sunday morning, warm up the engines while the crew was getting ready (coffee) and we leave from the slip, starboard engine only, get away from the slip put the port in fwd and it starts clanking like heck! Horrified I shut it down and we back into the slip again, raise it up, and nothing but net" is wrapped tight on the prop, Looks like someones piece of a cast net with weights. The weights beat up the underside of the cavitaion plate, and I carefully cut it away and did pull any from behind the prop so I think my seals are probably safe. We went out in the waterway and it sounded fine and went fishing.
I must have picked it up as we backed into the slip the night before on dead low tide......scary stuff!
There is more debris in that marina than I have ever seen anywhere. I had a serious discussion with them about 6 years ago, after I hit an unmarked submerged piling inside the marina.
Not as I was pulling into a slip, but out at the entrance near the end of the main dock.
That was and will be the last time I ever take a boat within 100 yards of that place.
Did they ever get the place sold? we had been staying there for a few years and 2006 was our last because the place was becoming a dump. We now rent a fat house on the mainland for just about the same price.
I agree not the best of placest to stay but it served our purpose. I have stayed at Cailico Jacks before too.
__________________ Cobia 244 ~ Twin F115's
Volunteer Boat Committee Chairman for:
Throughout history there are few that have offered to die for you, almighty Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul and the other for YOUR freedoms.
Support both!
Man I agree with Red Head for me it is about perfect . Sure it is not the marriot but you will be hard pressed to find better owners , workers and the best friends anywhere . Come to think of it I have got to get back down there soon !
Went back to HIFC this weekend and we had a great time.
They have a repeat customer as long as I can get down there. Those are some of the friendiest folks you would want to meet. It's aint the Hampton but you don't pay for it either. Still a good deal in this day and age.
The other boaters you met there are hard to beat too. Thank RED for some great info, great talk, share a beer and run Barden's Inlet in the dark.
You are a cool dude and I hope to meet up with you again!
__________________ Cobia 244 ~ Twin F115's
Volunteer Boat Committee Chairman for:
Throughout history there are few that have offered to die for you, almighty Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul and the other for YOUR freedoms.
Support both!
Fishing Harkers Island 10/4 and 10/5 
