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Left 70 West Marina at 6:30am on Saturday 5/8.. Smooth ride to Northwest Places but the water temp was just a little above 65F. So, we went further. Stoped at 240 Rock and began trolling ballyhoo on the outriggers and #3.5 drone spoons out the back on #1 and #2 planers. Trolled between the 240 Rock and the 210 Rock. Caught 4 nice Kings (one went about 20 pounds) and one nice gaffer dolphin. Caught the dolphin on the drone spoon (that's a first for me).
Water temp was between 68F and 70F between the two rocks.
One hell of a fog settled in the area for a couple of hours while we were at the 240 Rock. Extremely low visibility. Lasted about two hours.
Wind picked up in the afternoon and began blowing from the NW at 15-20kt. So it was a really bumpy ride back home.
How'd everyone else do?
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Spring Fever - 2007 Regulator 26FS
70 West Marina
Wilson / Atlantic Beach, NC
We started out on the 480 in 30 fathoms and started working offshore, got into the heavy scattered grass and just kept going offshore. Caught 3 dolphins in about 75 fathoms and then a white marlin in 90 fathoms. The water was only 71.5 in the deeper water so we trolled back inshore and back up the the Big Rock. We picked up a 30 lb. wahoo on the rock and headed in when the wind came up from the north. What a pretty day on the water!!
Spring Fever, Never could raise you on the radio... I ended up 15-20 miles off the rock looking for a good temp break. Never found a good break, but found a set of net bouys with 20 foot of net on it and one off by itself with a couple feet of net. Big one was covered up with 10-20 lbs dolphin and 1-2 lbs amlaco jack, and the little one had a 40 lbs bull (rough estimate), that came off, and a 25 lbs cow. Worked our way back to the rock trolling along every rip and got a few more 20-25 lbs dolphin. At 3 pm we started to hit the bottom. Got a 20 lbs grouper, 2 nice trigger, and a few others. At 4 it started to blow and build... Picked up to run home and one of the trim tabs didn't work! Tried for 20 mins to get it workin' and decided I just have to fight my way back in without them... 4-5' of very short chop until we got to 15 miles... Long ruff trip home, and never found the tuna, but was a great day on the water...
We left AB at 6 AM Saturday and headed out through the shoals to the east side. I set the GPS for the Far East Tanker close to the 800 line and worked south on and off the ledge until we got to 15 miles north of the Rock. Found lots of scattered grass that kept us busy clearing lines. Picked up three nice mahi and had a major knock down on my long line either a tuna or Wahoo. It was too big to stop on light line so after a moment of pulling the line broke.
At 2 PM we were picking up to run in and the wind turned and started to howl out of the north. Luckly we were not running to the Knuckle from the due south so the ride while rough was at least bearable. Except for the time after 2 PM you could not have asked for a better day on the water.
Sunday- Fought the fog in the morning and went to explore some new bottom areas. Good day for the stream but we needed a clean day so we could drift and cover some ground. Found some spots and eliminated some spots. We ended up near the tower and did real well. The two of us caught three boxes of C-bass, Piknies, Grouper, and Trigger in about three hours. Even saw some Tuna come under the boat for a few minutes but we could not chum them up. Flat and calm all day did not want to come home!
Did you guys hit the slough or the slot? If the slough, how does it look this spring? I've never been comfortable running through that particular area. Any of you guys have advice on running this spot?
I ran through the slough. I go to the West Slough Bouy and then plug in the E Slough on the GPS. You will need to study the water because you can't run straight through. It is almost an S move through there. You move into the clean water and then head back toward the light house on East side, and then after you have cleared the white water you can turn more out to the E Slough Bouy. You really need to sit and watch the water or follow someone else through. It is very easy to get turned around and find yourself aground.
Would you be willing to share your grouper and trigger fishing holes? I don't do much bottom fishing - mainly because I just don't know how to do it or where to do it.
Could you also share with us, how you catch grouper and trigger? Do you use different baits or techniques?
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Spring Fever - 2007 Regulator 26FS
70 West Marina
Wilson / Atlantic Beach, NC
Last fall I saw a lot of boats running across right off the point instead of running down to the slough buoys. Anyone use this, and how dependable is it right now? High tide only??
This was posted on the website www.captainstanman.com. It's numbers for "The Slot", which apparently is an alternate route across the Cape Lookout Shoals. I've never run "The Slot" and would still probably not unless I was following a reliable charter boat. Use at your own risk. I found the numbers a few days ago and have yet to enter them into my GPS. Here's the information.
The no. on the West Side of the Slot is 3431282/07630101, in TD's 27072/39646
The no. on the East Side of the Slot is 3430692/07629037, in TDs 27068/39646.
The shallowest water in the Slot is 12 ft, I did observe 10 ft. on one occassion this summer.
You must run on a straight line between the numbers on the East and West Side of the Slot. There will be waves breaking on both the offshore and inshore side of you but they should be far enough away not to cause you concern.
If the Slot is too rough, high and breaking waves, maybe you should turn around and head back to the Barn. Your last option is the Knuckle Bouy. I can almost guarantee you that if the Slough and the Slot is too rough, you dont want to turn the corner at the Knuckle Bouy.
Be safe. Please print this and save it for future reference or give it to a friend.
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Spring Fever - 2007 Regulator 26FS
70 West Marina
Wilson / Atlantic Beach, NC
I ran the slot last year during bluefin season, even ran it in the dark . I prefer it 10 times better than the slough which really doesn't exist in it old form.By old form I mean lining up the buoys and making a straight shot between them. Now it's (the slough) more of a read the water crossing and you better not mess up if you draw any amount of water and it's low tide .
The shallowest(sp) water I've found in the slough was 12'
__________________ 20' Jones Bros BATEAU
282 Grady-White Sailfish
I fished just off Cape Lookout Sat - lots of bluefish but no spanish yet. Fished from the point out to the slough. From W to E, slough takes a left turn into a narrow section about 1/3 of the way across. If you go straight you may run into breakers...
Spring Fever- Goto the tower and run 1-3 miles on a 150* heading and just watch your scope. 8 miles max. We use boston mackerel, squid, old cigar minnows and fresh filets of junck fish as cut bait. We will always use live bait if we have it for grouper; pin fish or menhaden seeem to work best.
Trigger fish have smaller mouths, so small hooks with squid on them are a good way to target them. You'll still hook a few grouper, but the big ones are hard to keep on with the smaller hooks. We usually have a small hook with squid on a bottom hook and a 5-7 ought hook a few feet above it with large chunks of bait. Any cut bait will work some times and others they'll only hit fresh, live, or even a whole squid... Some of the best bait we use is cut false abacore. A bloody strip with the skin on it last for a few fish and has flash and smell to bring the fish to it... (Got a 35-37 lbs red grouper this year on albacore chunk...)
Where abouts do you target the triggers? I've heard they are in deeper water than black bass, grunts, etc. I don't know much about bottom fishing but would love to learn more about it.
The bigger ones I've been getting recently have been in 160-200 foot. We drift over and run back to the good spots. We use the engine/engines in reverse against the current/wind to slow our drifts down if we're going faster than 1-1.5 knots. Takes a little pratice to put the motor at the right angle for a productive drift.... I've only been hitting the bottom that deep for about a year now, when we get enought trolling, or don't get anything trolling. Can make the long trip worth it when the fish on top don't coroperate....
Crystal Coast Fishing Report 5/8 - 5/9 
4-5' of very short chop until we got to 15 miles... Long ruff trip home, and never found the tuna, but was a great day on the water... 
