Taking Extreme MeasuresBy: David Sikorski |
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| With the discussions on the forums turning to high oil prices, which center console is fastest, and what squids are best, I knew is was time to plan a get away. Winter was dragging on, and the best way to lift one's spirits is to start booking a few trips for the spring tuna run off of NC. I got on the phone with Capt. Brian Harrington from the Run-Off and made sure I'd have a place on the black boat at least 4 times by Easter. The thoughts of a freezer full of tuna by the time April rolled around made the winter blues drift away. Little did I know that my trip at the end of March would be the last one weather would allow for most of the charter fleet in Morehead City for nearly 6 weeks.
The doldrums of getting my fishing fix online set back in, and like a junkie waiting for the next fix, I obsessively watched the weather offshore in NC. My salvation would come on April 25th. Capt. Brian posted a few make up dates on the forum, and with a hole in my work schedule I jumped right on it. As the trip got closer I began to think to a few of my past trips on the Run-Off. As the Cape Lookout Light comes into view I typically find myself up on the bridge recounting the day's action with Brian, and asking endless questions about the other fishing possibilities in and around the area. Bluefish and bonita in April, cobia in May, giant red drum in late August and September, and a whole list of other willing opponents throughout the year. |
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| Anyone who has fished with Capt. Brian knows that the strong silent figure on the bridge of that black boat knows his stuff, but when you start to ask him about everything else he catches, you really find out why he has earned the nickname of the "Beast". With ten days to go until my trip and no one to co-pilot, I decided to make it a long weekend in NC. I called Brian and scheduled a day on his small boat, a 25 Contender. I told him I didn't care what we fished for, but if the weather allowed, a bottom fishing trip was first on the list. |  |
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| As Monday rolled around the weather looked promising, and a call from Brian proved that I wasn't just dreaming. With high hopes, I hit the road Wednesday and was on my way. In standard fashion I was greeted in Morehead by an invite to a Marty Hiatt's house for dinner. Marty and Jane always know how to make a guy feel welcome after a 400+ mile trip, and the fish taco dinner hit the spot. Shortfin from the forum, and his wife were also visiting, escaping the cold from further north.After dinner the men retired to Marty's "War Room" and watched countless videos and told stories until it was time to hit the sheets.
My 5:00am alarm came fast, and after scrambling some lunch together, I was off to meet Capt. Brian at the docks. A longtime client and friend of Brian's joined us for the day armed with an assortment of jigging rods that would make any tackle aficionado drool. |
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The sun was just beginning to light up the sky as we made our way out of the inlet into a sloppy swell. The Contender ate up everything the ocean threw at us and in just under an hour it was time to send some bait to the bottom.
After setting the anchor and coming to rest it didn't take long to have my first bite of the trip. A few cranks later and a nice black sea bass was over the rail and in the box. Bill then brought a snapper from the deep and into the other side of the boat. The bite was on. |
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| After Brian made sure both Bill and I were sufficiently warmed up, he broke out the grouper gear. With the first drop to the bottom the Beast hooked up to a nice gag grouper, and proved once again why he had earned his nickname. It was my turn next, and I dropped a single mackerel head to the bottom. | |||
| With a sudden powerful thump, and ensuing tug of war, I was hooked up to my first NC grouper. I brought the black(or gag) on board, and went back for more. For the next 3 hours we bailed the vermillion snapper(beeliners), black(gag) grouper, black sea bass, silver snapper, and even a few keeper sized American red snapper.After nearly reaching our limits, Bill and Brian began to play with butterfly jigs to entice whatever it was we were marking on the fishfinder.
After a few run-offs and bite offs we boated a nice little king, a few sharks, and a skinny bluefish. As a rain squall pushed through I tried my hand at butterfly jigging and almost immediately hooked up to a 60+lb Almaco jack, a more than worthy opponent. After a short lunch break I picked up the jigging rod again, and caught another jack before deciding I had enough of them. |
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| With a few spots to fill in our limit, we headed to another spot and continued to catch something on nearly every drop. I don't know if we ran out of bait, or I ran out of energy, but that time came and we headed for the barn. Bill and I offloaded our gear and coolers at the pier said our goodbyes and thank you to Capt. Brian, and found a place to clean out catch.
It was nearly sunset before the catch of the day was nicely stowed away in Zip-lock bags with plenty of ice. Bill and I were plum worn out, but still had to find dinner, and some lunch for the next day's adventure, Yes, we still had another day to go. |
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| The 4 am alarm came rather quickly, and we were off to the waterfront once again.This time we would be joined by Bryan Hunt, and two of his work associates, both being offshore greenhorns. After a beautiful ride out to the break, we set the lines amongst the crystal blue water. A far off squall and some broken clouds gave a welcoming feeling to the morning. I was tired as can be, but as usual the anticipation kept me awake and in the game. | |||
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It wasn't long until Justin put the first fish in the box, a tasty blackfin tuna. Dan's first pelagic would come next, after a wahoo grabbed the Captain's bridge pole. Talk about a fatal last decision.In short order the guys had put a king, amberjack, and a handful of Gaffers on the deck.
The radio told the tale of a normal day for the fleet. Mahi's, blackfin, wahoo, and a mix of others. A few boats had seen a few blue marlin too. |
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| As the day wore on my tired state began to get the best of me. With the aide of a Bojangles chicken coma, I drifted off to dream land in the air-conditioned cabin. In typical Run-Off fashion, I was rudely awakened by pandemonium in the cockpit, and I jumped to my feet to help out. It was a triple of mahi's that I gladly avoided reeling in.
After we got out spread back out it was time for more chicken and some more sleep. At some point Dan asked why I hadn't caught any fish thus far. Jokingly I said that I was saving my energy for the Blue Marlin that we were going to catch later in the day. As I drifted off to sleep again, I couldn't help but hope that my premonition would come true. |
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| Again in standard Run-Off fashion, my alarm clock came in the form of a screaming teaser reel and those three words coming from the bridge.
"THERE HE IS" "LEFT FLAT, GET THE DINKS OUT OF THE WATER" |
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The Beast was barking orders from his perch, and somehow we followed orders as the fish tried to eat our entire spread.
"LEFT SHORT, RIGHT SHORT, HE'S ON, CRANK CRANK CRANK" After 50 yards of line the right short went limp. |
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| I looked to the spread and saw the classic Bill, Dorsal, then Tail routine, and heard the bridge pole start screaming.THANK GOD, Brian got a hook in him."GET YOUR SHIT UP, LET'S GO GET HIM"
Within seconds, the spread was clear and the pit was ready for combat. I was steadily cranking on the Tiagra 50 as the black smoke and splashing water started. |
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| Brian calmly coached me through the fight and with some great team work, John had a hold of the leader in around 10 minutes.The fish put on a great show at the side of the boat, and with a few tight wraps, John held tight, and the #8 wire parted, sending the Blue back to the deep. | |||
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The Run-Off had it's first "Blue One" of the year, and John's first legal release in his tenure as a mate. There were high fives all around as we headed in on mirror flat seas.
In standard fashion, I found myself on the bridge as the Cape Lookout Light came in to view. This time I wasn't talking about the next trip, I couldn't stop talking about this one. |
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| We offloaded our modest catch on the dock, and before cleaning we made sure John didn't escape a very important tradition.
With a quick toss into the chilly ICW waters John had earned yet another stripe from a day on the Run-Off. |
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| Soon after everyone took what meat they wanted and parted ways, all with a big smile on our faces and a little extra spring in our steps.Next time you see a chance to fish on the Run-Off, don't be afraid to take a few Extreme Measures yourself. Don't say I didn't warn you! Capt. Brian Harrington can be reached through his websites @ www.extrememeasureschartes.com or http://www.runoffsportfishing.com/or by cell phone @ (252)504-0219 | |||
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