Commercial Season in NC

[amarshall]

I just heard there's around 10 boats in NC right now from our area.

Any idea whose boats are down there?

[scratchinbottom]

captain mike from bluefin charters (ct) is down there

[LurkerCharters]

I heard its red hot down there, one guy hooked up ten minutes into his first trip. not sure of the boat name but its from point judith.

[mvfish]

This is how really bad rumors start...

[CaptainAlex]

This is how really bad rumors start...

Roger That ...

[wrap-check]

But it must be true - I read it on the internet.

[gmoney]

I heard its red hot down there, one guy hooked up ten minutes into his first trip. not sure of the boat name but its from point judith.

ya, how many other boats caught fish that day?
how many were fishin?
give us the stats of the day then we can decide if its red hot or not

[Verbal]

But it must be true - I read it on the internet.

why would anyone on the internet lie or exaggerate a story? does this really happen?

[reel 'n 'easy]

Got this straight off the NC board No hook ups yet!
Offshore Report: by Capt. Brant McMullan
Weekend's Weather Looks Prime
This weekend the weather is shaping up to offer a momentary reprieve from the stranglehold that Mother Nature has had on us. Man has it been cold! Friday and Saturday should be good days to do just about any fishing you desire. I have my sites set on Bluefin Tuna, Wahoo and Sea Bass. I believe there's a very good chance this weekend we will see the first local Bluefin hookups. According to the water temperature shots I've looked at, I believe the stretch from the Shark Hole to the Horseshoe should be where the Bluefin are travelling. All is subject to change, but basically look for the area with the narrowest corridor of 58-62 degree water. In the Stream, the Wahoo bite should be pretty good. That too is a day by day deal with the movement of the warm water as the key factor. If you can find water in the 72+ degree range then you should also find some large Wahoo. Also, don't overlook the Sea Bass fishing. Although not near as glamorous as the Bluefin or Wahoo, you can bet they are much more glamorous on the dinner table. This is the time of year when you can hammer the 2-5 pound Blue Head Sea Bass in 60-100 foot depths; don't miss this chance.


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Inshore Report: by Capt. Jacob Frick


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Water temperature this past week has dropped into the low 50's. The redfish have gone very shallow for the most part. Two reasons they go shallow this time of year. One they are seeking warmer waters on black mud flats, which warms up much quicker with the help of the sun. Two the dolphin hunt them very hard this time of year and will push these fish way back into shallow creeks. With that said, be quiet and sneak up on a school to have a field day. These fish will bite all year long and can range from 14" to 25" with an occassional 30" hanging around. The most exciting part is they will be in 1 to 3 feet of very clear water, so you can see all the action!

The trout bite remains strong at the Little River jetties. Dr. Wallen and myself fished on Dec. 4th with a mixed bag of 8 trout, 3 redfish, and 2 black drum. The trout were good size ranging from 2 to 4 pounds. The best technique out there is floating live shrimp. However, if you are up for a challenge artificials will work. Both Dr. Wallen and myself landed trout on artificials. The challenge is keeping the bait in the strike zone and not hanging up. A few redfish are still hanging out at the jetties. Dr. Wallen landed a nice 26" red that went 8 pounds on the bogy grip. Well, there you have it folks. Yes, it is very cold, but the fish are still biting. If the water temps fall into the upper 40's this week, which I expect with the forecast. You will need to target low tides in the middle of the day to be successful. As water drains from the flats and creeks it will usually warm a few degrees. If it warms to 50 degrees the fish will bite. Keep it very slow and quiet! Hang on! See you on the water!

Ocean Isle Fishing Center
65 Causeway Drive-Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469
(910) 575-FISH - www.oifc.com

[Heli Sports]

Got this straight off the NC board No hook ups yet!

Bad information!

There have been several fish caught over the past few days. A few pieces were caught yesterday including a 400 pounder and very fat fish that dressed out at 300#.

The first MHC Bluefin sold in Tokyo this morning for an excellent price! (Y7000 - nice fat)

It's definately not "red hot" down there. The air temperature in MHC has been pretty similar to the icy chill we are dealing with in the NE.

A few MHC giants are hitting the block in Tokyo this evening (Saturday morning in Japan) and more fish will be selling there on Monday's auction...