Redfish Action Shootout 10-17-2009 Beaufort, NC

[NoExcuses]

Congrats to Captains Jeff Cronk and Mike Taylor of Team Crystal Coast Graphics for the win (14.68lbs) and the big fish (7.67lbs).

The Redfish Action Series is a First Class event here in NC. We are getting almost 50 boats a tournament and growing quickly. Great family atmosphere, fellowship, top notch anglers, you get fed twice, lots of raffle prizes from a lot of great sponsors. Capt Lee and his crew go all out for the anglers.

Team Riley Rods (me and Vik) truly enjoyed the experience. Had a real fun day yesterday.

Hers


His


Vik's choice of baits


It was a great day for topwaters. I threw one 95% of the day had a Gulp! on a 1/16th Powerlock at the ready.



Probably 40-50 5lb class fish here. Picked a few out and moved on to upgrade.


9am Peace of Mind. 10lbs in the well.


Needed to change out my Skitterwalk after the first stop.


Next stop was a faucet of 4lbers. Move on.


Some more 5lbers. Tip always fish the green stuff.


There were plenty of fish to catch here just not the right ones.


Decided to fish my favorite creek up that way even though it was a little further from the ocean than I would normally have went but it was cold and windy and this place is nice and tucked away. Second throw to the first dock massive blowup. OK there are some bigger fish here. Cruise the creek with the TM and there they are. Real nice school of upper slots with some 6-7lbers. Leave them plenty of room and we upgrade to 11+lbs. Next approach two more fish close enough to break out the cull beam. Add a couple of more ounces. Now it's 3pm and weigh-in is at 4pm. Half hour ride back. One more shot. A minute later the fish are literally under my feet at the front of the boat just sitting there. Toss my Gulp! to the biggest fish I see and bam three or four of his more aggressive smaller siblings attack my bait. Another 5 1/2lber. Time to go. Run into a shoal stuck for fifteen minutes ten minutes late for weigh-in. Would have been in the mid top ten. Feel bad because Vik caught some nice fish including the biggest and would have taken Lady Angler again. After 7 of these events this year she certainly earned her Lady Angler of the Year award. She was a trooper and a great partner and her fishing skills have grown immensely. She's currently hedging retirement so she can go out on top.

Also my second spotless Red this year.



Thank you to the gentleman Vik handed her camera to for taking these couple of shots.

[gottaflylee]

Congrats Vikki on "Lady Angler of the Year award" you rock girl. Sorry about the grounding Mike, thats a shame. You Guys did great. Great pictures and another great report.
Heading out to look for the Speckle ones this chilly morning, give me a shout if you read this before 7AM...
God its nice to be able to post again...

[Jesse Lockowitz]

hrm......wonder if those bigger fish were nere bogue

[NoExcuses]

hrm......wonder if those bigger fish were nere bogue

Good guess considering Jeff and Mike but it was a little north of there. Several teams fished the ocean without much luck. Maybe I should have made the 67 mile run and jigged the Masonboro jetties plenty of fat 27"er's there.

[BYRD]

Sounds like a great tournament. Do ya'll just fish the beaufort area or do ya'll travel a little? I would love to see ya'll come to Virginia at the end of August, we have a hell of run then.

[scattered_grass]

great looking fish! I'll tell ya, a few of those spots you were fishing look very similar to spots that I fish for pups around home on the Pamlico. Just don't get the numbers like you do down there though. Thats cool the one was spotless.

[SeaBiscuit]

Congratulations to Vikki and thanks to both of you for the great report and photographs.
SeaBiscuit

[Jesse Lockowitz]

Good guess considering Jeff and Mike but it was a little north of there. Several teams fished the ocean without much luck. Maybe I should have made the 67 mile run and jigged the Masonboro jetties plenty of fat 27"er's there.

yeah, ive seen their boats around...


meh, that'da been a helluva run



there are alot of fish schooled up around the shoals here and infont of B island.

[KeepItReel]

Great report Mike. Very cool pics. Congrats on a great day.

[Capt_John]

Great report Mike and congrats to Vikki.