'BOX Welcomes me (US) to HIS WORLD

[74Formula233]

I’ll try to make this “short” but complete LOL….or I’ll be up all nite typing…..

Wife and I headed out Friday AM to drive down the coastline (via Cape May Ferry) to as far south as Southport, NC (to head over to Bald Head Island). A 6-day, see the coast, no-plans, vaca……

Day 1 got us to Chesapeake, VA, after stopping in Ocean City, MD for a couple hours at the Boardwalk, and checking out “Cruisin’ Ocean City” (huge car show).

Day 2 we headed over to Kitty Hawk and down the Outer Banks…..stopped at all the lighthouses on the way……took all the ferries, etc……and continued on thru Cedar Island, and then thru Morehead City…….right thru the Seafood Festival Saturday……what a fiasco.

Anyway, I thought…..heck, I’m in Morehead….I have to get a hold of Marty and tell him I’ve got to stop by and meet him and say “HI” on our way back thru the next day …….(we were on our way to stay in Wilmington, NC Sat night, to hit Bald Head Island Sunday.)

Long story short, BOX calls me back Sunday, we were on Bald Head Island still……asks me when we’re due back in RI…..and invites us to stay with him and Jane that night, and longer if we wanted….then goes on to say how bad he needed to get out for some Wahoos…..and proceeded to plant the seed in my head (I’m sure knowing all too well how I would “buckle under the pressure” LOL) that he wanted us to go with him fishing the next day!

He said “no pressure, man, but I want you to seriously think about it, talk to your wife, and let me know” LOL. There wasn’t any question on my part, but my wife had never been offshore, and it was more a question of convincing her to go! We talked on the ferry ride back to Southport…….and she didn’t “agree” right away but I saw her wheels were turning. By the time we had gotten some food in our guts and were on our way back up the coast, she had agreed, and I called BOX and told him we’d stay the night and fish the next day with him! He said “the ONLY way (he) would have it is if we made (ourselves) at home”…….no problem! So, we stopped at Wally World on our way and picked up some clothes to fish in, having not planned on going fishing on our trek LOL.

Arrived at EL BOXO DE CRIBO around 8 PM to finally shake Marty’s welcoming hand at the front door and meet Jane as well. First RI plate to grace his driveway, he said LOL. Chowed down a coupla Appleby’s salads quick, while BS-ing, and he said he had “hunt4fish” (Alan) coming down to fish the next day too. So after we ate, we got on his puter and got us a coupla NC licenses. Alan arrived while we were signing up…..then we all stayed up and BS-ed a while…..

Hit the sack, for a 4 AM wakey…..BOX had left already to get the boat ready, so we followed Alan to the dock. BOX had some issues getting an ice machine to work, and had to run to Wally World, but we got off the dock in short order. Headed out to some numbers he had for the bite. When we got there, a few others were already trolling…

This was to be a learning experience, as I had never fished NC waters before! BOX is one to learn from, and “tough/demanding”, meaning that in a good way! I understand, as I am much the same way when on my own turf. But I was now in “HIS WORLD” and had to respond like a true NC Greenhorn LOL. We shortly hooked into a nice 40# Wahoo, landed in short order…..

Let me tell you, this man is on his game out there, and also has eagle-eyes!

Let me back up a bit…….wifey was doing well until we got to the spot, when she needed the bucket…….but did very well…..not a puke fest LOL…..a little noise….a little white in the face……keep in mind she had never been out where she couldn’t see land before LOL.

Anyway, BOX put her on the first Wahoo and she tried a while, but just wasn’t up to it yet…..still didn’t feel well at all…..so when she was “done”, I took it over (at her begging LOL).

Anyway, first WAHOONBOX on ice, with Alan on the leader & gaff. AND, my first WAHOO ever! (And of course Wife’s as well, since she started out on the rod LOL).

Had numerous bite-offs from other toothy bastards…..

Then a STINKY. Alan wasn’t happy, and fought with the little prick to de-hook him. Back in the drink he went! Trolled around more, then connected with another Wahoo, about the same size, and Alan leadered/gaffed him.

Another WAHOONBOX.

Shortly after we boated a nice Mahi ~ 15# or so. Wifey was “awake” enough to enjoy the nice color-show it put on off the stern as it got close. She’s only seen Mahi I have brought in in the cooler after the color was gone, so she never knew how pretty a fish they really were. After that another 2 10# Mahis along a nice weed-line.

BOX called lines in around 1:10, and we headed back. (Think he was feeling a bit sorry for the wife, even tho she was feeling some better by now.) On our way in he spotted a nice weed-line with some dense patches, and some Mahi working the surface. Had Alan rig up a rod with a chunk…..no love…….

Then spotted another school of Mahi working the surface again on our way in. Dropped a few lines in on the troll and picked up another 10#-er. 4 Mahi in da BOX.

With those on ice, we headed back, and Marty asked me if I wanted to take the wife to Cape Lookout Lighthouse. I left it up to him, as it was 8 miles out of our way on the way back. He asked her, and she agreed, and was feeling much better. She was a TROOPER all day, never complaining, and doing her best to stick out how she was feeling. She understood that we were gonna fish no matter what happened. No turning back.

So we got to Cape Lookout and had a nice treat, with a great view, and a great view for pictures! VERY THANKFUL to Marty for the extra bonus on the trip (and to Alan for going along with it all!)

In the cove, while taking pictures, I spotted O-SEA-D’s boat anchored along the beach. Marty says “YEH?” I said, “hell yeh, I’m almost positive that’s him, I’d recognize that boat anywhere!”……so my wife gives Marty the binocs, and he says “DAMN, BOY, YOU’RE GOOD!” So he proceeds to bust John’s chops a bit, then Marty brings us over to the wild horses on the island opposite the light to get a few shots…..priceless!

So then we head back to the slip, and he sends us back to his CRIB because we “were on vacation”……..not used to that….I always help clean the boat, etc after a trip…….but again he wouldn’t have any argument…….(stubborn *******! LOL)

So back to the crib, showered, etc…..Jane comes home from work wishin she had gone fishin with us……so do we, woulda been fun……and Marty starts dicing up some beautiful Wahoo chunks for the grill, along with some other fixins. We were all a bit wiped, but wife and I were SOOO lookin’ forward to tryin Wahoo……he did a GREAT job on our first impression of Wahoo!

Relaxed on the couch a bit before turning our tired azzes in at 9……

Got up this morning and had coffee with BOX and Jane……and planned our day for our start back up the coast. Talked about some good places to stop on our way. Spent some time in Corolla and at Currituck Light……hitting Chincoteague in the AM…..

ANYWAY sorry for the LOOOOOONG post, but wanted to give as complete a “report” as possible!

Pictures will be coming, I just don’t have time to sort them out of the couple hundred others on my camera right now…..I’ll post ‘em up once I’m home.

BOX & JANE, we can’t thank you enough for your southern hospitality! You added a GREAT day our vacation! You are credited with my wife’s first offshore trip, and with our first Wahoos! We’ll never forget the time we had! You know you’ve got a place to stay in RI whenever you want! Same “deal”! We’ll fish as long as the boat is in the water LOL.

[gottaflylee]

WOW...yep sounds just like the "Box". Glad you had a great time in "His World"!

[hunt4fish]

Excellent write up,glad I could take part in your first offshore trip and first wahoo in NC. It was a pleasure meeting you and your wife,and she was definetly a trooper on the boat. Have a safe trip home and come back down again sometime for some more killing.

[POON MAN]

True NC hospitality

One of these days’s we will make this same trek and hopefully spend a day with some of the friendly folks who live down there

Nice trip Formula

[striper101]

Sounds like a Awesome end to a great vacation! Congrats to you & your wife's first Wahoo & thanks for letting us all in on your vacation!

I'm trying to work things out up here so my son & I can make a trip down to meet the Box!

[trollman]

you can expect nothing less with these boyz. they got the passion for the game and they love to spread it around.

nice story, can't wait for some pics.

[Water Damage]

great post and it sounds like a fantastic vacation!! Marty is good people man. In the short time I have "known" Marty he has proved himself to be a straight shooter, honest, hard working, extremely knowledgeable person - and a HELLUVA nice man! Have not had the opportunity to fish with him yet but definitley see it happening in the near future.

[gradywhite273]

Thats some cool stuff there, thanks for sharing it 233.

[Capt. Michael Mata]

Had the pleasure to fish with BOX for a day in this years MA 500. A true gentleman is an understatement. Just keep your cigarettes away from his lines!

[Tower Todd]

Great Report.