Cape lookout report

[merry marlin]

Friday we had Ken a friend from Piitsboro come and fish for the first time with us. We headed offshore with all the Barta boats and started quite close as we looked for some Mahis.
Pretty soon Ken had his first small dolphin.



We picked one at a time ending with 9 and missed 2 sailfish only having circles out... Gotta learn to be more patient!
Tried dropping bait further offshore but the full moon current wasn't going to let us catch fish.
Went back to the 14 to try some kings and had the two 12 year old boys Marc and his cousin Will on several times but they will get bigger for someone else...
They could blamed it on the rain!



Introduced Ken to the pain the reef donkeys can inflict and he quickly decided this wasn't pleasure fishing!



Jacky brought up half a pompano Some shark wanted to share with him...



Saturday we left quite late for the Morehead Marine Tourny which is a great family event and a good way to meet some new friends who fish the same types of boats. Had the pleasure of fishing next to Antony NG and his daughter.
Fished 3 hours and the kids put these fish in the weigh in for
a few souvenirs...





Tuesday I had another friend visiting Gilles and gave him a chance to battle the the donkeys...



Jacky then cleared the water of some Cudas... I understand know the tag programme of survival on the seabass. They may go back down in good condition in cold water but in this warm water with AJ's and cudas around probably 0 % mack it back to the bottom........



Gilles finally managed to pull off the bottom a gag before getting seasick...



We stuck around till we had a limit and Jacky manged to find the magic bait that would get those cobias to bite... He landed 2



I had my first nearly little accident as I pulled back out by hand a not so live bait to replace it. Had 80 lbs mono on the buffalo gun and as I rapped my figures to lift it out of the water I was watching a strike on the other side of the boat. An AJ came and took it and my fingures almost got chopped off.... The line broke and I have some nice deep cuts!
Vengence came pretty soon after!!!


We tried fishing for the first time for Spadefish... Had two five gallon buckets of jellyfish, managed to get them eating around the boat but never got a strike on the hook. We had 20 mono... That's our new challenge any advice????
MM

[SeaBiscuit]

Oh my! What a smorgasbord of fishes!
Lots of happy faces and good times, as always, on the Merry Marlin.
Congratulations to the team for nearly "sweeping" the Morehead marine tourney awards. I'm willing to bet that Anthony's little girl won the pinfish division, didn't she?
Thanks for another fantastic report and watch out for them donkeys at boat side!
SeaBiscuit

[Sea Draggin]

You guys are fishing machines!!!

[weekender]

those guys wouldn't know a skunk if there were ten on the boat, they load the dang box everytime out. Congrats to all and great pics. The shot of the rain is a classic, I need a towel to get the slim off my key board, what a post.

[HOLWACHAGOT]

What a fabulous report! Your boys are fish killing machines! Way to take a few plaques home from the tourney as well! Oh, and if the spades would eat the jellys at the boat...mmm....I won't even try em without Flouro and the tiniest circle hook on earth. I have seen em turn there nose to mono a hundred times if I have seen it once. I'll bring a spool of leader and hooks, you just take me with you to try em out. Pretty work.
Holwachagot

[slip slidin]

They should have just turned over the awards to the MM crew before the tournment even started. Congratulations to all. Great report and pics as we have come to expect.

[WAHOONBOX]

WHAT? NO TRUMPETFISH? NO PARROT FISH? THEY'RE ALL OUTLAWS I TELL YA!!!!!!!!!

[Nauti Natured]

Nice work as always MM crew!!! That is some serious jewelry there! Ringers I tell ya!

Look forward to getting out there with you.

[dolphinfrenzi]

We do alot of it down around the Sherman wreck off Little River. 20lb is prob a little hevy but should work. Use a small kale #1 I think it is we use. We use 10-12 lb tackle no weight unless you have current, u can also use floats if need be. There is one thing with spadefish that will drive u crazy, there will be thousands up and u can see them fell like you can just dip net them BUT if you see the SMALL jellyfish about the size of silver dollars around they will not eat well at all. Been there done that and it is FRUSTRATIN. Spadefishing is one of the best trips to take kids on if they are there., also take some rope and make you a stringer and put about 6 jellyballs on it and hang it over the side and chum them up. Seem like the first one comes up it is like shooting fish in a barrel. Lots of fun, and GREAT pullage!! That is just my take and my experience not a fact just what I have experienced and I have a good friend that lives and breaths for spadefishing, he is the expert as far as I am concerned and can anser any question you might have. I can tell you this if you fish the Sherman there is a good chance if you go back into NC waters you will have a new state record cause there are some big ones there. This time of year you might need to use some floro since they start getting a little shy about now. Good luck and take a kid spade fishing LOTS of fun!
You fished next to Anthony Ng, were there any fish left hahaha that is a grouper machine there, Anthony is a great fisherman. I just bought a electric chum grinder from him. We need to get Anthony on SF.com he is a great guy!

[merry marlin]

I have seen em turn there nose to mono a hundred times if I have seen it once. I'll bring a spool of leader and hooks, you just take me with you to try em out. Pretty work.
Holwachagot[/QUOTE]

Holwachagot, once all this vacation activity is over we'll just have to organize a spade trip!!!
We plan try out a small bass rod with fluoro next time and see what happens!
Biscoto, the boys managed to stay ahead of Anthony with the pinfish taking first and second!
Maybe if we put you and Holwachagot on those spades together the Merry Marlin will finally boat one!
MM