Fishing with George

[Robja]

Headed to the coast this weekend with hopes of filling the coolers with fish. I was going out with George and his brother. As is always the case ya get up at the butt crack of dawn in hopes of an early start but one of these days I will figure out it doesn't matter what time you get up George is not going to leave till 7ish.

Went out off Bald Head looking for bait since no one was catching any off the beaches we figured we would check someplace different. Finding nothing we went down Caswell a couple of miles nothing there either so we decided to check up river since there hasn't been enough rain to push to pogies out. The only place we saw any pelicans diving was around Sunny Point but the guys with the 50 Cal.'s don't take too kindly of boats getting too close. Decided to head out Carolina Beach inlet since we were so far. Ended up buying some small pogies to go along with the frozen bait.

Headed out to the Cabbage Patch and Cucumber trolled around for awhile but only managed to catch 3 sharks and one undersize king which we released. As I was setting the line onto the downrigger clip what I thought was some slime ended up being a tentacle from a Portugese man of war. The painful sting across my wrist quickly told me it wasn't slime.

We then picked up and headed to Mt Dirfys wreck in the shoals only to catch another shark so it was off to the tower. It was suprisingly slow there as well. I had a nice slinger mahi that hit one of the live cigar minnows we jigged up on the way out so I was confident we were finally getting some meat for the box. Georges brother decided to take a picture of the lit up mahi next to the boat with his phone. After the photo op George came with the gaff about the time Mr. Cuda showed up. The mahi made a run for the bottom and once getting him back up to the boat he pulled the hook.

About the time I got the lines back out a king hit the outrigger line. After a short fight the king went into his death spiral under the boat. As I got him up next to the boat Georges brother gaffed my line instead of the fish so I was 0 for 2 out there.

Game plan change was in order since trolling was slow. Headed up close to the tower to try jigging for African Pompano. First drop with my still virgin jigging rod and new jig I must have snagged a rock. freed the jig but forgot to check my line to see if it was damaged. As I cast the jig back toward the tower I watched as it seperated itself from my line and headed to the bottom. $13.00 down the drain. I quickly attached some more leader to my line and brought out another jig. After several drops nada. I decided to make one more attempt and as luck would have it I hooked something on the bottom and I donated another jig to the cause.

As it was getting late and the only fish on the boat other than bait was one BSB. We headed in. Gas was on sale at the marina for 2.75 so we wanted to get back in by 7:00. Got inside the river with about 20 minutes to spare when the Marine Patrol decided to pull us over. After measuring our one measly fish and checking our fishing license's they released us so we made the dock with 5 minutes to spare.

My only regret is not taking a picture of what a $173.00 a pound Black Sea Bass looks like.

[clt_capt]

Well - it sure beats hauling mulch in 95 degree heat - I did that last weekend - Refused to do it this weekend. It sure was nice weather though.

How do fried pogies taste

[Nauti Natured]

H

My only regret is not taking a picture of what a $173.00 a pound Black Sea Bass looks like.

LOL ...


At least you made it to your gas on time!

Sorry it wasnt a great fishing day. Its days like those that make the good ones that much better.