Hooyah Grouper Report 6/9/09---Ocean Isle Beach, NC....."Tasty Suprises"

[Squid]

Monday afternoon seemed just like any other Monday afternoon---did some work, sent a lot of e-mails, made even more phone calls, and was about to call it a day when my phone rang and it was my buddy Jeremy (part owner of the Hooyah---a brand new 32' Yellowfin) on the other end saying him and his brothers in law, Lee and Nathan (the other owners of the boat) were on their way down to do some grouper fishing and asked me to join them. After clearing a mid-week day off with the boss man, I re-crimped some leaders and made some fresh grouper salad for a boat lunch.

The plan was simple----explore. We had almost no GPS numbers. We didn't care about GPS numbers. We knew the area we wanted to fish and felt confident that we could scrap out a day by simply using the electronics to find them.

I made the early morning drive down to Ocean Isle Beach yesterday and was at their house by 6 am and were pulling away from the dock by 6:30. Made our way out of Shallotte Inlet and headed up Holden Beach in 15 feet of water to check for pogies. Didn't take long to find a huge knot of them and with one throw of the net 2 wells are full.

The boys let me be Captain Squid again today, which is always fun for me. I didn't care that much about dropping baits myself today---I wanted to watch these guys get their arms broke by some big gags.

Our first stop of the day came from our lone GPS number of the day---a spot where I had fished with Jeremy's brother this winter on their old boat, a 33 Palmetto Custom called the Job Site. We had found this spot loaded with juvenile American Red Snappers in January and I wanted to see if they were still there. Great marks on the ledge so we stopped but it wasn't to be. Had a few bites that felt like snappers but couldn't connect.

From there we started offshore---picked a heading and started exploring. Didn't take long to run across a small scratch on the bottom. Turned back around and ran across it from another angle and it turned out to be a beautiful little 5' ledge. Dropped a couple of baits down on the drift and Lee drops the jig. Didn't take long before he connected on the first gag of the day---a short but they were hungry none the less. Got a good anchor course off the drift and dropped to hook to see what we could do. Found a few more gags here but nothing to go in the box so we kept on going.

The next stop was on a 2' ledge that we crossed on our way offshore. Spun around and dropped some baits on it. On the first drop, Lee hooks up again. I look over and notice that the fish is fighting kind of weird. As Lee's fish is halfway up, Jeremy bows up. We're joking around with Lee saying that it's got to be a hogfish since he caught 2 earlier this year on the way home from the stream one day. Well sure enough....the kid did it again.



The hog was a first for me---I had never laid eyes on one myself. As the hog is laying on the deck, I peek over the other gunnel and see Jeremy's first American Red Snapper about to come over the side! How about that for a couple of tasty surprises!?!



I don't think it was a question of whether or not we were going to anchor of this place---it was a matter of how fast we could get set up on it! Didn't take long before Lee connected again on the first keeper gag of the day---a 32"er that gave him a serious workout on his Stella 8000.



Unfortunately the anchor didn't quite hold on its original set and we drug a little. Floated it and reset but it wasn't to be again for this little gem of a spot. (Don't worry, there will be plenty more days that this ledge sees some action!)

Kept on moving offshore, again with no real direction. Came across another mark which looked very promising. Lee connected once again on the drift (are you seeing a pattern here?) with a 35" bruiser of a gag.



Set up shop right on top of this mark (within 1.5 feet of it according to the GPS ) and managed to pull a few more keepers out of it.

Moved on a bit and didn't take long before we were slowing down again. This time it was a spot that happened to be full of strawberry groupers. Caught half a dozen or more and kept 1 decent one before we kept on going.

Next stop was a small rock that was holding a bit of bait on top---and guess who was the first to hook up?



Anchored up and caught a few more of these critters before they shut down too. Throughout the day we found a very spotty bite---each spot seemed to add 1-3 fish to the box pretty quick and then they stopped biting.

Started our move back inshore and came across yet another interesting looking mark in 78' of water. Dropped some baits on it and Nathan finds this critter willing to come home with us.



This turned out to be a pretty good scamp bite in the shallows and we added several to the box.

Made a few more stops before calling it a day but to no avail. Final tally of the day was: 5 gags, 6 scamps, 3 reds, 1 strawberry, 1 ARS, 1 hogfish, 1 mahi, a triggerfish, and some bass. Not bad for an exploratory trip, huh?





And to finish it off---a facial picture



Guys, I THOROUGHLY enjoyed yesterday and appreciate the invite to fish with you. It's always a blast to ride around at 40 kts, listening to tunes, and enjoying some laughs. Let's do it again soon!

[merry marlin]

What a pleasure reading reports like this!!!
I'm quite jealous though about that Hog having never touched one....
Thanks for sharing some fabulous fishing.
MM

[Robja]

Great report Squid. I caught a hognose last fall out towards the tower but someone at the marina in Southport decided to take it off my hands when they went into the cooler on the boat overnite.

[clt_capt]

Pretty Hog there. Fine catch...

[BTH284]

Nice work Squid quite a combination of fish. Nice boat too!

[offshore]

Nice report Squid!! Great Hog as well...Mark

[Anders]

awesome report, nice variety, you never know what your pulling up next on days like that

[BOTTOM DWELLER]

Fine catch there Capt Squid and nice Hogfish too. Sounds like to me you dont need any stinkin' GPS numbers, just a good bottom machine and some exploring will get it done!

[SeaBiscuit]

Not bad at all captain Squid! Sometimes starting with a clean chart and eyes focused on the bottom machine is the best way to go. Your crew sure picked a good captain!

Was your buddy Lee on fire or what? Did anybody else drop baits on that boat?

Excellent variety, size and quality catch. Congratulations to team Hooyah. Blue water or bottom scratching this crew is a force to be reckoned with.

SeaBiscuit

[kingmackOIB]

We did pick a good capt didnt we taught him well Biscuit. Glad you came Squid be ready sunday dont forget the grouper salad. I really enjoyed the report to haha Jeremy did also