Miss Squid's First Mahi....

[Squid]

I know this is incredibly late but thought I'd post anyway (I actually forgot that we had some pictures from the trip). Last Sunday, myself and Miss Squid joined our buddy Stacy on his 23' Kencraft "The Timberwolf". This was Miss Squid's first trip to the stream so that she could get to work on checking off some of the species on her "list" that she wants to catch.

We left Carolina Beach at first light and made our way to the Steeples. I had planned on fishing more to the north but the glassy chop made it nearly impossible to run that way.

We had planned on trolling for a couple of hours then bottom fish, so we made a stop by the tower to jig some bait to take with us.



Didn't take long to fill the well with some primo b-liners. While we were jigging bait, Miss Squid says "Hey, I can see the bottom here!". I look at the screen and we're in 65 feet of water.....so I lean over to take a look myself. Sure enough, the water is so clear that you could see your sabiki rig on the bottom and pick out the rocks and coral heads as well! We were identifying the fish on the sabiki rig before you even took a crank on the reel!

The cigars were thick near the tower legs but with the ultra clear water, were impossible to catch.



After playing around for a while, we made our way offshore and got there several hours later than most people. Found a good break at the Steeples and went to work (along with the other half of Brunswick and New Hanover counties).

Didn't take long before a small mahi aired out across the right short and landed on the right teaser. At the same time, a gaffer had snuck in and stole the teaser from the peanut. Cranked the teaser all the way to the boat and couldn't get him off of it until I literally hit him in the head with the flatline bait.





Ended up catching both the peanut and the gaffer, with the gaffer being Miss Squid's first. (She got to see the whole teaser bite unfold so that was pretty cool for her.)

Trolled for about 2 hours and ended 4/6 before we decided to go bottom fishing. Ended up finding a slow bite here as well but found a scamp for dinner and more of THESE THINGS...



Shoefish, I'll pay you to come down here and transport all of them back North.....where they BELONG!

As we all know, getting mahi pictures straight out of the water isn't the easiest thing, so here is Miss Squid with her first mahi after cleaning the boat...



Now that only leaves a wahoo, sailfish, blue marlin, white marlin, scamp grouper, fireback grouper, snowy grouper, yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna, spearfish, hogfish, african pompano, lobster, and octopus, atlantic bonito, and speckled trout (Lee, Miss Squid says that this one is up to you....ha ha! ) on her list of species to catch. Wow it's going to be a busy summer!

[cblocal]

Congrats to the Missus on the Gaffer.

[clt_capt]

Maybe Jersey can give her some tips on how to hogtie a mahi so you can get a pic before the colors fade.

Congrats Miss Squid - Getting to be time to chase billfish

[reelreturn]

Nice mahi for a first, certainly one of my favorites to catch and eat !! Good long list of fish to catch, so she'll be fishing with you quite a lot. Nice report and pix- thanks.

[puttputt]

congrats to miss squid and hope you get everyone of the fish on that list.

[Jared D]

Very nice. Great to see a couple fishing together. I know I have enjoyed fishing with my wife... though so far, she has outfished me 3 for 3 trips! I attest it to her constantly making me fetch her this or that!

Excellent post.

[WAHOONBOX]

VERY RESPECTABLE FILLET SHE HAS THERE! CONGRATS GIRL...


GREAT STORY!

[Robja]

Squid,

Great report. Sure looked calm there around the tower. Congrats on Miss Squids first Mahi.

[SeaBiscuit]

Nice looking dolphin Ms Squid, congratulations! Aren't they gorgeous in the water? In order to be able to handle the fish when first landed and still vibrant with color, spray a little cheap liquor (firefly perhaps? ) in the fish's gills.

Something tells me that list will be much diminished by the end of the current season.

SeaBiscuit

[gottaflylee]

Looks like Ms Squid is kicking butt once again...

Oh yes, we can handle her speckled trout...