MY WEEKEND REPORT, BOTTOM AND HATTERAS

[Baywolf]

Chip started early last week with the harrasing calls, on Thurs I gave in and took Fri off to go hit the bottom for some Triggers, BSB and Pinkies. We pulled up on our spot just as the sun was coming up. Took a bit to find them, they were biting light but we managed to put 15 in the box. Down the beach we go looking for the Pinkies, reds and Beeliners we managed to box our limit of Pinkies between the sharks. Had to move a lot but we scraped up a decent catch for the day. Listening to the trolling crowd we made the right call, Fowl Hooked had one Wahoo, there was a Blue one caught and one seen. Was a great day on the water with good friends. Sorry no pics.

I got a call from some old clients, a couple that I met on the Fishin Days, they booked a trip for Sunday with Jeff Quigley on the Island Girl, 30 ft express, out of Odens. Jeff doesn't have a mate on the boat does it all himself. They have been wanting to fish with me again so they asked Jeff if it would be alright if they brought their own mate, Jeff said sure. Apparently Sat didn't go well for Jeff. The crew said they were experienced, NOT, they went 1 for 3 on the yellow bellies. Sun morn off the dock at 6:00, its great fishing out of Hatteras, 20 miles to lines in. Jeff turned me loose to do the rigging. The BFT bite has been pretty good and all his rigs were set up for that. So we bust out the rigging bag and go to it. Short ride out and lines in within the hour. Was a long morning. Radio was silent a couple boats below us had a couple fish by noon. About 1200 the crew was getting a little discouraged when all the sunned it happened. RT FLAT, LT FLAT, BOTH SHORTS EVERYTHING DOWN AND THE WATER WAS EXPLODING, right on! 4 came tight and it was on. 2 anglers cappy at the wheel and I cleared the mess. What a drill. A few over and unders, let 2 stretch out kept 2 close, Niki was a trooper, she got the first one to the boat, stick and sling, take the rod from her and hand her another. She screamed I can't do another, I told her to just keep the slack out of the line and take it easy. Jeff kept all the lines tight While we slung #2 in the boat. I took that rod and shoved #4 in Doug's hands. Didn't take long and #3 doing the dance on the deck, what a bloody mess. I snatched #4 out of Nikis hands and put Doug on it and #4 was doing the dance of death, just right. Four for 4, just right. Hurry rerig and get back to it. The fish were funny, scattered schools on nothing, no temp break, bait just pop up at random. Well about an hour and a half later Jeff says something don't look right, we tangled the shotgun with the rt long. Crank em in, got the mess at the rod tip when out of the corner of my eye I see the rt flat bend over and start ripping, behind me the lt flat and the rest of what was out there fell like dominos. Three came tight, okey doke. Break out the knife and cut the mess loose. Niki in the chair Doug on the gunnel. Clear the gear and here we go. One tuna down, two tuna down Doug got #3 to the boat. I had dehooked the 2 on the deck and slid them to the other side of the boat to gaff #3, perfect stick in the head, luckily I had about 4 wraps, my hands were slimy so when I went to lift the fish the gaff slipped out of my hand into the water but stuck good in the fish so I just slung it in the boat. Three for 3. What a day 7 for 7 on the Yellow Bellies, perfect. That don't happen often. I want to give a big thanks to Doug and Niki for the invite and Jeff for letting me do what I love to do. I will post pics when I get them from Doug, it was a bloody mess, got to love it. If you feel up to it and want to get dirty and do the do I highly recommend getting up with Jeff for small boat fishing.

[Ponce]

Now that's the kind of excitment I'm talking about, sweet. Hope we get some of that in MHC this year.

[ncjawbreaker]

Wish we had seen anything close to that this weekend. Great report

[rizzoads]

Nice job! One of my buddies invited me to go out of OI this weekend, but unfortunately I had to turn him down.. Wish I had been out there!

[WAHOONBOX]

FINALLY....A REPORT WITH SOME YELLOWBELLY ACTION....IN FACT JUST ACTION AT ALL IS A STEP FORWARD FOR ME


WAY TO GET THEM RICK!

[offshore]

I was wondering how Island Girl did now I know thanks for the report...Mark

[weekender]

awesome report, you keep practicing and you just might make it as a mate.........just kidding of course, great job in the pit.

[Kingsransom]

Like you say, I just hope for some this year in MHC. It has been so long since I last saw one I wouldn't know how to act.

Great Report and great job on the catching!