NC American Mackerels...Got-cha

[gottaflylee]

The day started off like a lot of others with coffee at 5:45 and getting to the boat at 6:45 only Saturday it was unoyankeefan's (Alex) boat with 3 of his friends. Plan was to get some American Mackerel on light tackle. Met Alex and his 2 friends, Troy and Bruce. We hoped on Alex's 23 Regulator and broke the Inlet about 0730 to not the best of conditions of 3 to 4' steep faces with little backs. Getting the Regulator trimmed out right and soon we were running 23 to 26 kts. and only having to pull back every now and then. We were to the fishing grounds in about 15 minuets and soon saw the birds working and a couple of Got-chas tied on and it was fast and furious as 6 nice Spanish hit the deck before I could get the 3rd got-cha tied on...

For the next 2 & 1/2 hours, I was tying on new leaders or got-chas as fast as I could as some one was hooked up most all the time. I was glad that Alex was there to help unhook fish as well as keep lures tied on. When the trollers found us, it was all but over as each time they would circle, the fish would dive and the bite would shut down. Shortly, we lost the last Got-cha and it was time to make a move.

I plug in a number that I thought we could find a Gag and we were off on a 10 mile run about 8 miles off the beach. Almost to the spot, I saw a mark and spun the boat around to take a look to find the bottom light up. Alex makes a drop and gets hammered as soon as it hits the bottom...26" Gag hits the deck for the free ride home. Turn the boat onto the spot again and Alex is on again, this time the Gag is just short of 24"s. The next 2 try's, nothing as the light wind would not let me get the drift right for the area. Finely we hit it and once again, Alex gets slammed only to have the hook pull. That seems to shut down the bite. We looked around some but it was time to head to he hill. We fired up the Regulator and cruised back to Wrightsville at 33kts in the calm winds.


Final count got the morning, 24 Mackerels, 1 Bluefish, 1 BSB and 1 gag...god day with good friends on the water...









got-cha...

[Bite Me]

looks like those Mac's are really chewing Lee. Nice mixed bag and what a beautiful day for it! Pretty work.

[BuffaloHunter]

Looks like a blast! I'm hoping to find some good light tackle inshore fishing like that up here, but so far its been nothing like NC Nice Report Lee!

-Brian

[SeaBiscuit]

The spanish and the gotcha plug! What a Carolina tradition! Working the plug a little extra fast keeps the bluefish off and the plug at the surface where the slashing spanish bites are very, very cool! Will never forget watching those violent strikes from high above on the planks of the old Mercer and Crystal piers. Wonderful memories.

Excellent catch Lee, Alex and crew. Glad you got to bloody up that pretty regulator boat.

SeaBiscuit

[clt_capt]

That makes for a fun day. Nice fishing - glad to see some inshore life...

[Captain Michael Buffington]

Pretty work as usual Lee!

Mike

[Capt_John]

The ole' Got-cha strikes again.

[merry marlin]

Cool report Lee, those Got-chas sure are a great weapon!
Nice size on those spanish...
MM

[ice cream man]

Good report......felt like I was part of the crew.......ICM

[weekender]

nice macks, looks like a good time to me