Night Fishing for BFT

[birdhunter]

What would my options be if I wanted to stay out over night while looking for BFT out of MHC? I am thinking that with fuel prices if the weather were nice I may want to turn a trip into an overnighter if I feel good about my location. I know that there is generally not much night fishing that goes on out there but I would like to try it a couple of times this year. Any thoughts?

[tunatamer4]

Birdhunter- IMO it could be worth a shot. Although I've never done an overnighter for them,we have left the docks at 3am and been on the fishing grounds at 4, only to hear that there are already boats hooked up. What I'm trying to say is they DO feed in the dark and if you get a wild hair, go for it. The only thing you need to realize is that these muthas are tough during the day, in the dark it can be a down right *****.

[bigblueone]

Birdhunter,

I wouldn't worry about saving fuel by staying out overnight for bluefin tuna out of Morehead City. I caught one Wednesday 4 miles from the inlet. If you do feel like staying out, I'd ease offshore a bit and catch some groupers in the dark. Lots of fun and if you have your commercial license you can make a nickel or two in the process. Good luck.

CPT Jay

[WAHOONBOX]

I AM THRILLED TO SEE THAT CAPT JAY BLOUNT OF MHC HAS JOINED THE SFC ARMY!!! I CAN'T WAIT TO LEARN FROM THIS CAPITANO!

NIGHT FISHING...BFT....HELL YES ....THE BITES I HAVE ENCOUNTERED HAVE BEEN AROUND 5:20 ...TO 6 AM ...JUST PRIOR GREYLIGHT

CK THIS OUT : http://wahoonbox.com/videos/bft2.wmv

[trollman]

NIGHT FISHING...BFT....HELL YES ....THE BITES I HAVE ENCOUNTERED HAVE BEEN AROUND 5:20 ...TO 6 AM ...JUST PRIOR GREYLIGHT

IMHO, there is no better time to be on the troll.

[Tuna Taxi]

Great to see Capt Jay on the board.

I love overnighters for any type of fishing, but I'm too much of a wuss to do it when it gets this cold at night. I bet you'd have some luck, and it's nice to be out there alone when you start your troll. Go ahead and give it a try.

[bwhitaker]

Lots of beeliners, sea bass, grouper etc. Plus you get your two days limit. We also king mackerel fish at night.

Been wondering if anyone has ever tried squid jigs. We've been covered up with squid the last two overnights soon as we turn the lights on.

Jay, thanks again for the diesel for the racor.

Barry

[Fishfinder]

Many BFT have been caught after dark and before daylight around the Cape Lookout area. Less competition as well. Works especially well using topwater dark smoker lures during a full moon! As Capt. Jay said though, the bite has been very close to the beach lately. Might not save that much on fuel during the first part of the season. Later in December and January when the fish move a little bit farther offshore, it might help on fuel then.

Capt. Joe Shute

[Mako Wish]

I'm down in MHC for the winter and was seriously thinking about setting up on some of that bait that I start marking around sunset, and I see in the morning. And camping out on top of it for the nite. I was not sure to troll all nite or dare I say Chunk...

[WAHOONBOX]

I'm down in MHC for the winter and was seriously thinking about setting up on some of that bait that I start marking around sunset, and I see in the morning. And camping out on top of it for the nite. I was not sure to troll all nite or dare I say Chunk...

LET'S TALK A BIT ABOUT THIS......SUNSET.... AND /OR DO I CHUNK ?

CHUNKING CAN BE AND HAS BEEN GREAT IN PAST YEARS........ONE NEEDS TO COMMIT TO THE CHUNKING IDEA IN ADVANCE....IN OTHER WORDS: HAVE THE BAIT ON HAND AND GO FOR IT! YOU CAN GET FLATS OF BUNKER AT THE FISH HOUSES www.wahoonbox.com/videos/dachunk.wmv

OR,.... YOU CAN THROW THE BETTS.........THE BEACH IS LOADED WITH BUNKER JUST BESIDE THE BUOY CHAIN WHICIH IS PROBABLY WHERE THE BFT ARE CRUISING WHO IS TO SAY THAT AN OL 500 POUNDER AIN'T DOING A SEARCH & DESTROY RUN RIGHT IN THE TURNING BASIN? I MEAN.....A TUNA DOESN'T PULL UP AT THE INLET AND SAY "I CAN'T GO IN THERE"........AND IF HE IS PICKING UP ON THE FOOD CHAIN VIBE......HE WILL ENTER THE TABOO PORT ZONE!!!.....SEVERAL KING MACKERAL TOURNYS HAVE BEEN WON INSIDE THE MHC PORT TURNING BASIN ......AND A BFT AIN'T SKEERED...........

SUNSET.........

BY THE MID AFTERNOON........IF A CREW HASN'T GOT A BITE BY LET'S SAY 1PM........MY GUESS INCLUDING MYSELF HERE....IS THAT THE CREW IS DONE MENTALLY FOR THE DAY AND RETURNS BACK TO HOME BASE FOR ....CONCERNED FOR THE $3.20 PER GALLON CRAP....DRY CLOTHES...HOT FOOD...AND COLD BEER.


BUT THE BFT......HE DOES THE SAME OL SAME OL...DAY AFTER DAY....FEEDS IN EARLY BLACKLIGHT EXTENDING INTO GREYLIGHT WITH MAXIMUM EFFORT.....AS WHEN HIS BELLY PROTRUDES TO IT'S FULL POTENTIAL HE MUST SLOW DOWN THE GENOCIDE AND DIGEST.......TO DO THIS HE CRUISES TO WARMER WATERS MID-DAY LET'S SAY ABOVE 62 DEGREES TO DIGEST THAT FUNK FILLED BELLY........THIS IS NOT HYPOTHETICAL ....THIS HAS BEEN PROVEN THRU SCIENTIFIC TAGGING PROGRAMS BY B. BLOCK...........

AFTER THEIR MORNING MEAL HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED....2-3PM........THEY START DA PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN AND CRUISE INTO THE BUNKERTOWN SHALLOWS.......ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS THAT 60-64 DEGREES HAS BEEN THE COMMON DENOMINATOR FOR US CATCHING THEIR ASSES WITH CONSISTENCY OVER THE YEARS.....THEY AIN'T SKEERED OF 53 ....58,59 DEGREE WATER AND SO ON!

SUNSET IS JUST AS GOOD AS SUNRISE .....IT'S JUST THAT WE....THE FISHERMEN... ARE FRAPPED OUT ....AND ...MOMMICKED AS DOWN-EASTERNERS SAY.... BY THE LATE AFTERNOON

ONE METHOD OF GRABBING SOME LIVE SHAD OFF THE BEACH IS WITH A STIFF SPINNING ROD....WITH A LARGE WEIGHTED (MOLDED IN- JOE SHUTES HAS THESE)TREBLE HOOK.....MARK THE BAIT AND THEN START JIGGING WITH FAST HARD HIGH JERKING MOTIONS.........THAT OL MAMMY SHAD WILL PROBABLY WEIGH 2-3 LBS