Pamlico Sound Ballyhoo

[rich]

So I have been seeing some really odd things in the Pamlico sound this year. I have seen a tarpon way up the head of one of the bays. Seen a couple of sharks at our docks and even cast netted baby pompano off our dock. Never seen any of this in my 24 years here. But the other day I was throwing the cast net trying to catch some finger mullet for flounder bait and caught what I thought was a baby gar. Well I dumped it out of the cast net and did a little further inspecting and it was a very small ballyhoo. Has anyone else seen any of these in the Pamlico before? It should still be in the cooler If so I will get a couple of pictures tomorrow.

[Sea Draggin]

They call them something else ( half beaks or something ), but I have netted them in the channel going into Beaufort over the years several times. Look like small ballys to me.

[Bird Dog]

Sure it's not a houndfish/needlefish? Does it have an upper and lower beak or just a lower one?

[rich]

oh i definitely checked for the beak on both sides. the beak is on the bottom only even has a little red tip on the beak.

[WAHOONBOX]

NOTHING SURPRISES ME IN THE PAMLICO....NOT EVEN THE POUND-NETTED 168 LB BFT A FEW YEARS BACK....

THE NEUSE / PAMLICO IS THE RICHEST PIECE OF WATER ON THE EAST COAST ...HOUSING GATORS, MANATEES COWRAYS, AND MORE JELLY FISH THAN THE ATLANTIC ITSELF.....IT IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE MARINE WOLRD

[BTH284]

Caught some squid in the neuse/pamlico last week. Neat lil suckers 3-5 inches.

[Robja]

This global warming is changing alot. If it keeps up I won't have to move to central america when i retire

[rich]

Caught some squid in the neuse/pamlico last week. Neat lil suckers 3-5 inches.

I have seen a bunch of squid come out of the sound. They are all small but I use them when bailing dolphin.

[HOLWACHAGOT]

I have caught Ballyhoo in the net here in VA on four different occasions. Once off Smith Island, a couple years ago I had a net full. Last winter in the Elizabeth river I caught them in the hot Ditch twice, once with Jake G and once by myself. I also caught one a month or so ago with Squid Man on the boat. I will dig up the pics I have when I get time.
I would expect more of them to be down your way than up here so I suspect what you caught was indeed a Ballyhoo.
Holwachagot

[merry marlin]

If the shrimpers catch them in Adams Creek you have them under your dock...
The kids get them in Core Sound with lights at night that's almost the same body of water. They'll move out of the sound in Oct. when the water starts cooling.
MM