SeaBiscuit fishing report Aug 25, 2007

[SeaBiscuit]

Yesterday, while driving home from Raleigh, NC I was able to catch up, by phone, with my bottom fishing mentor captain Lee Taylor. Lee and I share a love for the sea, it's creatures and it's bounty. I cut my teeth mating on Lee's boats. I've always had a regular job, but for years my vacation time was spent as an unpaid mate for captain Lee. What I got in return for my labor was more valuable than any amount of money. At the end of each trip, I left the boat exausted, but with one piece of the fishing puzzle.

Just last thursday Geoff (HOLWACHAGOT) was down to fish with me and Slip. We had fun, as always, but the fishing was rather uneventful. We caught and released some kings on the light lines


as well as some groupers and seabass (NOT released)


After getting all fired up by my mentor, I was hardly able to sleep last night looking forward to today's fishing. Matt was going with me and had agreed to go on an exploratory trip in an area we had never been before. No numbers, no charts. Head out 35 miles to the north (more like East Southeast, but we call it north!) and then start looking. I was determined to find new bottom and try to catch a good scamp grouper.

The first few hours consisted of catching bait and looking bottom with nothing but a slinger dolphin in the box. I can only imagine what Matt must have been thinking: "why in the world did i come prospecting?"

Finding bottom becomes harder as the water deepens. Relief of a foot or two is not immediately evident as you get in 100 + feet of water. At speed, I look for marks of fish holding close to bottom and then try to zero in on whatever feature holds them there. One such place showed no appreciable mark, but I could see both bait and some bigger fish holding in this little spot. It turned out to be a little patch of live bottom, full of large triggerfish, beeliners and some red groupers. Matt loves a triggerfish. He was soon bringing them up two at a time and smiling. Just when he was getting warmed up, I was ready to go looking bottom again. He must have thought I was crazy to leave fish to go looking for fish, but I wanted a scamp grouper bad.

Next mark we found was another 4-5 miles away. This one was the one I was looking for.


Matt caught fire!


Half an hour's work


The day ended at my cousin's dock where the good captain Taylor came to survey the catch. He paid me the ultimate compliment of taking pictures of my catch. I felt like I had just aced a test and celebrated with a Miller lite and taking my two little nephews seen below for bluefish (they each caught two) at the inlet.


Today was a special day on the water.

Cheers,
SeaBiscuit

[mannysmate]

Nice Scamp!!! Few more weeks and them gag's should be on fire in-shore
I'm ready!!!

[HOLWACHAGOT]

I am tickled to see you guys got em today. That is one beautiful scamp, congrats. As for the cooler, I see the gags are wishing you were still traveling the world abroad. While you say Thursday was uneventful, I beg to differ. Have you so quickly forgotten the smallest Red Grouper to date, which I proudly caught. Must have been at least ten inches long. Perfect bait for the studs you caught today. Did Matt's Scamp hit your favorite bait or my favorite bait from our last drift the other day, or something else? I bet he ate what you pulled out of the livewell. Glad you guys did so well. See you soon. As Slip would say, no complaints, life is good. Thanks for sharing.

HOLWACHAGOT

[trollman]

nice job Matt & Biscoto. thanks also for providing me with another piece of the puzzle - how did the Greeks end up in NC?

it is obvious now, they thought they were coming North to Nantucket but they were really traveling Southeast to WB! damn, how did i get here then when i should be there with yous guys?

p.s. what happened to Slip that day, he missed the fun!

[Sea Draggin]

Nick,
That report was exciting and riveting. I was hanging on every word.

Awesome.

Jim

[gradywhite273]

that is so cool, way to go guys, beautiful catch and then taking the kids fishing, does it get any better

[Overboard]

Nick, Awesome catch dude! Looks like someone is having a delightful meal tonight!

[Captain Fred Archer]

Bisquit,

What a great post! Yes, the fish were beauties, but far, far more important to me was why you caught them. If you learned this from Mr. Slip, he is one helluva teacher and you are one of those rare fishermen who flourishes because you had the wisdom to listen to and learn from him. My hat's off to both of you!

What I'm so impressed with is your complete understanding that you must hunt down and locate your prey before you can catch it. Oh yes, that sounds so simple, but not taking the time and failing to go to the effort of locating whatever kind of fish that you are after is the single most common cause of fishermen failing to catch fish, or many, or the right kind or size.

A great catch and day on the water, yes, but greater yet, a great lesson offered. Nice going!

[JMS-ILM]

definitly one of my top five bottom fishing trips....ever. thanks Biscoto for having me along. there a side of scamp fixing to hit the grill in a little while and a 6 pack of natural light tall boys chilling on ice. no complaints, life is good.

[gottaflylee]

Oh ya...