Seabiscuit Report---September 21, 2008

[Squid]

Myself and Miss Squid had a long list of chores to do around my house yesterday from yard work to laundry to washing her car and my truck, etc. etc. etc. So when my phone rang and the ol' Biscoto was on the other end asking if we would like to go fishing, it was REALLY easy to put the list on the back burner and make the short drive over to Nick's house.

The plan was......well there really wasn't a plan. The wind has been blowing like stink for a week out of the NE making it impossible to fish the local Wrightsville Beach waters so we trailered down to Oak Island for a relaxing day of something. Maybe we would catch a fish, maybe we wouldn't. We just need some saltwater on the skin to put us back in the right mood.

Dropped the boat in and poked around a bit to look for bait to no avail. I mean, come on. Did we really think things would going to come THAT easy for us. Rode up to Southport for lunch at the Provision Company. Crabcake sammiches and a tuna fish sammich were enough to keep us occupied for a bit.

After lunch, it was off to the ocean to find some pogies and maybe catch a kingfish in lee of the land.

A little background before we go any further----almost a year to the day, Miss Squid made her first visit from Kentucky to Wilmington, NC and I took her saltwater fishing for the first time. It was a week very similar to this past week--very windy and awesome fall like temperatures. The day was even much the same--a little overcast, lower 70's, and N/NE wind at about 15 kts. We fished the Ocean Isle area where she managed to land 3 kingfish in a span of an hour between 20 and 25 lbs.

This trip started out much the same as that day last year. Bait came fairly easy and we eased out to Yaupon Reef along with about 20 other boats who were already trolling around. Fished the clean water side of a beautiful tideline for a bit to no avail so we crossed over into the dirty water. After we crossed, a school of mullets passed the boat on the port side. Out of the mullets all 3 of us watched as a 12 lb. kingfish performed the most awesome aerial display any of us have ever seen. When this fish peaked out, he was every bit of 15, if not 20 feet out of the water. WAAAAY over the t-top on the Contender. Underneath him, the mullet he was chasing was also jumping for dear life.

Not 5 minutes later, the downrigger gets bit and after some expert angling (which revealed that chartreuse was the secret color of the day ), Miss Squid decks a kingfish very similar, although a bit smaller, than the ones she caught in nearly the same spot last year. This fish was a solid 18-20 lbs---nice fat, fall fish which was released to fight another day.

Trolled around a bit more but never got another bite and didn't see any other boats hooked up. Being this was a relaxing, "do whatever we wanna do" trip, we yanked the pogies and ran back into the beach to see if we could find any small mullets and try some flounder fishing. Well, if I had a dollar for every mullet on that beach you'd be calling me Mr. Exxon. Droves and droves of them coming down the beach in 3 feet of water. Filled the well quickly with perfect mullets and went back out to Yaupon Reef.

As we pulled up, a small 16 ft. skiff was hooked up with what appeared to be a nice fish. Since our spot was close to them, we let them fight their fish, which turned out to be a 36+" redfish, then pulled up beside them to get a picture of the big girl.

After we get anchored, we watch as the skiff hooks up to another big drum. Our live mullets drew little attention from the flounder although Nick ended up fooling a quality fish. While this was going on, Miss Squid enticed a school of spanish to the side of the boat which followed her mullet up from the bottom. After some sneaky rigging, Nick also managed to catch one of these critters as well on a spinning rod. Not your typical size spanish though---5 pounds or so. Just right for the dinner table.

While all this was going on, the guys in the skiff are hooking redfish every 20 minutes or so. Even watched as one of the guys hooked up and the fish jerked the rod right out of his hands, into mid-air and into the drink. We shared some laughs across our boats and went back to fishing. While they were fighting their next fish, I noticed something floating in the water. After looking closer it was actually the butt of the rod that the guy had lost moments before! Never seen a rod/reel float like that myself until yesterday.

Miss Squid had never caught one of these "old drum" so I beefed up her hook a bit and sent her down with a chunk of pogy. As it's going down I get two questions:

Miss Squid: What is this kind of bait for?
Squid: You're about to catch one of those big drum.
Miss Squid: What will it feel like when he bites?
Squid: Oh, don't worry. You'll know.

Well it didn't take long and her arms were jerked to the gunnel and the little Stradic 3000 was singing. Me and Nick cleared our lines and let her do it all on her own. She put the brakes on this fish better than most guys I've seen and had him submitting in a matter of 5 minutes. Didn't get an official measurement on him since we wanted to get him revived but did manage some great pictures. Me and Nick both put the fish at over 40" and 30+ lbs. Spent a few minutes reviving the fish and he swam off unharmed.

One of these fish wasn't enough for Miss Squid. Oh no...she wanted another one. Another chunk of pogy and the drag starts screaming on the Stradic once again, but ended up breaking the braid on this fish within a minute of hooking up.

By now it was getting late and we didn't want to come back to the ramp in the dark so we packed it end and ended a perfect afternoon.

Funny how things just seem to work out so well when there's no stress, no gameplan, no agenda. Just quality time on a calm ocean with world class people. Thank you Nick for yet another trip and more memories made.

[Robja]

Great report Squid. Glad to see the bait is still on the beach. I guess I might ought to start throwing the net in front of the house and catch bait to grind for chum. Are you and Nick going to fish the US Open in a couple of weeks

[merry marlin]

Way to go fellas! You guys always have these great reports with great pictures. Wind or no wind you find the fish!
MM

[weekender]

congrats to all, what a great afternoon, super job on the old drum, GREAT PICS.

[JMS-ILM]

hangovers be damned......pretty work you three.

[Ravens16]

Excellent pic's and report
I love the smiles
Nice ass fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No gameplan is always the best, how crazy is that!
Thanks

[slip slidin]

Way to make the most out of it guys and gal. Great pics there Squid. Miss Squid put the whammy on em yesterday. Biscoto has a way of pulling em out of a hat. Congratulations on a great afternoon.

[reelreturn]

Great report- those old big drum are a blast to catch for sure. Looks like you pulled in enough for a good meal. Very nice spanish.

[clt_capt]

Very nice day - Great you could get on the water and wet a hook.

Great work on the red. They pull like a train on light stuff.

[SeaPro238]

Nice Reds!!!! I knew I should have headed toward Southport, the wind is spanking us here at CB.