Turkey and Tuna - late fishing report

[TriAngler]

Well after a dozen attempts, I have officially given up on posting a video - and started to skip this report - but since everyone here seems to have the spring bluewater fever - I thought maybe it's never too late to post a good report. Maybe some tuna pics will be good Karma for the Box n Block tag team carnage this week!

We always spend the week of Thanksgiving surf fishing the Outer Banks. After several years of trying to mix in a Tuna trip aboard the Pelican with Arch Bracher - the winds finally cooperated and we were off. With charter prices what they are - I think he felt compelled to warn me that the Tuna had not really arrived yet - but bolstered by some intel about a huge pod of dolphins, optimism was running high. I'll let the pictures tell the story but I have to say hat's off to the Pelican crew - one of the sharpest, absolutely top notch charter operations I've encoutered. Heck - I even got a Christmas card the next week thanking us for the b'ness. Pretty classy.

We were first on the dolphins, came tight on a double before all the lines were out - and after a 61 and 63 were hauled over the transom, Capt Arch called in the fleet. There was a good Acre of dolphins feeding all morning.


The "Capt BC" attempts the daring "Flying Tiagra" approach


We left the bite 1 short of a limit with a 40lb Wahoo to boot - with such a nice class of fish, we just could not ice another one. I talked the mate into "just one more" and we put him on his nose in the ice machine

Tourist Photo #1


Tourist #2


Left, middle and right = 61lb, 73lb citation for Mr French, and 63lb - who's cleaning these???


It takes a village to cut/clean/bag a cord of fish - me and french cutting, spike and rand trimming, JP shuttling fish and ice, and the wives packing the ziplocks! It was great - felt like the tribe after a killin'.



The coolest fridge is a packed fridge

[TriAngler]

The coolest fridge is a packed fridge


Never mind the Turkey tetrazini....gimme the Tuna Salad - Happy Thanksgiving Sportsfans!

[Baywolf]

Nice haul, can't wait to get out tomorrow.

[Bay Fishin]

Thanks for the report!Looks like there some awesome meat fishing down that way as of now.

So Im assuming Capt Buddy Cannady lost that tiagra?

[JMS-ILM]

better 3.5 months late than never!!!! i saw Frenchie a few weeks ago at a class in raleigh....he said he was going to email me these pics but i have yet to recieve them. ouch on the flying tiagra...is it hanging off his greenstick???

pretty work brother K.

[TriAngler]

Thanks Matt - you don't know how many times I sat down at the 'puter to try and post this but couldn't get her done with the video file I was trying. I've got the fever too so thought I'd at least get a still photo or two on the board.

As for the flying reel - yep, it was rigged off the green stick. I don't know what happened - just saw it flying through the air. Believe it or not, they stopped the boat, cast another line over it and retrieved it with a gaff.

[slip slidin]

Some stud yellowfins there Kevin. Hope you had another frige for the beer.

[Nauti Natured]

Beauty Tuna brother...

Forgive me if I missed it but where did you fish from?

Z

[gottaflylee]

I hear ya, Kevin. Great report. Arch and Bull are the heat up there...
next time I'm in your area, I help you out with your movie. I was just there last Saturday doing a fishing school...

[TriAngler]

Lee - sorry I missed you! I'll PM you my cell in case you're in town and have time for lunch one of these days.

Nauti- The Pelican operates out of www.oregon-inlet.com during that time of year.

Slip - good point. As long as beer consumption matched fish cuttin' we were okay. Hey - I've still got a virgin Torq that needs some exercise.