AMBERJACKS, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE

[captainbutch]

5-7-10

Today we were on a fishing mission with Tim Greene, Jerry Fredell from Connelly Springs, NC, Dennis Epley from Hickory, NC, Olan Huffman and Kevin Stanley from Vale, NC.

I say mission because I had the impression that the guys wanted to catch bottom fish. So, I went about 45 miles out to one of our good bottom fish holes and got set up to catch bottomfish.

While everyone was bottom fishing catching the normal gambet of bottom dwellers, I took one of the sand perch that was caught and rigged it up free line and went to the bow and dropped it down about 30 feet and got the answer I was looking for in just a few minutes, unfortunately, I was immediately separated with the 80 lb. line breaking.

With this info Capt Chris set Tim Greene up with a "Rod - Man Custom built parabolic jigging rod" that works awesome www.rodmancharters.com , rigged with an Eastern Tackle www.easterntackle.com deep drop jig that works awesome as well!!!

Capt Chris instructed Tim on how to use the jig and in less than a minute today's fishing was about to change forever.

The guys immediately said the heck with bottom fishing and we rigged up the jigs for everyone and the game was on!!!!!

As luck would have it, we had a school of Amber Jacks push a school of minnows to the top and were in a feeding frenzy right under the boat.

AJ's were everywhere you looked, Kevin dropped his jig in and got to watch an AJ take the jig just as it hit the water, he said that was an awesome sight to see and the fight was awesome as well.

These guys now know why an AJ has earned the nickname "Reef Donkeys". It's because they pull like a stubborn mule!!!

You can call it skill if you want to, but the truth really is that sometimes it doesn't hurt a thing to have some good luck thrown in with your fishing!!!!

And that school of AJ's surfacing at the time and place they did was pure good luck for us today!!!

Double and triple hook up's were the normal now!!!! I took the time to shoot a little video of the action while the hot bite was happening and will have it here with the pictures Sunday night.

A lot of people ask why we keep AJ's. They have the impression that they are trash fish. If you know how to clean them like Capt Chris does, you will have some of the prettiest, white flake steaks any fish can produce.

And if you don't think they are good on the grill or the frying pan, all I can say is that you don't know what you are missing.

Don't believe it, keep one and clean it properly, and you'll be very pleased!!! If not, then you just don't like fish!!!

I need to learn how to put pic's on the site, Capt Chris doesn't have time anymore so I now realize even more how much of a valuable asset my wife Barbara is to our Charter Business!!!!

I couldn't do it without her and don't think I would even try!!!

If you have never fished a deep drop jig, you don't know what you are missing. Don't just take my word for this, just ask any of the guys mentioned above. I think you will be amazed at their reply.

Maybe they will tell you what they think about it on the "Fisherman's Comments" page here on the site!!

NEWS FLASH.....Speaking of jigging, just got a call from a friend and he told me of a Captain he knew that went jigging with some guys and they jigged up 15 cobias that they could keep, and was releasing 20 to 40 pounders. Now that will make you tired in a hurry!! Also, he reported Cobia and King Mackeral were caught on the beach this morning!!

While I'm at it let me add this. Bud Abbott, who fishes with us regularly, just sent me an e-mail of a 46 pound Cobia he caught on his trout rod. He said it took him about 45 minutes to land the Cobia.

On a trout rod, that's got to be an awesome fight and an awesome rod!!! Congrats Bud, Thanks for the email, will see you soon for our trips, and will have the pic's up Sunday night!!

Now, back to today's fishing report.........

These guys fish with us every year and now that I know where their heart really lies, next years trip should prove to be awesome and very strenuous!!!

No more just bottom fishing for these guys, it's BIG FISH ONLY from now on!!! We had a blast and if your boss man doesn't believe you are too sore to go to work Monday, just tell him to call me and I'll verify your story!!

Reports today of good fishing in the Gulfstream on the radio were of Blackfin Tuna, Wahoo's, Mahi-Mahi.

Have even heard of a Yellowfin Tuna being caught now and then, that's great news, they have been scarce the last few years. The stream continues to produce so now's the time to go there!!!!

C J (AKA Wire Nut) reported catching King Mackeral on the beach today.

Also heard of Spanish Mackeral being caught all along the beach now and Blues and Spanish are in the "rip" at the mouth of the Cape Fear.

Capt Mike on the "Salty Dog" had the rest of our group today and they had bottom fish, a couple of nice scamps, a cobia, and the lite line picked up a King Mackeral today.

If your game is Grouper, get some live bait and head offshore to at least 100' of water and fish your grouper "hot spots". The grouper bite is doing very good at this time and limits are not a problem if you know where to go.

Just remember, there IS a difference in Grouper fishing and Bottom fishing!!! That's why we offer a "Grouper Fishing only" trip on our "Fishing Trip Info. & Prices Page".

Today was a beautiful day to be on the water fishing, the seas were flat and the winds were calm.

FISH ON!
CAPT'S BUTCH AND CHRIS FOSTER

www.yeahrightcharters.com
910 845-2004

[bisquit]

"A lot of people ask why we keep AJ's. They have the impression that they are trash fish. If you know how to clean them like Capt Chris does, you will have some of the prettiest, white flake steaks any fish can produce."


Can you describe how he does it?

[Capt. Lyndon]

I don't how Butch and Chris do it, but I loin them out. From the lateral line up, and from the butt hole foward. Just the two loins, and you'll miss 99% of the worms, 100% the majority of the time. Makes for some fine vittles. Beautiful white, flaky meat.

[Nauti Natured]

I don't how Butch and Chris do it, but I loin them out. From the lateral line up, and from the butt hole foward. Just the two loins, and you'll miss 99% of the worms, 100% the majority of the time. Makes for some fine vittles. Beautiful white, flaky meat.

Interesting.... good advice Lyndon. We usually just filet them and keep cutting up from the tail until we dont see worms. Ill have to try loins.

Some may call me crazy but I prefer the meat of a small amberjack to a mahi any day of the week.

btw ... the worms wont hurt you (check out the filets at Whole Foods ... loaded with worms). They just gross out the chicks

[bisquit]

Thanks for your reply--I've heard a lot of people say that AJs are good eats, so now I'll try them using your method!

[Capt. Lyndon]

Naughti, I couldn't agree more. Mahi is a little to mild for my tastes. While not strong by any means, aj actually has some flavor. It is one of my favorite fish.

[netman9]

Fresh AJ ranks right up there with the best of em'. We grill them with apple wood chips on a charcoal fire seasoned with a Duck Commander's sweet/cajun spice... Doesn't freeze well that we have found, just keep one to eat and release the rest to fattin up!

[Capt. Lyndon]

Fresh AJ ranks right up there with the best of em'. We grill them with apple wood chips on a charcoal fire seasoned with a Duck Commander's sweet/cajun spice... Doesn't freeze well that we have found, just keep one to eat and release the rest to fattin up!

Have you tried freezing them in water? That makes all the difference in the world.