Hatteras Memorial Day Weekend Small Boat Extravaganza!

[Blue Runner]

All I can say is WOW what a trip! Having this much fun with your clothes on should not be legal ;D

Finally got the chance to take the Blue Runner offshore. It is a Wellcraft V21 (21' 4") with a 150 Yamaha 2 stroke. Went about 20 miles out to the gulfstream out of Hatteras Inlet NC. The temp break was actually at around 12 miles where the water turned cobalt blue.

The bite was on almost immediately on Saturday and again on Sunday. We fished Islander rigs rigged with ballyhoo on Shimano TLD and Penn outifts. I did put one stretch 30 - red and white - down deep on wire and it had the most tremendous hit I've ever seen in my life. In the blink of an eye the line was broke! Had the drag too tight because it was leaking line....I learned a new trick to remedy this once I got home.

Day one we managed 5 nice dolphin and a wahoo. The wahoo came in on mono and was the first offshore fish ever caught on the Blue Runner. He only went 15 lbs. The dolphin went from 15 up to around 18 or 19 lbs each. Day 2 we had 6 nice dolphin. Each day we lost some fish too. The very first dolphin I had beside the boat I missed it with the gaff and he got off! I was soooooo ticked! That quickly faded away once we had a double flopping around in the boat only a few minutes later ;D

First day we burned 45 gallons of fuel and went about 115 miles total. Day 2 we burned about 40 and recorded around 100 miles total.

Here's the pix:
Wahoo - 1st fish caught

Me and my fin-man Snead

We trolled 5 rods, could have trolled more had we hooked up the flat line release clip.


Those mahi sure know how to pull. Here's Chad

Chad on the gaff using the bench seat

Miller with his first offshore Mahi

Luckily we didn't catch any huge bulls - they wouldn't have fit in the box




The seat boxes on each side made awesome "fighting chairs". I wish I had a pair of swivel gimbals mounted on them the rest the rod butt on.


Chad and Miller



We had great weather, great fishing, and a great time. Can't beat it. ;D

[Talbot29]

Pretty work - Now you're hooked. Say goodbye to all your money

[Blue Runner]

What money? I'm broke after that one trip! Good thing I had 4 guys to share the expense cause it definitely drained our wallets!

I figure I could have chartered a 60' Buddy Davis for a full day, gourmet chef, complete with strippers and removeable stripper pole for the cockpit for what I spent on that trip!

Thanks Talbot!

[Persistence]

That is awesome...great job.

Nothing like doing it on your own rig and tackle!!!

[HIT N RUN]

I love seeing this kind of report. Just plain fun!! Big congrats on your succsess. Only thing better is this exact report but with some youngsters abord for their first time. Memorial day weekend 2007 sure did make some memories for most who were lucky enough to get out there.

Glad all your hard work & planning paid off.

[Blue Runner]

Thanks alot fellas! I agree on the youngster thing...what I wouldn't give to have had the chance at something like this when I was a kid. That would make for some serious memories for sure!

One thing though, I'm afraid the little ones would have gotten sick on the ride out. She was a lil bumpy at times but bearable for us adults. Seasickness makes for a long day but I guess that comes with the territory. At least it was a relatively short ride out ~ less than 1 hr.

Now if my wallet can recover and I can find 3 other people willing to join in more carnage - I will do it again

[hotrodmarlin]

Nice catch for the first trip offshore- Gotta love Hatteras!