Oregon Inlet Report 11-28-2010

[mythosbeer]

The early week forecast looked as if Sunday was going to be FLAT calm so we booked a room and made plans to fish. Found a crew and the trip was just waiting...watching the weather get worse and worse. We decided...what the heck...we are off and have the room...boat is gassed up...lets give it a go and see if the weather dies down some.

Got down to Oregon Inlet on Saturday and put the boat in the water to make a trip out to see what the inlet looked like with the current conditions. Made it out with no trouble and the weather looked alright so we decided to give it a go witht he forecast looking like the wind was supposed to die down some. We hit up the tackle shops and was surprised by a customer appreciation day at TW's in Nag's Head. They were steaming oysters and had beer and a great sale going on. Most everything inside was on sale. Unfortunately I couldn't make much use of the sale with Christmas coming up...but I did find a few things I "needed." Dinner at Owen's was great...best Ribeye and oysters in the area in my book. Went back to the hotel and rigged baits and got ready for the next day.

I was kept up by a snoring duo in the room and went outside to see what the wind was doing. It had died down and was looking good for the next day. Went back inside and hit the sack. Woke up to howling winds up around 20knots with gusts a little higher. Checked the weather and it was still saying it was going to die off some throughout the day. We loaded up and headed for the ramp. Dumped the boat and headed for the inlet. We saw the OIFC fleet had 4 boats in front of us and a 25 or 28' albemarle joining the line. We ducked in line and headed for the inlet. The inlet was a mess! We had 10'+ breakers stacked up just to get out of the inlet...it was ROUGH!

Got through the inlet and had solid 6 footers with about a 5 second period. Not great conditions but we pressed on at about 25 knots with the seas coming broadside. We headed in the same direction as the fleet...a little south of the point trying to find a little backflow since the stream water was way offshore. Put lines in at about 7:30-7:45 and trolled from about 30 fathoms out to 200 fathoms and around the area for about 45 minutes to an hour with not a sniff...heard a couple of bites from the other boats. Water was only 66 degrees so we left the fleet and headed south toward the 400 line in search of the warm water that was pushing North. Still not a sniff. I kept checking baits and switching things out to see if something was the hot ticket for the day but nothing. Heard of a handful of fish over the next couple hours but we couldn't buy a bite. We finally got a bite on the planar rod and pulled off a wahoo at about noon. It bit a black and red squidnation matanza with a ballyhoo behind a #24 planar. At least we got bit so we were much happier. It happened when we found some 69 degree water in 200 fathoms at the 420 line. We trolled the area and at about 12:30 we had a solid hookup pulling line off the short rigger. I grabbed the rod and made use of the hookup and we boated a 30lb yellowfin. It hit an all pink BWC 1oz. skirted ballyhoo. We trolled the area and then headed back North where we started and didn't get another sniff all day. From what I heard and saw at the dock...it was a slow day all around. Heard of more blackfin being caught where we started the day, mixed with an occasional yellowfin. One of the charter captains had a double Mako hookup that stole his blackfin tuna.

All in all, it was a very slow day but still had a great time. I am very happy with the way the cat handled those conditions, couldn't have asked for more. We would have turned around in many boats much bigger. I made use of the bean bag and slept on the way in...making up for the sleep I lost with the dueling snorers. Sorry no pictures...I left the camera in the truck.

We wanted to drop some jigs but we weren't marking much of anything above 600 feet down. Next time hopefully the fish are inside the 100fathom line and we can target them on jigs only.

Mitch

[offshore]

Heard it was rough we decided to stay on the hill. Inlet can really be tough this time of year. Best bite has been between the 280 and the 350 lately...Mark

[JPR RODS]

Good report, thanks for posting.

[Ponce]

Nice report Mitch.

[thoffman]

I was down there for Sunday fishing too. Met up at Pirates Cove and decided not to take the ass beating with the water being South and offshore. Long ride home but ultimatley it was up to the boat owner if we fished and I wasn't big on taking ours out with that wind. I was ok with it either way, never regret going offshore, hot bite or not.

[wildhearts]

The early week forecast looked as if Sunday was going to be FLAT calm so we booked a room and made plans to fish. Found a crew and the trip was just waiting...watching the weather get worse and worse. We decided...what the heck...we are off and have the room...boat is gassed up...lets give it a go and see if the weather dies down some.

Got down to Oregon Inlet on Saturday and put the boat in the water to make a trip out to see what the inlet looked like with the current conditions. Made it out with no trouble and the weather looked alright so we decided to give it a go witht he forecast looking like the wind was supposed to die down some. We hit up the tackle shops and was surprised by a customer appreciation day at TW's in Nag's Head. They were steaming oysters and had beer and a great sale going on. Most everything inside was on sale. Unfortunately I couldn't make much use of the sale with Christmas coming up...but I did find a few things I "needed." Dinner at Owen's was great...best Ribeye and oysters in the area in my book. Went back to the hotel and rigged baits and got ready for the next day.

I was kept up by a snoring duo in the room and went outside to see what the wind was doing. It had died down and was looking good for the next day. Went back inside and hit the sack. Woke up to howling winds up around 20knots with gusts a little higher. Checked the weather and it was still saying it was going to die off some throughout the day. We loaded up and headed for the ramp. Dumped the boat and headed for the inlet. We saw the OIFC fleet had 4 boats in front of us and a 25 or 28' albemarle joining the line. We ducked in line and headed for the inlet. The inlet was a mess! We had 10'+ breakers stacked up just to get out of the inlet...it was ROUGH!

Got through the inlet and had solid 6 footers with about a 5 second period. Not great conditions but we pressed on at about 25 knots with the seas coming broadside. We headed in the same direction as the fleet...a little south of the point trying to find a little backflow since the stream water was way offshore. Put lines in at about 7:30-7:45 and trolled from about 30 fathoms out to 200 fathoms and around the area for about 45 minutes to an hour with not a sniff...heard a couple of bites from the other boats. Water was only 66 degrees so we left the fleet and headed south toward the 400 line in search of the warm water that was pushing North. Still not a sniff. I kept checking baits and switching things out to see if something was the hot ticket for the day but nothing. Heard of a handful of fish over the next couple hours but we couldn't buy a bite. We finally got a bite on the planar rod and pulled off a wahoo at about noon. It bit a black and red squidnation matanza with a ballyhoo behind a #24 planar. At least we got bit so we were much happier. It happened when we found some 69 degree water in 200 fathoms at the 420 line. We trolled the area and at about 12:30 we had a solid hookup pulling line off the short rigger. I grabbed the rod and made use of the hookup and we boated a 30lb yellowfin. It hit an all pink BWC 1oz. skirted ballyhoo. We trolled the area and then headed back North where we started and didn't get another sniff all day. From what I heard and saw at the dock...it was a slow day all around. Heard of more blackfin being caught where we started the day, mixed with an occasional yellowfin. One of the charter captains had a double Mako hookup that stole his blackfin tuna.

All in all, it was a very slow day but still had a great time. I am very happy with the way the cat handled those conditions, couldn't have asked for more. We would have turned around in many boats much bigger. I made use of the bean bag and slept on the way in...making up for the sleep I lost with the dueling snorers. Sorry no pictures...I left the camera in the truck.

We wanted to drop some jigs but we weren't marking much of anything above 600 feet down. Next time hopefully the fish are inside the 100fathom line and we can target them on jigs only.

Mitch

i was goin to but bod reports changin winds i keep my 32 foutain on trailer