Hatteras Memorial Day Weekend Fishing Report 5/22 - 5/24

[Blue_Runner]

I would have posted sooner but it just didnt work out. So, better late than never right?

This was our 2nd annual trip down to Cape Hatteras for an offshore romp to target dolphin and wahoo. Last year it was just my boat and 4 crew. This year we had 3 boats total and 11 guys. Its basically our striper fishing buddies....which we converted to offshore fishermen. :sun:Also I might add that we got a ton of video of the action on my boat so hopefully we can get that on YouTube soon for your viewing pleasure. There are some funny moments on there, for sure!


Thursday 5/22

Got out a little later than planned but still made it out by around 7:30ish. Saw the temp chart and decided on Southeast. This was just two of the 3 boats, the other guys were staying in a different house and had their own agenda on this day. As we neared the 20 mile mark some charter boats became visible in the distance. We get there (about 28miles off) an see they are working a scattered weed line. We worked for a bit and landed a solid 15 lb mahi. After that our luck turned to crap. Had some short strikes here and there and some jump offs, went on a bluewater booze cruise into neverland for a while before returning to find that the weedline had tighted up pretty good....then the big boy hit. Hooked him up on a tld 25 and it was on. We saw him jump twice during the 20 minute tussle, the last time close to the boat so we know it was pushing 30 - maybe more. Long story short, we passed the rod off about 4 times and in the 9th inning the hook pulled. The rest of the day was short strike city. The other boat - 19ft Grady White Tournament - had some luck about 6 - 8 miles north of us. They found a nice upwhelling of warm water and hailed us at least half a dozen times to inform us. We responded every time but come to find out he has a crappy antenna which would not rec' our transmission. Finally we get back in touch and meet up for the ride home at 30 - 40 mph on calm seas. The ended the day with 7 nice mahi and an 18lb cobia. Later on at the house the 3rd crew showed up with a pretty nice haul of 9 mahi. So we got the short end of the stick this day. Oh well, 2 more days....

Pics from day1:
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0522081622.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0522081622a.jpg

Captain of Grady on left (a little tipsy) and one of my crew on right
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0522081635.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0522081638.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0522081635a.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0522081635b.jpg
Me
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0522081635c.jpg
Crew of 3rd boat - 20ft Kencraft Challenger CC
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0522081855.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0522081854.jpg
Thier catch
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0522081853.jpg

Friday 5/23

Up at 6 am ready to redeem ourselves. We decide to head a little more north this day to find the water our buddies had so much luck in the previous day. We get there and the weedline was nice and thick. I head to the offshore side and start working. I noticed the temp went from 69 to 73 and the color changed quite a bit in one spot, so I kept at it. Not long after we started the mahi started tearing through our spread. A dandy double was our first take with one being a 23lb cow which Cory gaffed in the throat. She bled the boat RED. I mean the entire cockpit. Wish I had a pic but my cam would have been ruined. Lines back in and at it again - this time I lay into another hoss. Fight fight fight and fight some more. Totally worn out and exhausted I had him to the side of the boat, my buddy with gaff and leader in hand...thats when we notice a big cow swimming right next to the big bull I had hooked up. I yell "feed her feed her" and my bud drops the gaff, grabs a baited rig and proceeds to feed her. She nips, he feeds, she nips and bam! Hooked up! I grab the gaff in one hand, my own leader in the other and start to leader the bull in when the hook pulls....exhausted I just collapsed for a second, before getting back up to gaff my buddies nice cow. We caught two more nice
ones before heading back in in some pretty rough stuff making about 15 mph with spray from every wave hitting me right in the face. The other boat did not land a single fish other than losing some tackle to some big blues that were stalking the weed line this day and the 3rd boat decided to bottom fish on some structure in about 75ft catching some triggers and a big spade. Side note - the 19ft grady busted loose his back to back seat on the way in if that tells you how rough it got. P.S. We also released 5 of the big blues we hooked up around the weedline.

Pics from Friday:
Our catch
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0523081459.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0523080727.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0523080728.jpg
Me
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0523081500.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0522082005a.jpg

Saturday 5/24

The weather turned to snot and my Grady White buddy decided he was flounder fishing since his seat was broken. Woke up a little later due to this and around 8am I called the 3rd boat captain to see what the plan was. He said they were going to go out and check things out and decide from there. We decided to go with him. At about 3 miles out of the inlet we made the call to stay close and just hit the bottom structure in 75' for the triggers. Made it there and it only got rougher, so rough I could not hang my anchor - so the other boat let me tie off to his rear. They got another 6 - 8 triggers in short time but we were just not over the structure so we got zilch. By this time it was rough as a cob and we headed back in able to make only 8 mph at first. I took several waves over the bow which did no damage other than to soak everything in the cuddy...got back inside and saw the Grady who by this time had a couple of flounder. We started to drift squid strips in the sound, had a few shorts then proceeded to a secret spot where we each got a few fish between 16 - 16.5 ".

Pics from Saturday:
Cory
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0524081900.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0524081900a.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0524081859.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0524081750a.jpg
Cutting board we made
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0524081713a.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0524081713.jpg
Cory got cold - what a rookie! Eating some cheeze wizz....oh brother!
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0524081040.jpg

Summary

Awesome trip! Probably the best fishing I've ever done to date. I can't wait to do it again!
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d73/stinkery/0523082006.jpg

[Airslot]

If ya need a 4th boat next year let me know. Looks like a great time was had by all. :clap:

[Seaducer]

Sounds like you had fun at least. Those flounder can be just as good eating with a different application. I'd be proud of those. I haven't been able to catch many flounder in the past couple years down here. Congrats!

[fishingwithblue]

That's a damn nice haul!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:clap:

[Blue_Runner]

If ya need a 4th boat next year let me know. Looks like a great time was had by all.
COME ON DOWN BABY!!! Actually, everyone on the site is invited!!!

The house rent really wasn't bad at all - after taxes and fees the 7 of us stayed there 4 nights and 5 days for a whopping total of $72 per person!! Fuel was a different story - About 80 gallons burned through in the Yukon and 100 gallons burned through the Yamaha with about 230 - 240 miles covered on the water over the 3 fishing days. It set each of us back about $400 for the whole trip counting everything. It beats chartering any day!

[randlemanboater]

Wow BR....looks like a great trip.

Unfortunatley I will never get to join you because my aniversary is May 26th, and usually falls on that weekend every year.

Hey....I was noticing that you are leaving a good serving of Mahi on the head of each of those babies....better filet them earlier in the beer fest next time.

[Blue_Runner]

Actually, that was the "tipsy" Grady White boat captain's doing.....you should have seen all the meat he left by not going on each side of the spine first. I just rolled with it. There was plenty of meat regardless. The fillets from ours the next day were much neater :beer:

And the beer - you guys would have been proud of me - I drank 1 beer on the boat day 1 on the ride in. I drank 2 on the boat on day 2 on the ride in and when we went flounder fishing I drank every beer in sight
:love:

Back at the house was a different story..............:sun:

[Blue_Runner]

I can't wait for you guys to see the videos. Got some mahi jumping on film. Also we have the whole footage from the big slob I reeled in for so long only to lose at the side of the boat. You can actually see the bull I lost with the cow swimming next to it in the vid. At least I've got that. I hooked him on the worst rod/reel combo we had. Its an old penn that I'm going to convert to a bottom fishing rig.

[Sean]

:clap::sun::clap:Nice going!!!! The PErfect Trip!!!!

[willy]

Good going Dawg, that V21 makes a nice platform for that many guys. Good job looking forward to the video's

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::c lap::clap:

[lumberslinger178]

nice trip br keep the pics coming

[Stinky_Hooker]

Man that was freakin AWESOME!!


What great fishing and awesome tablefare!! Congrats bro!! :clap:

[phester]

nice job Blue! can't wait for the video

[Blue_Runner]

Thanks guys!! Wish every single one of you could have been there!

I've got to put some pressure on my bud to get those vids on the computer. This could take a while. I'll break out the big stick next time I see him.:bat:

[Stillrunning]

Sorry I could not get the boat down to head off shore with you guys. Sitting on the beach Saturday I was thinking how nice it would be if I was off shore catching a few fish. Good to see you had a good few days and let me know next time your planning a trip. My parent have a place in Nags Head and we could tow down in the morning.

[Blue_Runner]

Still - I got really busy trying to get everything ready for the trip and hardly even logged on to the site. I thought about you a couple of time but just did a really poor job of letting you know about the trip. A couple of others have expressed interest in a trip to the OBX...maybe next year we can get a few more V20's out there. I promise to do a better job of notifying next time!!!

[Stillrunning]

Still - I got really busy trying to get everything ready for the trip and hardly even logged on to the site. I thought about you a couple of time but just did a really poor job of letting you know about the trip. A couple of others have expressed interest in a trip to the OBX...maybe next year we can get a few more V20's out there. I promise to do a better job of notifying next time!!!

Not your fault at all. I was out of town for a week and then had to get things done at work the following week and never touched the V to get it ready to try and make the trip down. I did have a great week staying right on the beach around th 14 mile post. I will keep it in mind for next year and if your heading back to Va Beach latter in the year let me know as we will be doing the striper thing as often as we can.

[tsubaki]

Blue, don't know how I missed that report.
That was a great trip, great post:clap:.
Seeing the fish next to the naked foot gave me the realization of just how big they were.
Very nice.

[dmoore]

Looks like you guys had 3 terrific days of fishin! Nice job! Been black drum fishin up here on the Eastern Shore last month or so...boated 2 so far, one 65lb the other 72. Their still hangin around inside the inlets but not for long. The V-21 is proving to be every bit as salty as its predecessor...Dave

[C YENSEN]

:clap:

[Blue_Runner]

I tell ya, those 20 + lb mahi give one hell of a tussle. They turn their flat body to the side and act as a massive planer. By the time you get one next to the boat they are straight down and hard to pull up. I was so exhausted after every fight. I think we need something bigger than tld 25's next time!! I know I learned my lesson on the gaff situation. I have a 3ft gaff with a small hook that I bought at my grandfather's estate auction. I need a 6 ft with 5 inch hook offset. We would have had 2x more fish!! I knew I needed it before this trip by one of my buddies talked me out of it. I'm gonna kick his @ss!! I'm looking at the 6ft aftco w/ 5 inch offset. Looks like a really nice gaff.

So, what does a 70 lb black drum pull like?

[garagenc]

Hey Blue let me know ahead of time I'm interested in going. I like dolphin fishing and I could get a crew to go or maybe we could get some of the V forum members to go and make up a crew om my boat.

[Blue_Runner]

Yeah baby that's what I'm talking about! The more the merrier IMO!!

Will do Garage. I thought about you and Stillrunning beforehand but never got around to the invitation part - my bad. I promise to do better next time.

Blue

[Airslot]

I'll have to check in the shed, but I don;t think any of my gaffs have a 5" hook. That sounds a little big for fishi under 100#'s.

As for the 70# drum, it really depends on where you catch him. In protected waters they fight kinda like a pig. They root around on the bottom, are powerful, but once you get him started up don;t have that much stamina in my opinion. Now if you catch that fish at the mouth of the bay in a hard running tide from an anchored boat...you gots your hands full fo sho'.

[Blue_Runner]

Yeah I agree, the 5" hook part is not as important to me as the 6 foot length for reaching out. I think my current gaff has less than 2 inch offset - maybe 3 inches. At any rate it doesn't seem like enough offset to me.

[bassarama]

Whooa BR, some fishing trip.

You and your crew have the V20 offshore trips down pat. Awesome job man!

:clap::clap:

[Blue_Runner]

Thanks Bass! We are still offshore rookies though. I've been to the stream on a big boat a handful of times but Iv'e only had mine offshore 2 days last year and 2 days this year so far - 4 trips total. We still have alot to learn. We've yet to get skunked so I'm definitely thankful for that aspect. Actually we've lost as many fish as we caught every time we went.

I still don't have the videos...another one of the guys has a cool pic of a freshly stuck fish on the gaff. I'll get it one of othese days...