Hey Reel - been catching any stripers?
 

Now's the time to head east to the OBX. I haven't heard from any of my usual cohorts. They are here!

Pic of a charter gaffing a fish. Legal in NC. You can even release a gaffed fish! Into the grease that is :D
http://www.oregon-inlet.com/journal/...e1%2Dhr5%2Ejpg

Dang, I've had this post up for 3 days....is Reel going blind? :huh::tslap:

BR, They have been catching only they are having to run a long ways north. These next 4-5 days not getting above 45 should push them a little south. We have been wanting to go but it is too far to run from OI. So we have sticking to going out of Rudee and doing OK. Let me know when you go I might trailer down if you need a buddy boat.

TLB - I'm heading up to Rudee the weekend of 1/25 with several guys. Planning to fish the on 1/25 and 1/26. You going to be around? We'll be there with at least 2 or 3 boats. Lemme know and we can stay in contact.

Blue

Somebody call the paramedics - Reel must have fell out without his lifealert necklace on!

I might throw the boat in for one of those days. Right now the bite is moving around a little as boats are finding them north and south out of Rudee. If you are putting in at Owls Creek the only ramp in Rudee they have had several days (weekends) where the police have shut down the ramps do to parking and trafic. They do have overflow parking but even that has filled up very quickly causing them to shut down the ramps as early as 9:00am on weekends. I've heard of people getting to the ramps around 7:00am only to find 1/4 mile back ups taking up to an hour and more to launch boats and thats before they even close down the ramps. I'm not trying to put a damper on your trip but thought you may want to know what has happened the past couple of weekends. If its cold out usually it will reduce the boats making it much easier to launch. As a back up plan you may want to get directions to other ramps located around the Lynhaven River. By the Lesnier Bridge their is a nice public ramp and a few other private ramps. That brings you out into the bay but you are only about 5 miles from Cap Henry and the ocean. I just noticed that the 25th is a friday so you should be ok putting in at Owls Creek but may have to use the overflow parking. If you make a left out of the ramp parking lot it is the first right about 1/2 block up the road. I will try to take that day off and hook up with you guys.

HELP!!...I've fallen and I can't get it up!?!?...whad he say???...

BR ya ol' Dawg...sorry so long gettin' back at ya...caught a few early in the season(1st week of Jan)...but have been able to go much and haven't caught much when did go...hope you get to OBX...and cetch the PEE outta big ol' HAWG stripes, Man...

I gotta say in the above pic...why in the world would somebody GAFF A STRIPED BASS???...that's about the stupidest thing I ever saw in my whole life...bet that guy swats flys with sledge hammers...stripers ain't got teeth and long handle nets'll get 'em over high gunwales...gaffin' stripers...reedikalus!!...:bsflag:

H@ll, Ozzie don't even gaff sharks, just lips them like a largemouth:hi:

Willy...my hero:love:

What REEL said. And is a striper that large good eatin' anyhow?

gaffing Stripers
 

Question, WHY WOULD ANYONE GAFF A STRIPER, LEGAL OR NOT? THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE NETS!

Whatknot and Gioriogd get my point...thanks guys...glad I'm not swingin' out on this limb by myself...we got a little striper-thumb last Sunday, but big deal...they ain't gonna HURT ya:nut:

Ok I'll bite.

First of all - I'm glad you finally found this post!
:time:
Secondly, I prefer using the gaff in the ocean and here is the reason:

When trolling stretch 30's with those double treble hooks......can you guess what happens EVERY time your net a fish? BIG FRIGGIN CLUSTER F***!! Inevitably, we'll have a triple hookup and the net is "stuck" on the first fish for like 15 minutes.

I do not gaff the fish in the side, only the bottom lip to "lift" the fish in the boat. A small hand gaff would be perfect but I don' have one.

So, I say to you sir - using a net with stretch 30's in the ocean - Reediculas! (but no other choice in Va cause the metal pointy thingy is illegal on stripers).
:nut:
:beer:
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