Fishing out of Atlantic Beach, NC - 7/8/09

[chesapeake724]

I was down in Swansboro, NC at my brother in law's last week, so I hooked up with Capt. Danny of Old Yeller Guide Service for a day of fishing out of Atlantic Beach. Wednesday the 8th looked like our best weather day and the forecast was right on, so our first task on the agenda was to look for breaking spanish macs around the inlet. We scanned the morning skies, but there wasn't anything interesting enough to change course for, so we rounded Cape Lookout, bobbed through the slough and headed into the rising sun. The game plan was to get offshore a ways and start trolling for mahi on the way to the wreck we'd be fishing for amberjacks. We were easily cruising the 2-4' swells when I spotted some dolphin off the port stern. They surfaced a couple times, but then disappeared and the Captain predicted correctly that they were in the bow wake.



I've seen dolphin in the bow wake before, but only on a cruise ships, ferry boats and headboats. But it was a little more awesome to see them nary an arm's length away while peering over the open bow of a 21' center console. After this first of what would be several cool experiences for the day, the spread went out and we settled into trolling mode: watch the lines, talk fishing, check the finder, look for weeds/flotsam/birds, talk life, and repeat as necessary. I don't think 45 mins. went by before the first mahi knockdown, which pulled the hook before the lines were even cleared. The next bite came not 15 mins. after with a gaffer male that would've made my first mahi a really nice one, but the fish that looked beat as it swam easily boatside, still had plenty of fight and broke off with a big jump as the Capt. reached for the gaff. We did manage to box the next one, so we weren't going to get shut out.



BTW, it tasted awesome, seasoned, broiled, and topped with my homemade mango salsa. :thumbup:

I'm not big on trolling all day, so the couple hours we put in were perfect: some action and excitement and at least some meat to take home. We got to the wreck where we'd be doing battle with amberjacks and after a brief instruction on butterfly/heavy metal jigging, we dropped down the 4-8oz. jigs on the wreck and started working them. This wasn't the finesse fishing for stripers I'm used to. It was more like cardio/strength training, dropping down 120' and then working 4-8oz. metal jigs to the surface over and over. It wasn't long before the AJs started biting and 0.5 seconds after my first hook-up, I was introduced to their power rod bending, braid peeling, forearm burning power.



I lost a half dozen fish after a short, but tiring scrap with them before Capt. Danny had the routine down pat to solve the problem of the fish getting back to the wreck and breaking off the line on the structure:. He first held the boat in place to keep the bait in the zone on the wreck by bumping in and out of gear and then motoring away from the wreck immediately upon hooking up so I could fight the fish in open water.



I think we went 3 for 3 after that and reached my fill of tangling with Mr. AJ, thanks very much. The last one or two I caught Force-to-the-2nd-power style, with a heavy jighead and 11" albino BKD proving too tempting not to bite. With 2/3 of the day done, I opted to start trolling back and hopefully put some more mahi in the cooler. We had a bait stripped, a fish come crashing in only to miss the hook, and another little guy that didn't pop the rigger clip but didn't catch any more. Still, it was action and we gave it a good try.

Next up was a stop at an old wreck outside the inlet on the way in to see what we might jig up on lighter tackle. Capt. Danny caught this decent flounder with a 7" Bass Assassin and one other to add to our species and tablefare.



He said this throwback gag grouper was a bit of a surprise. Pretty fish and tasty, but about 7" too short.





Anyway, I didn't get pics, but we finished up the day by running and gunning pods of spanish macs under the birds around the inlet to put a couple more on ice to pretty much have everything in our game plan work out. Aside from the dolphins, we saw one sea turtle at the wreck, a couple big 'cudas, and a huge leatherback turtle around the Cape, which I understand was a bit of a rarity. We fished a variety of ways and caught a variety of species and I couldn't have planned it any better. If you're down this way and enjoy light tackle fishing with a knowledgeable captain that knows his stuff, google Old Yeller Guide Service for contact info.

Cheers!

[cfelton]

Great pics Ches!! Looks like ya had a great time. I've been there a few times but never fished there.

[phatdaddy]

great report, sounds like a well planned trip, covering all the bases. i've done my time with mr AJ, it is a younger man's game. if you want to practice up, go out to the highway and throw treble hooks at log trucks when they pass by.

[nipper]

What a terrific trip. Pictures are great. Thanks.

[willy]

Ches that is excellent, great shots. Got to try me some of those AJ's, not a younger man but plenty young enough. What does it run you to fish a day out with a guide down that area? Was it just you and the guide.
anyhow congrats on a nice day !!

[Blue_Runner]

Ches, very nice report you put together there and thanks for sharing with the rest of us. It just goes to show the variety that is available in those waters right off our coast. I like the float attached to the boga grip....obviously not that captains first rodeo.

What were you pulling while trolling, if you don't mind me asking. Those jigging pics are awesome.

[chesapeake724]

Thanks, gents.

Willy,
Rates here.
http://www.oldyellerguideservice.com
I paid the full day, inshore-nearshore rate. 10-20% tip is customary/discretionary, but I'm tipping him with a batch of t-shirts. :D

Blue,
We ran a 5-rod spread:
chugger skirts on medium ballyhoo on the riggers
nekkid 'hoo off a transom clip in the propwash
green skirt and 'hoo opposite that, somewhat short
skirted 'hoo on the WWB down the middle
Hottest bait by a good margin was the pink chugger skirt off the rigger.

[Blue_Runner]

Wow, those are some awesome rates! Maybe I should sell my boat and just book this guy a dozen times a year!?!?!?