Fishing Report

 

Christmas Party at Snyder's office

 

MONDAY... Well folks, time to put the season to bed for another successful year has passed.  Now getting ready for some hand surgery this week that will effectively put me out of business for the following weeks, but have no fear, my son Captain Robert is still rocking and rolling and putting fish in the Boat!!!!!  I will try and post his reports for all to see and let you know what beautiful SENCland has going on.... if I can get my hand to work so I can type!  Thanks once again to one and all for your support and prayers these past few weeks.... Tight Lines and Strong Knots to one and all.  HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU, UNTIL WE FISH AGAIN!!!!!!!

 

Off to Buxton for the Cape Hatteras Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament with the “Cape Fear Anglers“.... and what a trip!!  This photo of Dr. Jim and Dr. Mike sorts of says it all....Fishing in the tourney Thursday and Friday was a blast as we stood in the ocean in bathing suits and T-shirts all day in beautiful 80 degree weather and caught Blues, Puppydrum, Grey trout, Speckled Trout, Mullet, Blowfish, Flounder and Mike Rallis had something on for about 5 minutes before losing it to who knows what!  He fought the big fish perfectly but something parted.... that's fishing.  Johnny A. caught a lot of fish and so did John Miller and Tom Bradshaw.  Snyder was the Bluefish King and the points racked up to a decent and respectful showing but we did not take First place.  We took First place in the “Eating” category with all the great seafood we had and the fine cooks on  the team once again outdid themselves.   Many thanks to our friend Jack for the bait he always provides..... Saturday and Sunday were spent at a “Secret Location” just fun fishing before all these fellows have to go back into the office   More fish of all types were added to the coolers at “Johnny's Island” and the new cuts in the OBX..... it was just too pretty weather with not enough short sleeved shirts to go around.  Go Figure.  Just look at the pictures and study the water in the background.... looks like Lake Atlantic...... See the Photo Gallery for more pics of the CREW.... What a way to end the season!!!!!

 

To all my friends and fellow fishermen who have emailed, written, called,  and contacted me personally this week, I give grateful thanks for your thoughts.  Losing a loved one is always tough, but you all have made my life much easier.  Thanks to one and all and the outpouring of love and support has been tremendously welcomed....

 

Blowing and Raining and Just Plain Awlful Weather unless you're a duck,.... speaking of which, hunting season will soon be here.  No Catch and Release here!!!!!  If you want to hunt, give a call and let's line up some wing action.  More when "Wilma" clears us later this week.  Best to all and get ready for some more great SENCland fishing this fall........

 

Dave and Scott were my guests today and you know how I said we do not do it every day.... well, today was payback for yesterday.... Dangit!!!  The temps were down dramatically and the seas were very rough so my crew wanted to fish the Wrightsville Beach area and see some new spots so off we went.  A very slow day ensued but the felllows still had a ball and learned alot...  but it was not yesterday.  The cooler was not as full at the end of the day but Scott and Dave hung in there and we did our best.  Reliable reports from the area showed a marked slowdown from the day before, but when you're having fun, what's the difference?  Dave and Scott, go Sabres!!!!!!  More on that Later....Oh yes, we got "DOUBLE U BEEEEDDDD"!!!  The boys will tell you about that story.

 

Tracy and Jennifer Hamby and their friends Jeff and Colleen Brittain joined me today for an all day fishing trip and we were blest with calm seas an beautiful SENC land weather... ABSOLUTELY PERFECT CONDITIONS!!!!!  is all you can say and boy, did the fish cooperate.  As we were running to our fishing hole, we spied birds working and we trolled for some nice Blues and Spanish which we were rewarded with.... then when we got to our destination and started bottom fishing.  The "Fearless Foursome" caught everything under the sun....  Grey Trout, Spanish Mackerals,
Croakers, Big Pigfish, Virginia Mullet, Flounder, and Jennifer even caught a small Shark!  This was just a great day with a cooler full of nice eating fish and some wonderful folks having wayyyyyy tooooo much funnnnnn!!!!!!  We even gave some fish away to our friends at the landing we had so many!!!!  These days do not happen everyday so I am glad I got to share it with the "Gang"  and this was Jennifer's first fishing trip... by the end of the day she was pro (even though you could still hear her yell for 5 miles!)  Colleen and Jeff and Tracy, I hope you have recovered from all Jennifer's
yelling and hollering..... I had a ball watching her catch fish and the rest of you too!!!!  Next year, same time and same place.....

 

Buzz, Robbie, Ren, JG, my wife Betty and I got off to a flying start on this trip with a quick flight to the Marsh Harbor airport and quickly cleared customs and immigration in such record time that we were able to get in a half days fishing in the beautiful, clear, warm Bahamian waters and by supper time we had caught Wahoo and Tuna!!!!!... not a bad start to a wonderful trip.  Tuesday was a repeat with Tuna, Dolphin, and Wahoo and then an afternoon of bottom bumping for Grouper, but they just were not there.  We did catch Hinds, Yellowtails, and other species but just
no Grouper.  Wednesday, Dolphin and Wahoo in  the AM and bottom bumping in the PM.  Thursday, same thing..... starting to get boring.... yeah, right!  Friday AM was a nice Wahoo and a Dolphin trolling session, then back on the plane for a quick trip back to good ole' North Carolina before Wilma started acting up down south.  Sure hope it misses the Bahamas.  It is good to go away and try new tricks which you can bring back to the local scene with you when you see something working elsewhere.  A great trip with a bunch of great fishermen and gentlemen.  We will do it again soon..... Robbie, next time we will break some rods and melt some reels on the bottom fish....

 

Off on a trip for a few days to help with some grouper fishing in the islands.  Pictures and a report will follow... who knows, may even get to see Mr. Bonefish while I am gone.  Weather here in SENCland should be perfect so everyone go wet a line and smile a lot.  Best to all and more later.

 

The Stameys, Dad Curtis and Son John, were my guest this afternoon and we followed my son Robert south for a great afternoon on the water.  Light Breezes and cool air temps made for a great trip to the fishing hole where we immediately caught Flounder, Black Drum, Grey Trout, Ringtails, Bluefish, Snappers, Grunts, and then one whopper of a Skate..... he must have weighed close to 100 pounds!!!!  John had fun with him for 20 minutes till we saw him and cut him loose, but he pulled like a freight train!  At the end of the day the Stamey's went home with a cooler and a 5-gallon bucket full of nice fish.  What a wonderful afternoon with a great father son team.

 

The Penny family, Randy, Randall, Joey, Tim and Jamey fished today with the TAC and did we slay the critters!!!!!  We caught Spot, Croakers, Ringtails, Flounder, Snappers, Grunts, and of course Pinfish till we were all tired.  Jamey, the youngest, also caught the first fish and so won the pool!  We ran through the shrimp and then started cutting up the smaller fish for strip baits and caught flounder and other species.  We tried for the big Drum, but it was just not our day.  Family fun in the sun and of course we caught the elusive Oyster Toads.... just a ball out fishing together. 

 

The “West End Boys“ from the Methodist Church outing joined Robert and myself today for a ten man fishing trip and what a blast... these fellows came prepared.  Down the River we ran and the fishing was fun and furious... Spots, Croakers, and even an ocean going Catfish rounded out the day and Boo-Boo helped run the boat to boot!!!  Once off Southport at the HotHole we caught fish and enjoyed a very nice calm spot in the warm Atlantic waters.... inside the river was still running hard from the Rains recently but the fishing was fun.  These fellows all said they would go and see Mr. Robert and Robbie at the tackle shop and give them a report.  More later.

 

The weekend's surf fishing trip to Johnny's Island (Just South of Sodom and just North of Gomora) had to be cancelled due to high winds, surf, and bad sea conditions.  Just a great time to hunker down and do some housework/boatwork.  Trip is rescheduled for a couple of weeks from now when the “deadmen” will hold the tent's down and you do not have to fish with cinder blocks to keep your lines in the water.  Just too rough to surf fish this trip fellows, but we will return (sort of a MacArthur thing!)  Friends on and near the Banx say it is really rough and that the winds today (Saturday) are in excess of 30 knots out of the south.... glad we listened to them.  Maybe the Carolina Beach Surf Fishing Tournament is doing well, but I doubt it.  More on that later.  Gary, I will have a batch of Betty's famous “Knock You Naked Brownies“ with me then.... bring a sweet tooth!!!  I think I see blue skies forming overhead... what a novel thought!

 

It is raining like the flood and blowing 25 knots out of the south..... just not a pretty day as the remnants of TS Tammy passes overhead.  No trips today and I wonder about tomorrow.... why does all the bad weather come over the weekend?  Any one figured this one out yet?  Oh Well, that's life!!!!  Once we get back in the water we will let you know what is happening... till then, clean your gear and get organized!  Tight lines and big smiles to one and all.  Later.

 

HERE IS WHY YOU SHOULD ALWAYS, I REPEAT, ALWAYS USE THE PARKING BRAKE!!!!!!!!!  GLAD IT WAS NOT MY TRUCK!!!!!!!!  Where is this fellow's boat trailer.....Photo by Ray Peters at the Carolina Beach Wildlife Public Boat Ramp today.......

 

Christain Vargo, her Mom Diane and boyfriend Horace Hogan fished this afternoon and a great trip with lots of fun.  Horace is pictured with a flounder but he was too small to keep.  Lots of trash in the waters and the fish just did not cooperate.  This group fished hard but it was just not our day.  Reports from other knowledgeable fishermen was slow all over, and the ocean was too ruff for the small boats.  Hey, great people who have a good time in the face of adversity know how to live well anyway.  The Vargo's and Hogan group are welcome back anytime.

 

Mike and Sue Jenkins and their son Alex (11) and daughter Oksana (9) fished on the "TAC" today and what a great fishing family.... they could do everything very well and all I had to do was keep the bait handy.  These 4 fishermen were PROS!!!!!  Oksana caught her first ever flounder (16 1/2 inches) and a huge SPOT!  It is almost that time of year.  Dad got the biggest fish of the day a nice 4 1/2 pound Flounder.  Alex caught some elusive Oyster Crackers and Mom had a ball just watching the rest of the crew catch the fish.  She also caught some fish herself and occasionally the anchor rope!!  We just had a ball in some beautiful Carolina Weather which was cool for a change.  Fall is here hopefully.  Lots of fun with a great family.... hope to see them again soon.  Notice Oksana's sweat shirt.... I know that felt good this cool Carolina Day!

 

Jerry Happy and his crew were back in town today and we blasted off in search of many fish with great expectations ( you have to think positive, right?).  Well, Darrel and Zack Reichert and Dave Peters and Jerry fished as hard as any four men could fish. Zack, AKA the "Rock" caught the first money fish and won the pool and then went on to catch his namesakes!!!!  Everyone had fun picking on each other and throwing bait for the fishes.  Flounder were all we caught and everyone at the dock was complaining.... misery loves company sort of a day.  We will try it again later.  Good Luck in school Rock!!!!

 

Well, what a treat today.... Buzz, Robbie Robert and I head offshore with Capt. Carl Snow of the "Fish Witch 11" and had a ball in the gulf.... sort of a busman's holiday!  Wahoo, Tuna, Dolphin, Barracuda, and a hooked up billfish completed the trolling part of the day, then to the bottom fishing trying to tear up some new Shimano stuff for a field test for Robbie and his friends.  No big bottom fish though, but a great day with some wonderful individuals and fishermen at that!  Capt. Carl, Tommy, James Dean and Robert looked after us so well and the fun on the boat was just unheard of for Carolina Beach!!!!!    Buzz, mid October is ready to go and we will tear up some gear this time.  Later.  Robbie, I'll see you on the lakes back home sometime soon this fall.... get the Beaver ready for me!!!!!

 

Today Denny Minnich, Don Minnich, Tony Mullins, and Danny “Skinny“ Searfass joined the fun and we rocked and rolled in the strong Noreast winds and East winds that blew for the better part of the day.  Lots of fun but slow action today but Tony the “Big Italian“ scored the largest fish (a nice 18 inch Flounder) to win the big pool for the trip!!!!  All the guys were great sports in some rather hard fishing conditions and the ocean water was milky and had a ton of seaweed in it.  Just one of those days but these were tough and hardy fishermen.... no wimps in the bunch.  I am sure they will be back in the future and I hope the rest of their vacation goes smoothly....  Travel safely my friends and look out for the Tideline....  Happy Birthday again Tony, I'm glad you won the pot.  Later.