November 3-7, 2004....This trip was something special since I was fishing with
five great Doctors at the Cape Hatteras Anglers Tournament in Buxton, N. C.  The weather and the fishing was great as we placed 23rd out of 100 teams vying for the big trophy of bragging rights as the best anglers on the beach that weekend!  Loads of fun and Bluefish in particular with some flounder and mullet thrown in for good measure.... also some nice blowtoads to round out the day but we could not score those good eating fish!  Great food and fellowship only made the trip better and the ride home (fishing all the spots we could not fish during the tourney) was a big hoot as we caught nice flounder then would run to the next spot.  Just a great fishing trip with some great guys.... This spring we will do the Ocracoke tournament and hopefully improve our standing in the ranks, but it is still just a fun trip with great people...  Hey, do you get the idea that we all had a blast?  The Allon Brothers strike AGAIN!!!!!!

 

 
  
OCTOBER 25-29, 2004.....Thanks to Some WONDERFUL Friends and Family, I was able to sneak out of the country for a few days to fix a house, repair a roof, rebuild a dock, clean up a debris loaded yard, and catch some nice “Groppa's“ with these excellent fishermen.  You can see by the pictures that the plane was full and had relief supplies and building materials to travel... Captain's Owen, Robert, Cooter and Charlie worked on the roof and rebuilt the structure quickly and repaired it to a “Tee“...with four boat captains working together it was sort of like “herding cats” but we are now ready for the winter season on Elbow Cay and the Big Fish Winter season there!!!  Our good friends Buzz, Ren, and Robbie managed to feed us some fine fish while we were working and Robert, Cooter and Owen got in some “rod time” and some surfing also...The same swell that hit the Eastern NC coast got us there in the Bahamas also!  A lot of fun with a classy group on individuals.  Somehow I have a feeling we will all fish again very soon here in eastern NC.  Now it's time to get back to CB and catch some more Flounder and Trout and Drum before the STRIPERS show themselves!!!!!  That's a whole 'nother story..  Call or email for details on when you may want to Charter the “TAC“ and chase those Stripers!!!!  Best to all and tight lines.  Buzz, once again many thanks for a great trip....Good Luck with your Shoulder!


   
OCTOBER 24, 2004.... Brent Fults from Virginia fished with me today and it was raining and blowing a stink.... we snuck up the river and the very first fish was a 6 POUND CITATION FLOUNDER!!!!  Usually a big fish to start with is the kiss of death, but not today!  We proceeded to catch two more nice keeper flounder and two beautiful Speckled Trout to round out our half day trip.  Brent is an accomplished angler on his own right and can hang with the best of them....  after the rain quit the day really got nice but hey, the fish bit anyway.  Cool air temps and falling water temps are improving the fishing daily.  Hope the big front forecast on our lunar tides does not hamper the fishing, but we will wait and see.  Brent, come on back down and see if we can do it again...Anytime.....Later.

OCTOBER 22, 2004..... My old buddy Ed Kirkland joined me today on the River and the Bluefish and Specks bite with a vengence!  What a great day with a great friend and just enough fish to eat and enjoy.  Ed's living locally now since retiring from the USCG and will be a frequent visitor on the “TAC“ from now on.... everyone, the fishing is improving daily and should only get better with the falling water temps.... Later.

OCTOBER 15, 2004.... Gotta go for a few days so no reports till I get back.  Everyone go fish and let me know what you caught!  Later.

 OCTOBER 14, 2004..... Dean Tadlock and his daughter Jenna fished today and it was absolutely beautiful.  Slight SW wind very light and variable and just perfect ocean conditions.  Hit a few Nearshore spots and caught some nice Flounder and some Nice Size and fun to catch Sharks.... lots of fun for a future Marine Biologist!!!!  Her dad had fun listening to the reels scream also.... we ended up with a cooler of nice eating fish and some fun with 5 sharks which provided some major excitement and line busting activity!!!!  Went to the river to fish when the wind came up and had a great picnic lunch/barbeque on the river bank and caught some large bluefish there while waiting on the grill to get hot.  After a wonderful lunch, back to the river and caught some very small throwback puppy drum but still had fun.  Just a great day with great people.  Jenna sent some email photos which I will post soon...check out the Gallery! 

OCTOBER 12, 2004.... Had Bob and Friends today and caught some nice flounder, spots, Bluefish and Puppy Drum!!!!  Lots of fish but no Biggun's like Robert's nice 43 inch Drum.  Maybe tomorrow!!!!


OCTOBER 9, 2004....  Dave, Jimmy. Devin, and Billy from New Hanover County fished today and we caught Flounder, Blues, Spots, Croakers, and Various other fishes as we fished the Cape Fear River from Southport north to Snow's Cut... Blowing like heck out of the north but what a beautiful day.  Forgot my camera like a big dummy but we had a ball and lots of fun.... these fellows learned a lot and saw some unique territories and all in all had a great day on the water.  The tie for the Biggest fish went to Dave for the Bluefish and Billy for his flounder... hope they settled that debate before they got home.... they will be talking and arguing about those two fish for quite a while.  Great folks and too much fun.  Jimmy caught the most but who's counting?.... I know he was and Devin was just having a ball.... The filets will fry up well and the memories will be even better.... see you fellows soon.

   OCTOBER 8, 2004... Well folks, today I was privileged to have Patty and Teresa from Thomasville, N. C. on the boat and could these gals FISH!!!!  They were as hard core fishermen as I have seen and they worked hard and had a ball.  Carolina Beach regulars, they wanted to try a small boat trip this week and I was glad they found me to be their captain as they fished harder than any I have seen in quite a while and were experts at that.  When Teresa hooked herself in the finger (minor wound at that) I found out just how tought these individuals were... dang the hook, lets keep fishing!!!!  We removed it quickly and doctored her up and went right back to fishing!!!  It was what I call a “Bluebird Day“ when it was just too pretty...  It was October and we were in shorts and T-shirts, but these ladies were not to be outdone.  They threw “minners and shrimps” and lures and caught everything out there.  Pictured are Teresa and her first Puppy Drum and Patty with her First Flounder.  Then later in the day we hooked up and Teresa caught a Citation 5.6 lb. FLOUNDER!!!!!!  It was just a great trip and Patty and Teresa have promised to come back later this fall.... these gals love to fish, know their stuff, and will catch more fish soon!  I just hope I am lucky enough to be their captain on their second trip up the river.  Patty and Teresa, see ya soon!!!


   October 3, 2004.......I had a great Father-Son team today on the “TAC“.  Dad Mitch and Son Bill from Colorado were hard core and wanting to catch some sharks for Sport.... Guess What!!!!  The Fish God's smiled on us with 5 and a half Sharks (5 Landed and One Released next to the boat!)  On Light tackle we had a ball and Bill had a great workout.  He attends UNC  (The University of Northern Colorado) and will have some tales to tell when he gets back to school this fall.  The ocean was beautiful and we caught other fish (Grey Trout, Bluefish, and various assorted species) as well, but the sharks were the hit of the day for sport.  They all were released to fight again another day so let's see what happens next.  These sharks are a little larger than the river trout these fellows are used to chasing!!!!  Water temp in the high 70's, slick as glass, fair skies, wind east light to variable, air temp in the 80's.... a superb day to be out fishing.  We will fish again next October I have a feeling...

   October 2,2004.........  Captain Cooter and his gal Jazz and our special friend Carla fished today and we got Flounder and nice Speckled Trout and lots of bottom fish for the fish fry they were having later that afternoon.... just a great day goofing about and catching fish by the coolerfull!!!  Cooter looks serious in these photos but he was grinning all over inside.  Once again a lovely October SENCland day with 80 degree weather, cooling water and a beautiful sky.  Jazz's smile says it all.  My apology to Carla for not getting her picture but she caught some lovely croakers and mullets for the fish fry also.  A great day with wonderful folks.  We will do it again soon.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2004.....  Not much happening.... slow down south of CB and heard of nice Bluefish to the North (Scott's Hill area).  Let's see what cooler weather will do to help us out.

 
   SEPTEMBER 25, 2004.....  OK, you just have to know about Bill and Andy from Mo. who go "noodling" for Catfish.  Now you can see why today was so much fun.  We had their friends Greta and Dave with us also for a day on the river and what a ball.... We managed under adverse windy conditions to catch Three Nice Flounder and one Big Bluefish.  And we also got to play around with a Monster Alligator that had somehow expired and washed up on the riverbank near us.  We thought about skinning it out for some boots and fresh alligator "Bites on the grill" but felt it best to just take pictures and let it go at that.... not sure what the game laws are on possessing an Alligator carcus (the NCDMF fact sheet does not say anything about reptiles).   After the mornings adventure we pulled to a sandbar and proceeded to grill some Shrimpkabobs with fresh homemade Coleslaw and some Fabulous Salsa from Bill's secret recipe... man, what a lunch.  Then back to the river and wind and screaming tides to try and catch some more fish.  A lovely day with some great folks who really fished hard and had a blast.... already making plans for a shell hunt with some grilling and fishing mixed in at Topsail later this year.

 

SEPTEMBER 24, 2004....Had so much fun on the 22nd decided to do it again!  More exploring and riding and checking things out.... more new spots and areas for the future trips.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2004..... Had Frank and Carolyn Callis with me today and forgot the camera.... boy, what a day to forget it!!!  We caught 13 different varieties of fish from American Eels to Bluefish to a Huge Black Drum to Monster spots, and no camera.... Dang.  Anyway, we had a ball and Frank and Carolyn left with a lot of filets for their upcoming supper.... hope they fried up well.  Neat people and look forward to seeing them again soon in October.

    SEPTEMBER 22, 2004..... Had a day with wife Betty and son Robert just for fun on the river and just exploring around.  Went all over Southeastern Bay and ended up on Bald Head Island and explored the beach for future surf fishing excursions and found a "Message in a Bottle" which we answered upon opening the bottle and getting the phone number dialed.... hope it helped.  Many beautiful sights that day and some extreme low tides so we found some great fishing holes for later in the year...  The bays were full of activity and bird life was everywhere... just a superb day of kicking around and discovering new areas.

  
  SEPTEMBER 18, 2004... Hey, got to go fishing with Capt. Robert and Capt. Cooter today as they took their cousin David Woodmansee and their respective girls Carla and Jazz on a neat family adventure.  Blew like 40 but did manage to catch some flounder and a champion Oyster Cracker before the day was over and Cuz David had to leave.  Carla took control of the trip early encouraging the captain's to keep moving till they found the fertile fishing spots she knew existed.... just could not catch them all though we tried hard.  Winds from the west and very cool, water temp falling some and beautiful skies early on.  A great day on the water despite the winds and hopefully Jeanne and Karl will stay far, far away.


SEPTEMBER 17,2004....Took the day off but went fun fishing and doing chores on the boat getting ready for the fall fishing.  Flounder are still in and the Grey Trout have started to show themselves again, and they are big!!!!  Puppy drum are not thick yet and I have heard reports of some adult drum further North and in the surf.  Hopefully the season will improve with the cooling water and air temps dropping....  bait is everywhere.  Tight Lines to All....


  SEPTEMBER 11, 2004.... Hank, Mike, Matthew and Clayton who are family of the Jimmy Allon family, one of my fishing tournament partners joined TAC and I today for a trip out of Wrightsville and had a ball!!!!  We had a blast discussing the “Allon“ family and Jimmy's mother's birthday (she is now 100 years young!) was their reason to be in town.  It was great fishing with these guys and Clayton (the youngest of the group) had a ball with the shrimp rigs!  For what was to be a terrible weather day it sure turned out nice.... fishing was slow but we hit some new holes and found some flounder and bluefish, but not in large quantity.... that's fishing for ya!!!  When Jimmy Allon and I and the team get together (Team Carlos Allon), I promise to send photos... Later.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2004.... No trip today as it is still raining.... also tornado watches coming from SC to NC.... remnants of Frances pushing our way.  Later.


SEPTEMBER 6, 2004 (LABOR DAY MONDAY).....Here we go again.... Horrible Weather and Blinding Rain Squalls here this morning... our Trip is a wash out and I mean a Wash Out.... soaked through and through but everyone laughing at the mess!  Should have worn my Frogies....We will dry out later, but no fishing today.  Better Luck coming soon...  And keep our Friends in Florida and the Bahamas in your thoughts....  More reports later when the sun comes out!!!!

 SEPTEMBER 5, 2004..... Had Brent Beam and his buddies Mitch Lemon and his son Addison (Addi) on a trip out of the Southport Fisherman's Center.... nice run down the river in the early AM to pick them up then the winds blew from the ENE.... Hard.... and got Harder as the day went on.  Fishing was hard but we did score a couple of nice yellowbelly Croakers (One you see picture with Addi) ...no flounder or drum but just a fun day of hard fishing...

Beautiful day, but very windy, water temp 79, winds hard from the E-ENE, river choppy to the point of being uncomfortable on the ride home...Great people who know how to fish and a great lunch in Southport to boot!


  
SEPTEMBER 4, 2004..... Grandpa Tommy, sons Eric and "Big D" and Grandson Hunter (age 5) fished with me today and what a day.  Just look at Hunter and his Fish!!!!! Pinfish, Lizard Fish, and Speckled Trout.... Hunter had a ball!!!!  We lost two huge Rays today, just could not turn them in the ICW north of CB Inlet.... fun for about 30 seconds though... just ask Big D!  Grandpa Tommy just had fun watching all the boys and Eric was constantly laughing with his nephew Hunter.  A great family having fun.  The water is cooling some and it was a nice day... maybe the fish will show up in greater numbers soon.... Later.

September 2, 2004.... Fun Trip put off today.... what can I say... will get everything ready for the weekend.... keep your fingers crossed and say some good thoughts for our friends to the South and in the Bahamas.... will update the fishing report later as it unfolds... best to all.


AUGUST 31-SEPT. 1, 2004..... Out running around again.... raining and just a mess today (9-1), heard of some nice flounder at the beach... maybe more to come this weekend...  Best to all and call for a trip soon!  More later as it appears.  Keep an eye on Frances....

  AUGUST 28th, 2004....Back to the Southport Fisherman's Center to pick up Derrick, Pete, and Billy for a morning's outing on the Lower Cape Fear River and what a beautiful start to a great trip.... these fellows sure knew how to have fun and we did!!!!  Tried many of the creek mouths and flats to no avail and found a hole with a couple of small flounder and one nice keeper... then the Lizard Fish and Oyster Crackers and Groupers and Black Sea bass showed up to bother our baits and at the end of the trip we were pleased... lots of boats in the river but overall not the best of  conditions... water temp low 80's, good water color, but another front was building to our south (TD Gaston).  Looking forward to seeing these guys again when they come to play golf at BHI.  Derrick, just call me on VHF 16.  My new call sign will be “Lucky, Lucky, Lucky“.... you know what I mean.  Pictured above is Derrick with his Flounder and his buddies Billy and Pete.

  AUGUST 27, 2004.....From Virginia came the Bolick family, Ricky and Kim and their kids Adam and Charity....  and once again did it RAIN on us to start.  Feel like I am getting webbed feet...  Tons of bait and Charity was my big helper... she kept delivering a fresh bait to everyone who needed it.  Started off with a big hit which we never saw then caught two fine 22 inch Red Drum from the River and then the wind switched east and the fishing got hard... lost a few more but to no avail.  Lots of running looking for the sweet spot but just could not find it.  Caught one or two more fish but the weather and rain and the wind picked up dramatically and finally ran us off.  Nice folks and a great day with some fine Drum but not as many as we had hoped for.  Hey, that's fishing....  Ricky and Kim, I am trying some of the Barbeque sauce tomorrow night and will let you know how I like it.  Best to all and continue the good work!
.

Also TD (Tropical Depression) Number Seven has just formed off the South Carolina Coast.  Looks like rain and some light winds may hamper us this weekend... everyone keep your eyes open and be safe on the water.  Tight Lines and Strong Knots....


   AUGUST 26, 2004.....Ran to Southport NC in the dark to pick up a nice couple from the Southport Fisherman's Center... many thanks to Betty and Randy for their kindness in letting us use their superb facilities to pick up our Southport friends Brandon and Neeley from Orange County, Ca..... Raining like Cats and Dawgs to start and finally found a dry place to fish.  The sunrise and clouds painted a picture Michaelangelo would have been proud of.  We fished all over the Cape Fear River and behind Bald Head island and finally found the right spot with the right tide and caught 6 nice flounders!!!!  Neeley hung in their with the largest of the day and Brandon just had fun with his fish.  Look forward to fishing with them again soon and their two children after they get a little age on them.  Granpa and Grandma deserve a big “thank you”  for letting the couple get away for a few hours and fish for relaxation.  Brandon, hope the Marlin treat you right in the upcoming weeks... good luck with the tournaments.  Raining to start, then clear, then more rain.... felt like Noah and his ark.... Water temp still mid 80's, river water color starting to improve, tons of bait available...  let's hope no storms appear soon to mess up the improving conditions.

 AUGUST 25, 2004....Fished today with Pete and Doris Keziah and their son Randy and Granddaughter Chrissy from Charlotte NC and nice folks they were... we had fun with some Flounder, a few Drum, and the ever present Bluefish.... try to get away from them and see what happens!  Pete the grand dad got the biggest flounder but Chrissy was a close second... Nice weather, water temp mid 80's, light and variable winds to start but a blowey finish... seems like fall with the winds.... maybe improving shortly.

  
             August 23, 2004......Hard Fishing with Great Friends Terry Williams and Phillip Burgess from Staley, NC who I have had the honor of fishing on the Outer Banks with over a spread of about 10 years... Terry reminded me we met one day in the surf when I helped him learn to throw a cast net and we have been fast and good friends since...It's the little things that matter.  We got off to a slow start this day due to rough seas and had to cancel some plans, but the inlets held a few nice puppy drum for us to play with.  Tried the Cape Fear River and caught a few small flounder and other species, but overall a hard day of fishing... Raining, water dirty and lots of it still from the storms.. it is getting better but slowly.  Should improve dramatically over the next few days and a Noreaster is predicted which will also help.  Phillip, thanks for the Peaches and next trip we will get that Honking Big Flounder I promised you!  See you on the banxs shortly...

In the photos above you see Terry netting a nice puppy drum for Phillip and I am manning the camera... they had a blast with the small fish on light tackle.  You also see Terry with his nice puppy drum but Phillip was fighting another drum at the time so I had to mind the Net and help Terry out with his fish!  We had a few lost fish also but that's fishing. 

You can also see Terry and Phillip with some nice Full Grown Channel Bass on my Surf Fishing page soon as I get the photos scanned and loaded.... They are two die hard Drum fishermen and we will be at Johnnie's Island soon again.  If you are interested in a real experience for BIG DRUM, just email or call.

   AUGUST 21, 2004.... Back on the waters of SENCLand with a Great two boat party with Capt. Robert of “Carolina Explorer“.  Chris and Brenda Suits of Asheboro, NC and their fine son Corey (Alias “Rubber Ducky”) joined me for the adventure and “L. A.“ and Ray Garner and Mike Cooke were with Robert.  We bounced off shore to a deep water ledge and found some fine flounder that you see pictured above.  Brenda (pictured on the left above) got top honors with two fish and also the largest at 20 and one half inches.... “L. A.“ fought hard to stretch her 20 and a quarter inch fish but she just could not eech out that extra quarter inch to overtake Brenda's fish!!!!!  Nice Try “L. A.“!!!  Mike (in the center photo) is holding up two nice flounder... “Rubber Ducky“ (Corey) is holding one of his two fine flounder (16 and a quarter inch and 16 inches even)... and this flounder pictured is the first one he has ever caught!!!!  Nice way to start his flounder fishing career.... and I know he will catch many more in his life to come.  Ray and Chris had a great day also but I did not get photos of them... my apologies..    The waters are still disturbed from the storm (Charley) and the fishing will improve shortly.  We had rain squalls and the wind was higher than predicted so with the whitecaps we ran to the inside waters where Mike caught a nice though short Red Drum and my boat hit the River to catch some sharks for “Rubber Ducky“.... but the river looked like mud and all we caught were some small croakers and other pan fish....  lots of fresh water heading south in the river.  All the folks had a great day fishing in marginal conditions at best but they still have some fish to broil after stuffing them with their favorite mix.  Water temps in the mid 80's, wind from the south-southeast at 15, gusting to 20.... green seas, not blue....river looked like coffee with cream.... it will get better if the fresh rains will subside a little.  “L. A.“, you keep everyone straight and we will see you in September and then you can catch the Bigger fish and get your dollar back!!!! Chris and Brenda, I have my “Teaspoon“ scaler in my tackle box and will let you know how that turns out... thanks for the tip! 
   AUGUST 17-20, 2004.... Well, the trip has finally happened!  What with all the storms and conflicts the group has dwindled to two (Buzz and Robbie), but the action was hot and furious.  Finally arriving at our destination we pulled off some excellent Bonefishing in the flats and great nearshore Grouper and bottom fish activity.  Pictured above I am landing Buzz's nice 7 to eight pound bone. There were numerous other bones we landed and countless breakoffs we experienced... the fish were thick and some were in the 12 pound class for sure. These are true Ocean Bonefish and not the infant Marls boners... Robbie also scored some excellent fish even though the visibility was limited and the cloud cover hurt.  Winds had finally laid down where we could see them tailing and what a rewarding two days on the flats...  Nearshore we caught Mutton Snapper, Grouper and various varieties of bottom fish and Robbie got his big Barracuda and a Humongus Shark!!  About a 200 pounder on light tackle...  I am still amazed that his gear held up and did not exploded under the pressure he was putting on that creature.  How many species does that make now, Robbie?  I hope his arms have straightened out since our return and that his back has quit hurting... It was a Heck of a battle and he won.  Nice to have a vacation and go fishing with my friends.  Betty was wonderful company on this trip and had a blast just relaxing and visiting our Island Friends... just needed another month or two in Paradise!!!!  Back to SENCLand soon and looking forward to fishing the inlets, bays, and sounds again.  Hey  Buzz and Robbie, let's try for some Red Drum soon!

AUGUST 14, 2004 LATE AFTERNOON.... Hurricane Charley has passed and hopefully the seas will subside in the next short while... get ready for some great fishing on the backside on this front.  Traveling tomorrow morning (hopefully) and the posts will stop for a few days while I help a friend out with his boat further south... Will be posting fishing reports as soon as I return.  Pray for Bonefish....Have fun and may your lines be tight and your knots be strong.... Later.

AUGUST 14, 2004..... It is going to be one of those weekends.... Here comes Hurricane Charley and still the travel plans are on hold.  Batten down the hatches cause it is going to rain and blow like crazy.... anyone heading to coastal NC may wish to reconsider their plans.  No Fishing Report today... everyone  be smart and safe..... Later......

 AUGUST 13, 2004....Stephen Anthony and his wife Yorlette and sons Andre and Steve fished with Robert of “Carolina Explorer” today since I was trying to travel.... and did they have fun!  Pictured is Dad Stephen and son Andre with some nice Red Drum and Flounder... Yorlette had a blast  and young Steve won the $5.00 pool for the most fish!!!  They had many breakoffs which they thought were big Drum and on the light tackle, they just had a great time fishing.  Rainy, windy and just plain YUCKY weather but the smiles say it all.  Stephen and family, I look forward to fishing with you folks later this fall... as promised, here is your report and picture.  Maybe next trip we won't be having a Hurricane!!  Note the clouds and sky formation and Andre's rain coat as it was that kind of day.

 AUGUST (FRIDAY) THE 13TH, 2004.....Well, with the storm on the way I could not travel so my buddy Ren and I set out late in the day to try and catch Ren a fish..... Guess what, I caught this nice flounder you see pictured!  Ren had a good time watching me struggle to get him in the net while bouncing around on the waves from TD Bonnie and the start of H Charley... anyhow it was a nice afternoon of fishing.  Corey, I got your nice card and many thanks... I look forward to fishing with you again soon... Stephen and Yorlette, as soon as I get the photos from Robert you are here on the web. Travel safely.

Everyone keep your eyes on Charley... he could be a trickey devil... Later,

  Auguest 12, 2004....Jack and Myra Gebbie and their fine children Ben, Emily, and Sarah fished today and they wanted to catch Flounder.  Check out the photos above... these kids are tough as it rained hard but could not dampen their spirits or efforts.  Sarah the youngest in the red shorts caught the two she is trying to hold up... Mom Myra had to help!!!!  Ben and Emily proudly display their catch too!!!  At the end of the morning trip we were all soaking wet but warm with laughter....  every once in a while you have a great day and it is even more wonderful when you can share it with some really neat kids....

We also caught blues, croakers, and other fish but the flounder made their day....  We had to run all over the place as the clouds of rain and wind kept us looking for a drier place to fish but to no avail... when the thunderboomers started we quit... just that simple.  I want to hear how the stuffed flounder turned out after Myra cooks it and Jack and the kids eat it.  Let me know.  Water temp 83 degrees, winds from the south, calm waters and no sun.... watch out for the weekend with Bonnie and Charley on the way.

   August 10, 2004....What day !!!! First of all a cancellation, boat is ready to go and baited up with no one to fish. Called my friend Dean to see if he could sneak away from work and by 9 AM we are nearing the water.....of course the livebait well pump decided to commit suicide so we spent an hour changing it out. Thanks to Capt. Owen for the replacement he was carrying... (I owe you one) and then out the inlet by 11 o'clock in the morning with live minners to Kill....

So about Three o'clock we quit and headed in to get the weight on the largest fish which was nearly SIX POUNDS for Dean's Citation.  Then we weighed in 12 fish for a total of 45 pounds of FLOUNDER!  That was a good day of fishing in anyone's book.  It was just a perfect day on the water with an old friend who is a good fisherman in his own right and I look forward to fishing with Dean again soon.

AUGUST 6, 2004.... Raining hard this morning and blowing also... not a good day to fish yet.  The afternoon cleared off well but my folks had to travel so no trip for me but Robert from the “Carolina Explorer“ scored some nice flounder... one weighed in at 8 and one half pounds!!!!  Nice Fish Robert.  Better weather though cooler to come.

AUGUST 5, 2004.. Afternoon Trip... Robert from the “Carolina Explorer“ and I ran a two boat trip this afternoon with two families and did the wind play havoc on us....  I had Big Tom the dad, son Mad Mike and Mad Matt and girlfriend Kathleen on my boat and it was a great afternoon up the Cape Fear River to start with.. Kathleen of course caught the first fish and then proceeded to outfish all the fellows... and in the course of the day she really improved her casting skills with just a little coaching.  We caught Virginia Mullet, Croakers, Spots, Flounder and finally an oversized Red Drum... all we needed was the Speckled Trout to complete our Inshore Slam, but not today.... but a great time had by one and all.... The wind did blow up strong out of the South and a falling tide made for an exciting ride back to Snow's Cut and to the Inlet for some more Flounder and Drum fishing.  It was a beautiful afternoon when the skies turned somewhat threatening. Kathleen came up with a nice Black Drum to round out the day before the Natural Light Show started to our North...  the lightning was fierce and approaching so we ran back to the hill and got loaded up before the bottom fell out... What a rain and light show.. it was tough driving home from the ramp that evening.  We have had some Crazy Weather to contend with this week and I hope it improves for the weekend and next week.

AUGUST 5, 2004....Morning Trip... This morning had Darrien and his sister Jasmine (Jazz) and their parents on the “TAC“ and did we have fun with the croakers, spots, hogfish, bluefish, flounder, and mullets!!!  Lots of action and a beautiful day on the smooth water.  Who could believe two days ago we had a hurricane!  Darrien is going to save his money so he can come back and fish this September when it cools off some... don't forget to bring Jazz and your folks!  Clear skies, low 90 degree air and water in the low 80's.  Humid and light winds from the SW.

AUGUST 4, 2004...Doug Cook and family fished this afternoon and it was a hard day of fishing.. bottom fish were plentiful but no flounder or drum.  The Hurricane has left us and the weather should improve dramatically... a few tide changes and we will be back to normal.

AUGUST 3, 2004....  Winds Still up from Hurricane Alex!!!!

AUGUST 2, 2004...  Hey, Guess What.... Hurricane Alex is upon us and the Central NC Coast!!!!  More Reports Later....


AUGUST 1, 2004.....August usually brings us some storms and adverse weather and here we go!!!  Tropical Depression Alex is upon us and the skies are grey and overcast and the seas are turbulent and all in all not a good small boat day anywhere on our coast.  The River yesterday afternoon was whitecapping and blowing so a great day to do other chores and duties while land bound.  They are calling for the weather to continue for a few more days so if the reports are not here, just realize that we are up to something else...  cleaning tackle, making rigs, servicing the boat motor, etc.  I will be ready for you when the weather clears and the fish start biting again!!!!  Go to my “Weather Link“ at the top of this page and keep an eye on the Satellite and other forcasts from NOAA.  Get ready and give me a call for your upcoming trip.... Later.


        
JULY 30, 2004  Morning Trip....Gordon (the Dad) and Adam (the son) fished today and they were an absolute HOOT!!!  We picked on each other unmercilessly and had a ball... these fellows have a great father-son relationship and gave each other HECK about everything!  Way too much fun...We tried for flounder on one of the local ledges but the seas today just did not cooperate so we moved inside to the River where we tried some flounder holes (Adam wanted his dad to catch a flounder so badly) but it just did not happen for us today.  We did catch everything else... Bluefish, Pinfish, Oyster Crackers, Stingrays, Crabs, Sharks, Shells, and Ladyfish.  We even got spooled and the look on Adam's face as that reel emptied was priceless.  We will never know what it was... just that it was big.  Hey, that's fishing!  Gordon and Adam were picking on other about being the "Junk Fish Kings" but they were a ball and a lot of fun to be around. The photo of Adam with the Ladyfish and one of the sharks his dad caught is great.  They are planning a September trip now and maybe then we can get Gordon his big Flounder!


JULY 29, 2004 Afternoon trip.... I had Jay and Fran Collins and their boys Wesley and Logan and a Friend Zach on the "TAC" today and it turned out to be a beautiful afternoon on the river!  Just a few clouds and for July low humidity.  Water temp in the low 80's and light winds for most of the day... Not what they were calling for, but you know SENClands weather... if you don't like it wait 20 minutes.  These three boys had a blast with some nice croakers, mullets, a few speckled trout and some BIG sharks! (to them)  It
was a fun afternoon and everyone enjoyed themselves and sorry I forgot my camera.  Wesley and Logan and Zach were too much fun.

   
JULY 27, 2004...Eric Hoffman, wife Allison, sons Craig and Scott fished today and it was a fast and furious start.  Flounder and nice Bluefish to get things going then a dark cloud ran us in to the hill and we caught bottom fish behind Masonboro Inlet while the storm went to our South.... still we got rained on, but it just cooled us off.  We tried a few more spots on the inside and ended up in Snow's Cut where we caught some Blues and more trashfish... no big flounder here today.  A fun trip with a nice family.  The storm did run us off a great spot but we will get them next time.  Hey, these guys are tough and Craig is going to be a great "Cast Netter".  Mullets already fear him and his throwing arm.  Scott, can you look the flounder in the eyes and say "Who's Your Daddy?"
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JULY 26, 2004.... Had Alan Baker and his dad Bill for an all day trip and we scored some nice fish.  Alan also won the "Ugliest Hat of the Year" (so far this year) Award.... These were two great guys who loved to fish and even more than that had a great sense of Humor and Fun Attitudes!  An exceptional day had by one and all.  Nice Seas and perfect conditions.  We fished the ocean, inlets, sounds and Snow's Cut.

JULY 24, 2004.. Afternoon Trip.. Mike and sons Luke and Mark and Friend Paul fished for only a short while due to the afternoon Thunderboomers which ran us in to the landing a bit early but they still had fun with the croakers, grey trout, bottom fish and tried for the big shark... Not our day but we plan a return trip soon I feel.  Mike, if the pictures turn out email me a copy for the page.  Best to the boys!


  
  
JULY 24, 2004..Morning Trip....Billy, Jimmy, Big Tom and Younger Tom were on the "TAC" this morning and a great start it was.  Flounder, Croakers, Pigfish and other species to round out the great day with a slow start but with 6 nice flounder to show for their efforts, these boys had fun.  Young Tom had a nice fish on when all HECK broke loose as the small fish was swallowed by the SHARK he is holding in the photo.... He held on and fought the shark well although it danged near dragged him out of the boat... what a Trooper!!!  We lost some big ones also but that's fishing...  All in all a great morning when the weather people really blew their forcast.  Our win is their lost.


   
JULY 21, 2004 AFTERNOON TRIP...Mark, his lovely wife Lynn and his daughter Meagan and her friend Aubry fished this afternoon in the Cape Fear River and we had a blast with the girls learning to fish.... they ran the boat, put on bait, did all the beginner stuff and did it well and caught some Croakers, Pigfish, Sharks, and some huge Oyster Crackers to boot!!!  What a Day for two lovely 12 year old girls.  Mom and Dad had fun just watching the girls catch fish and the sharks and there was never a dull moment.  They are ready to go again, but Dad may need a break..Just Check out the photos... Mark may need a day off from Boogieboarding, but he will recover.  Megan and  Aubry, you can fish on my boat anytime and don't forget the Coast Guard's Man Over Board Drill... what a treat.  It is just a thrill helping youngsters get started on the water as fishermen and seeing them really enjoy their first successes as anglers... it does not get any better than this..

   
JULY 21, 2004 MORNING TRIP.....Your could not have Hollywood Scripted a better morning for Fishing than this.... 6:00 AM departure, caught lots of bait, 6:30 out the inlet and the ocean was as calm as a glass table top.... baby bottom smooth and off to the rocks.... Jerry Happy and his buddies Daryl Reichart, his son Zack (later to be known as the Kroaker Killer), Gary Weiger, and Joe Overman fished as hard as any 5 man group I have had and caught numerous Croakers, Pigfish, and various assorted fish but NO flounder... I had lost my charm.... go figure.  But did we have a ball... just ask Jerry.  Just look at the cooler full of fish and we had to buy Ice to keep them cold after the trip.... Just a hoot of a day on the beautiful water off SE NC...  Jerry is already planning a return trip for early September and yes I have Four Boats lined up for you already...  These fellows had a ball and I look forward to early September with Jerry again.


       
JULY 20, 2004....Dean Knowles returned on the scene today and as an old fishing buddy we just had to renew our ties.... he has been busy with his new business and finally got away for a while and we killed the Croakers and Grey Trout.  14 nice Grey Trout (our legal limit) and about 150 Croakers later we were done and only fished for  three  hours.  Perfect conditions...82 degree water and 90 degree air temp and no winds at all.... what a morning.  Dean was at his old fish killing form and we had fun and lots of bites but could not find the elusive Flounder or Drum but what the heck, Dean has fish for a great fish fry.  And does his wife Andrea (Andy to her Friends) know how to cook em up...  Dean, let's do it again soon... or sooner.  There is always room for you and Andy on the "TAC" so let's get a date in place soon...I almost forgot about Clyde, he is welcome too. (their new bloodhound puppy)!

JULY 19, 2004...Hey Guys, getting some calls and emails about the “Citation“ Fish....No, a Citation is not necessarily like a Speeding Ticket!!! In this case, it is a good thing.... If you catch a big fish, the State of NC will give you an “Award“ for your Catch!  It is a very nice 8 by10 Certificate suitable for framing to acknowledge the great job of angling you have done.  Sorry guys, no money or trophys, just bragging rights.... It is a  nice gesture on our state's behalf and does look good on your den or office wall and is a nice way to remember your trip to NC and your Catch as well! I will tell you they are usually mailed out late in the year or at the start of the next year, so do not be in a hurry to purchase your frame.  I took the day off to do some boat maintenance, business, stuff, everything else connected to fishing but not on the water...AND it is RAINING!!!!  Later.

 

JULY 17, 2004... Got to Fish with my old friends Leon and Larry today and boy did we tear them up... These fellows from West Virginia do love to Flounder Fish and they brought a Secret weapon that is still in development and Boy does it work!!!.  On our 5 hour trip the "Fayetteville Fur Ball" Lure caught 10 nice flounder, one being a Citation 5 pounder and the other larger one at 4.8 lbs. and the other 8 keepers just nice fish.  We had 18 throw backs we could not keep due to length (they must be 14 inches long)  and no telling how many biggun's we lost and never saw in our fight with the fish.  Cool day, low humidity, light to no wind, calm seas, and water temp of 80 degrees made for a memorable day.  It could not have been better fishing conditions!  The photos will attest to the fact of that. These men are tough fishermen and the flounder fear them.  Maybe this fall we will be able to catch more and larger fish.  Larry had the catch of the day with the biggest fish and he has the "Lucky Hook" to show for his efforts.  You will have to ask him about the "Netting" story and why the hook is so important... You just had to be there to understand.

    

JULY 16, 2004...PM Trip..... How quickly the Bite can change... Paul ,Dave, His friend Dave and Tim sailed with me from Wrightsville Beach this afternoon and these boys were the "Kroaker Kings!"  We danged near filled up half a 140 quart Cooler with Croakers and Grey Trout and had way too much Fun!  Paul was the Man as he caught more fish than any one else and kept me on my toes fetching bait and throwing fish in the cooler.  It was just a great day with great people on the water.  No humidity, light winds, water in the low 80's.... just a superb day.  The photo speaks for itself.  Nuff Said

JULY 16, 2004... AM Trip...Grandpa Roy, Son Ben, Grandson Cody and Future Son in Law Phil were on the TAC today and it was a hard day of fishing.  Some Grey Trout, Blues, Sharks, and Croakers rounded out our day and it was a beautiful day but rather warm.  Hot, Humid, and Hazy describes it best with slow conditions to start, but a great group of guys.  We had fun.

      
JULY 15, 2004... Had my friends Robin Harkey and relatives and friends from the Charlotte, NC area today and we had a blast.  These folks fish hard and were a great group on the water.  Flounder, Blues, Croakers, and Spanish rounded out our day and lots of laughs.... just look at their faces in the photos.  Just way too much fun!!!  Weather was great in the AM and water was in the low 80's with light winds and high Humidity.  Typical July day in Eastern NC.

   
JULY 14, 2004.... Jimmy Howard the dad and his son Chris joined me today for a fun day on the water and we caught 7 nice Flounder, 2 Bluefish, Croakers, and just all in all had a great day on the water.  We just had a ball with the nice Flounder you see Chris holding and he was the Hit of the Day with his big catches... he really outfished his Dad but a good time was had by one and all.  The Flounder were in the three and a half to Four and a half pound range...They will be back and the rest of the family will be with us on the next trip.

 JULY 12, 2004… no trip but have the camera repaired and ready for the next trip.  Best to all and I will try and keep you posted on the “TAC” and the fishing here in SE NC.

 
JULY 6, 2004 ....Afternoon Trip... Joel went and this afternoon's Spanish Bite was very good.  Just check out the photo.  Calm Seas and beautiful ocean water made for a great trip and no rain to run us off.  I am sure they will fry up just fine.  16 Spanish was the final tally and for a couple of hours it was a great day!
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JULY 6, 2004...MorningTrip...Adam and Mian fished today and Spanish were the hit to start with.  After the morning bite ended, we moved in to inside waters and tried to find the drum and flounder but our luck did not hold as the dredging of CB Inlet has the water messed up!  Went to the river and had a blast with Nice Croakers on light tackle and a few other species of fish. A great four hour trip for this lovely couple.

JULY 5, 2004... Family stuff today , but found out the Big Flounder last weekwas 13 and one half pounds taken by a local angler.... Nice fish.  Also a lot of 5 to 10 pounders have been weighed in so things are seriously looking up...  Gotta go fishing to CATCH one.

JULY 4, 2004... Afternoon Trip..Bill and the family joined me for a great WET afternoon of inshore fishing for Croakers and Flounder and one small Red drum..... The lightning and the rain kept us on the run and close to the ramp just in case.. we never had a problem but we did get wet and laugh a lot, but it was a really cool day to be out.

JULY 4, 2004... Morning Trip...Happy Independence Day!  Had Dave, Lori, and Andy from Winston Salem today and a lovely morning it was... great water and some light breezes gave us a chance to start nearshore for Spanish and finish the day in the peace and quiet of the Cape Fear River...  Croakers were strong, no flounder or drum today, and lots of small sharks.... just an interesting day overall.

JULY 2, 2004... Fished the inlets and waterways today with a nice family from Fayetteville and lots of Bluefish, Croakers, and one NICE KEEPER DRUM made the day.  I have seen lots of small flounder being caught and released so things are picking up for all the baitdragers.  Also lots of keeper flounder being caught all over the place and heard one huge one was caught today.  More details to follow as I find out about this fish.  Overall, the fishing is picking up but we still have the westerlies blowing and afternoonThunderboomers.  Water temp low 80's but the water quality is sure improving.  Tight lines to all.

      June 29, 2004
            “Fishing Tournament”                     

JUNE 29, 2004... What a Day!!! We had A Two Boat trip (Capt. Robert of Carolina Explorer was the second boat) with a corporate group from the food supplement industry
located here in NC. With a Rainy Start to the trip our plans were to have an informal fishing tourney between the two boats. After a brief wait for the skies to clear and some hot coffee and doughnuts watching the sun rise over the Atlantic, we got off the dock and proceeded to catch our live bait and head out in tandem to our first fishing hole where Jamie won the First Fish Award as he landed a nice 16 inch flounder. Just a few minutes later, Jamie hooked into another nice fish, which turned out to be a 26 INCH LONG, 22 INCH GIRTH, SEVEN AND ONE HALF POUND FLOUNDER you see pictured (and this fish at the end of the day won the Largest Fish Division of the tourney!) Can you say"Citation"? After a few more fish, we pulled to a sandbar at Low Tide and grill up some fine Hot Dogs and Burgers with fresh Tomatoes and all the side items for a great beach meal. After chasing the small Horseshoe Crabs and exploring the mud bank with the tide coming in, we cleaned up and started our afternoon fishing session. Robert's boat quickly landed four flounders and some other finfish to capture the afternoon awards, but Jamie's fish held up under stiff competition to remain the King of the Day. With threatening skies building once again and the roll of some Thunder, we decided to call it a day and head back to the landing, fishing a few spots on our return trip. A great day was had by everyone, and as one of the participants stated, "Sure beats playing golf in the Rain"! The group photo of these characters at the end of the day says it all. Thanks to Greta (who is a fine fisherman in her own right) and all the guys for a most enjoyable day. Jamie should be receiving his NC Citation Award for his fine Flounder in the near future.


 
JUNE 28th, 2004.... Mark and his daughter Jenny fished today and Jenny is getting good with the cast net, so good that she caught some large jumping mullet for bait and some large enough that we fileted them for a barbeque with the "Down East" recipe.  Unfortunantly, her Dad Mark caught the two beautiful flounder today (but Jenny had them the last trip to brag on...how quickly the tide can turn!)  Wind very light early on but came a blow of 15 or more about ten o'clock, ran us out of the river and tried some more spots.  Fun day, they will be back soon.  Jenny has to try and reclaim her spot as the "Top Dog" fisherman on the next trip!

         
JUNE 27th, 2004... Charlie the Dad and Jeff the Son joined "TAC" for a trip today and Jeff scored the nice 5 pound 10 ounce Flounder pictured above... it gave him a fit on the light tackle but that is the true sport of it All!!  Charlie was a great sport since the son got a nice fish and with his final year of Medical School approaching, Jeff probably will have some great memories about this fish to get him through all the studying he will have to do this year.  Wind from the south, water temp low 80's, overcast and breezy conditions prevailed.  Beautiful seas due to west southwest winds.

JUNE 25, 2004... No trip today but from other Captain's a fair day out there... beats doing yardwork and office duties.  Maybe tomorrow.......

   
JUNE 23, 2004... Dennis and his son Joseph from Sparta, NC  joined  me on the river today for a fun day of fishing and Three Puppy Drum later we were in good shape.  Beautiful Summer Weather for Eastern NC prevailed with light South Western winds and fair Temps.  Water Temp was 82 degrees.  Calm Seas made the trip even better on the shoals and Live Bait worked its wonders once again.  Tried inside the cuts for Flounder and Bluefish but the day was only a Drum kind of day.  Dennis the Dad caught the largest Drum at 25 inches and had a ball on the Light Tackle. Not the smallmouth bass they are used to, but still a lot of fun.  Just a great day overall.  Look forward to seeing these folks back in September.

        
JUNE 22, 2004...Three South Carolinians joined me today on the river and we had a great time.  Tim Dowey, Scott Taylor, and Corey Taylor (pictured) caught Mullet, Croakers, Flounder, and  Beautiful Red Drum.  Corey had a ball with the fish and and is having it on the grill tonight.  These fellows were a lot of fun and very seaworthy.  Sharks showed up but not in the massive quantity that we have had recently.  Wind from the South to Southwest and blowing 15 or better... a hard day on the water but most enjoyable.  Water temp 82 degrees and river very muddy. Corey, come on back anytime.

 
JUNE 20th, 2004... The Welburn family from Asheville had a time.  Sharks and Bluefish and Pigfish, Croakers, and Mullet made the trip fun.  Lots of action for the kids with the sharks.  Wind and more wind once again.  Dylan and Hunter had fun under trying conditions but they will be back this fall. Ernie, thank you for the picture.  It was a pleasure meeting you and your family and I look forward to see you this fall for your fall trip.

JUNE 19th, 2004... Four fine young men from the Army stationed at Ft. Bragg.  Windy and blowing, it was a day of hard fishing with short results.  The fellows did have some filets to carry home though, but everywhere we fished from Southport to the Creeks north of Snow's Cut we would catch a few fish then get covered up by small sharks.  Windy again, water 78 degrees.

JUNE 18th, 2004... Ran into an old buddy from the Outer Banks and tried to fish.  Wind was howling and the ICW was a froth.... not much to report but a nice and breezy day on the water.... David, maybe next time.

 
JUNE 17th, 2004... A “Two Boat” trip today with Captain Robert of the “Carolina Explorer” and two fine families who had an informal fishing contest.... In the photo above you can see Jimmy locked on to a nice Trout.  Robert's boat won the event by a few fish but a great time was had by everyone.  We could anchor near each other and trade Jibs and Insults as the day progressed.  An Inshore Slam occurred... a Speckled Trout, Flounder, and Red Drum led the event.  Weather once again was beautiful, light winds, and water at 79 degrees.  If you have a larger party we can arrange for more than one boat to assist you in your plans.

 
JUNE 16th, 2004... BRICE is the Man!  He caught some beautiful Speckled Trout and outfished the other 4 men!  He was a lot of fun to have on the “TAC“ and can fish with me anytime he wants, as long as he brings his golden horseshoe along with him!  The Harris party had a great time picking on Brice about his walk back home after he caught all the fish.  He smiled all day long.  Once again, light winds and beautiful skies, water temp 81 today and perfect conditions.

                  
JUNE 15th, 2004... David Emery an old friend joined me for an afternoon on the Shoals for some fine Puppy Drum fishing.  Live Bait and strong line produced this fine fish Dave is holding.  The ocean drum are very silver right now and full of fight... loads of fun on light tackle and the weather once again was beautiful... light winds from the South, water temp of 78 degrees, clear skies and low humidity this day.  All fish were promptly released in good health to fight again.

                                    
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JUNE  9, 2004... Back on the bar at sundown but the fish did not show up till later... three caught and released from the shallows again on Live Bait and Shrimp. The new boat “TAC“ is working well and awaiting your arrival to try it out!  There are fish arriving daily....Mullets, Spots, Flander, Black Drum and more as well so book your charter before the season gets completely full.

                             
JUNE 7, 2004... A great evening of fishing, Low tide (1800 hours) and Puppy Drum on the shelf.  Total of four caught and released.  Overcast skies, light winds, mid 80's in temp.  All on live and cut bait in the shallows.  The season has gotten off to a great start and we look forward to fishing with you soon.