jfishnfool
05-12-2009, 10:48 AM
Atlantic Beach Nc Report
May 6th,7th &8th
Target species: what ever bit the hook..LOL below is most of what we caught. I forgot a few fish.
Triggerfish, Silver Snapper, American Snapper, Vermillion Snapper, Hogfish,Grunts,Mahi Mahi, Amberjack, Strawberry Grouper, Gag Grouper, Red Grouper, Scamp Grouper, Porgies, Black Sea Bass,
Weather: Wed(15-20 SSW waves 3-5)
Thurs(heavy rain/ lightning ,high winds20-30 gusts to over 40 at times, 4-6 waves with bigger to make it fun.)
Fri( 15-25 SW seas 3-5 with bigger rollers at times)
air temp- all three days in the 80's humidity was at 85%
water temp- 70-72
depth fished- 100 to 125
distance to fishing grounds- 37 to 44
baits used- mackerel strips, Humboldt squid mantle strips, live baits.
Artificial used- buck tails, diamond jigs, T-Hex 8oz jig.
First day we steamed at 15 knots to the grounds thru some close packed waves at times it looked like a washing machine churning. After a 3hr steam we all high low rigs with a 2/0 and 3/0 hook baited with squid and mack. As soon as it hit bottom you either were on with a trigger or your bait was stolen. Looks like we hit the mother load of triggers, with most either having one but others bringing up a double of fat triggers. After 3 hrs of almost non-stop action with a few boat adjustments we had almost 100 in the box. Capt moved us off those fish and next stop we had a nice pic of triggers, Vermillion snapper and silver snapper coming over the rails. There were a few short grouper caught and one kept a nice strawberry grouper a beautiful fish, after that the capt. drops down a half of a bunker and a 12/0 circle hook, not 30 seconds his rod is doubled over and he fights a nice Red Grouper to the gaff. We all kept filling the box with our mixed bag of fish and headed back around 230pm After weighing the catch at the dock our first days tally was about 390 lbs of fish.
forgot we caught two mahi one gaffer the other a chicken.
Second Day we met at the dock to be greeted by cloudy skies with storms in the forecast thru out the day. The capt gave us the option to either fish inside 1/2 day for bluefish and mackerel, i opted to not head out in these conditions, not for myself but for our 6 pack, well we headed out anyway with building seas and high winds putting out at maybe 12 knots, felt like it took all day to get out 30 miles. we were greeted to 4-6 with some larger to keep you on your toes, next came the lightning and heavy rain. What fun.. The rain was warm and the fishing was good for me, I decided to go with just a grouper rig today, while the other were bringing up nice sized silver snapper and Vermillion snapper, when someone would have a junk fish on Id take it and drop it down, it didn’t take long to feel the small fish getting nervous and then what felt like thud-thud-thud and next my rod is doubled over, tring to get a few cranks up off the bottom wasnt as easy as i thought, after getting some line back on the reel the fish came up and we had our first red grouper in the box about 18lbs. The day ended with me having 6 grouper a few were short 3 went in the box biggest about 28lbs and rest of the crew boxing a mixed bag of bottom dwellers. I believe weight tally was only about 220lbs for our trip.
The last day of the trip we headed out in slight overcast skies same 3-5 waves made it to the 37-40 mile mark and started catching nice size Vermillion off the bat. today they didn’t want the squid just mack, bite slowed capt pulled anchor moved to another part of the ledges and we had a super pick of Vermillion, silver snapper, nice sea bass, like the day before i waited for some fresh live baits, first to go down on my hook was a sand bass, waited about 5 minutes and bait started to get nervous then all hell broke loose when i set the hook, i thought i was under gunned using my GUSA80 mega mag with saltiga 20, but once i got a few cranks on the fish it came up slow and steady, nice Gag about 20lbs in the box few minutes later mike gave me another sand bass dropped down and within seconds i was hooked up again another nice Gag man they fight better then the scamp and red grouper, this one went about 17lbs. I tried bigger baits only to either pull the bait out of the fish’s mouth and 3 times i had my leader get cut i figure from a shark or gill plate. While i was fooling around with the grouper the rest of the guys were filling the totes and i decided to help Mike get in on the grouper bite i took my rig off put it on his rod and dropped a bait down, mike said his boat was jumping around and next thing i know his rod is doubled over and the fight was on, real nice fish, after about 10 minutes of up and down battle I can see color and Mikes fish, not a grouper it was a nice reef donkey (amberjack) about 30lbs, brought to the gaff and that finished out our fishing trip. On the way back I was beat and fell asleep i was woken up to a loud noise kind of like a whoosh and a scary Boom!!!! I jump up from my sleep thinking the engine blew and I was going to the life raft up on top of the boat..LOL As i jump up i look out the window to see a jet fighter only what looked to be 10ft off the water flying by...they were out all 3 days doing mock dog fights in our area, but never came that close, when we got back to the dock we ended up with 307lbs of fish for the day and i forgot Sandy caught a nice American snapper also about 12lbs.
WORKING ON POSTING PICS...
May 6th,7th &8th
Target species: what ever bit the hook..LOL below is most of what we caught. I forgot a few fish.
Triggerfish, Silver Snapper, American Snapper, Vermillion Snapper, Hogfish,Grunts,Mahi Mahi, Amberjack, Strawberry Grouper, Gag Grouper, Red Grouper, Scamp Grouper, Porgies, Black Sea Bass,
Weather: Wed(15-20 SSW waves 3-5)
Thurs(heavy rain/ lightning ,high winds20-30 gusts to over 40 at times, 4-6 waves with bigger to make it fun.)
Fri( 15-25 SW seas 3-5 with bigger rollers at times)
air temp- all three days in the 80's humidity was at 85%
water temp- 70-72
depth fished- 100 to 125
distance to fishing grounds- 37 to 44
baits used- mackerel strips, Humboldt squid mantle strips, live baits.
Artificial used- buck tails, diamond jigs, T-Hex 8oz jig.
First day we steamed at 15 knots to the grounds thru some close packed waves at times it looked like a washing machine churning. After a 3hr steam we all high low rigs with a 2/0 and 3/0 hook baited with squid and mack. As soon as it hit bottom you either were on with a trigger or your bait was stolen. Looks like we hit the mother load of triggers, with most either having one but others bringing up a double of fat triggers. After 3 hrs of almost non-stop action with a few boat adjustments we had almost 100 in the box. Capt moved us off those fish and next stop we had a nice pic of triggers, Vermillion snapper and silver snapper coming over the rails. There were a few short grouper caught and one kept a nice strawberry grouper a beautiful fish, after that the capt. drops down a half of a bunker and a 12/0 circle hook, not 30 seconds his rod is doubled over and he fights a nice Red Grouper to the gaff. We all kept filling the box with our mixed bag of fish and headed back around 230pm After weighing the catch at the dock our first days tally was about 390 lbs of fish.
forgot we caught two mahi one gaffer the other a chicken.
Second Day we met at the dock to be greeted by cloudy skies with storms in the forecast thru out the day. The capt gave us the option to either fish inside 1/2 day for bluefish and mackerel, i opted to not head out in these conditions, not for myself but for our 6 pack, well we headed out anyway with building seas and high winds putting out at maybe 12 knots, felt like it took all day to get out 30 miles. we were greeted to 4-6 with some larger to keep you on your toes, next came the lightning and heavy rain. What fun.. The rain was warm and the fishing was good for me, I decided to go with just a grouper rig today, while the other were bringing up nice sized silver snapper and Vermillion snapper, when someone would have a junk fish on Id take it and drop it down, it didn’t take long to feel the small fish getting nervous and then what felt like thud-thud-thud and next my rod is doubled over, tring to get a few cranks up off the bottom wasnt as easy as i thought, after getting some line back on the reel the fish came up and we had our first red grouper in the box about 18lbs. The day ended with me having 6 grouper a few were short 3 went in the box biggest about 28lbs and rest of the crew boxing a mixed bag of bottom dwellers. I believe weight tally was only about 220lbs for our trip.
The last day of the trip we headed out in slight overcast skies same 3-5 waves made it to the 37-40 mile mark and started catching nice size Vermillion off the bat. today they didn’t want the squid just mack, bite slowed capt pulled anchor moved to another part of the ledges and we had a super pick of Vermillion, silver snapper, nice sea bass, like the day before i waited for some fresh live baits, first to go down on my hook was a sand bass, waited about 5 minutes and bait started to get nervous then all hell broke loose when i set the hook, i thought i was under gunned using my GUSA80 mega mag with saltiga 20, but once i got a few cranks on the fish it came up slow and steady, nice Gag about 20lbs in the box few minutes later mike gave me another sand bass dropped down and within seconds i was hooked up again another nice Gag man they fight better then the scamp and red grouper, this one went about 17lbs. I tried bigger baits only to either pull the bait out of the fish’s mouth and 3 times i had my leader get cut i figure from a shark or gill plate. While i was fooling around with the grouper the rest of the guys were filling the totes and i decided to help Mike get in on the grouper bite i took my rig off put it on his rod and dropped a bait down, mike said his boat was jumping around and next thing i know his rod is doubled over and the fight was on, real nice fish, after about 10 minutes of up and down battle I can see color and Mikes fish, not a grouper it was a nice reef donkey (amberjack) about 30lbs, brought to the gaff and that finished out our fishing trip. On the way back I was beat and fell asleep i was woken up to a loud noise kind of like a whoosh and a scary Boom!!!! I jump up from my sleep thinking the engine blew and I was going to the life raft up on top of the boat..LOL As i jump up i look out the window to see a jet fighter only what looked to be 10ft off the water flying by...they were out all 3 days doing mock dog fights in our area, but never came that close, when we got back to the dock we ended up with 307lbs of fish for the day and i forgot Sandy caught a nice American snapper also about 12lbs.
WORKING ON POSTING PICS...