Spring is in the air and the tell-tale signs are all around us. There are drum showing up in the surf, speckled trout have been caught in the sound and inland rivers are producing a nice catch of rockfish. What’s more, the weather is warming up so fair weather fishers (like me) are actually getting out there and giving it a try.
Commercial fishing
Hyde County had some of the first trawlers come in from ocean flounder fishing last week. This is great news for our local economy because boats haven‘t been able to pack out locally this winter. Because of the treacherous condition of Oregon Inlet, those that went out mostly stayed north to unpack their catch. Lots of boats didn’t even leave their home ports. A crew aboard the Charles D. Smith (out of Atlantic) unpacked a pretty catch of flounder at Sammie Williams Seafood in Engelhard Wednesday and Captain Alex (Swan Quarter) came into Hobo Seafood in Swan Quarter to pack out on Thursday. Obviously, they made it through the inlet safely, but I heard they bumped bottom pretty good. Oregon Inlet is our local fleet’s outlet to the Atlantic and it is constantly changing and shoaling. The fight to keep the inlet open is older than I am and very expensive. Actually, it can cost upwards of 20 million annually to keep it open. The other option for commercial vessels is to head down to Beaufort. But, it takes 28 hours to steam down to Beaufort Inlet to get out into the ocean. Then, they have to head back north to get to the fishery, wasting time and fuel. It’s kind of like the old saying about taking the long way to get to your elbow.
Boating safety
Shoaling is present in many of our local waters and those navigating a vessel should be mindful of these ever-changing channels. You don’t want to be like the crew aboard Honey Badger. This crew of blow boaters got the wind knocked out of their sails near Stumpy Point when they ran aground in January. The boat was a loss and they were lucky to get out alive. A Coast Guard crew had to air lift them out. Don‘t be a Honey Badger.
Inland fishing
The secretive bunch of fishers haven’t been bragging too loudly, but a few loose lips had some good stories to tell last week. I heard of a nice catch of speckled trout in the waters of the western Pamlico Sound. Last year the specks made a nice showing in the eastern Pamlico around Rodanthe. Hopefully this year we will have another nice season, starting on the mainland and moving to the island. One of my old-time fishing buddies told me a secret about the yellow butterflies being a good indicator of speckled trout biting. That being said, I saw a yellow butterfly fluttering along Stumpy Point highway. Here come the specks!
Blue gill and white perch have also been a good bet for inner banks anglers. I saw a cooler full caught in one of the ponds around Hyde County.
Captain Richard Andrews of Tar-Pam Charters has been shad fishing in the Roanoke River. The fish are fat and full of roe and his parties have been having a good time angling for them. He even had a UNC-TV crew aboard to film the action recently, so look for our local stars on public television in the coming weeks.
With the shad making such a good showing, this is great news for the striped bass fishery. Capt. Andrews said stripers have been found around Washington in the Pamlico River, as well as the lower Roanoke River.
Beach fishing
Nothing cures the winter doldrums better than a deep breath of salt air and this is a great time to go out and get some. The village of Ocracoke is quaint and quiet right now and fish are starting to show up in the surf. Some of the local boys have been catching puppy drum, as well as big citation drum on the beach, according to the folks at Tradewinds Bait and Tackle. A few bluefish and dogfish have also been biting. I was going to head out during a trip to the island last week, but I spent my beach driving money at Gaffers. Beach driving rules are now in effect, but this is still a “transition period” so you could play dumb and head out there without paying $120 for your yearly permit ($50 for a week). I was going to try it last week, but considering my luck, I chickened out. I’m not telling you to break the rules - I’m just saying.
Don’t forget to sign the petition.
Hatteras folks are also having some good luck out on the beaches with drum, as well as some puffer fish and blues.
Offshore, the days of bluefin tuna fishing are numbered, but there has still been some news of nice catches in the Atlantic near our ports. Blackfin tuna and yellowfin are also a good bet aboard boats out of Ocracoke and Hatteras.
Tell me a fishing story!
Whether you caught or missed the big one, I want to share your fishing story with the folks in eastern North Carolina. Send me an email at
megpieinthesky@gmail.com or post a comment on my blog. Until next time, keep your line or net in the water and fish on and on!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Fishing report, Feb. 29
Fishing report, published Feb. 29 in the Beaufort-Hyde Newspaper
Back to being a fishing columnist, I am happy to say I’ve found my place in this world. I love fishing and everyone who does it. Thanks so much to the folks that had kind words to say about the new feature in the Beaufort-Hyde newspapar and thanks to everyone who’s supplied me with the information. Fishermen have to stick together and I’m glad to provide an outlet for your plights.
Commercial fishing
Even though I didn’t technically have a Valentine on Valentines Day, I had a trawl boater out there thinking of me. He was a few weeks late for the official day of love, but he came home bearing gifts that get strait to a fisher-girl’s heart - seashells and fresh seafood. That’s romance at it’s finest.
One lucky girl (Angie) got some cool shells from the catch aboard Commercial Trawler Joyce D. I found zebra mollusks very interesting when my buddy Toby called me up to tell me about them. The striped pattern is unusual and beautiful, but a zebra mollusk is an invasive species and it doesn’t belong here. He said they get here by attaching to the hulls of international freighters. They can threaten native mollusk species, so fishermen are asked to report such catches. According to National Atlas.gov, the species can inflict harm to humans, too. They colonize at such a high rate, they can pose threats to navigation and do serious damage to water intake valves of facilities that rely on fresh water. I guess you could compare zebra mollusks to mermaids - pretty to look at but very dangerous. Boat boys are always wishing to catch one of them, too. I know one that did.
In the Pamlico Sound, a few commercial folks have been crabbing, but there’s not much to it. Oyster season - which was one of the least productive in recent memory - is over.
Beach access
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore is hands down my favorite place in the whole world. The pristine shores have made for some of the best beach days and fishing excursions ever. Driving my purple Jeep out on the beach with a rod rack and a cooler full of the day’s provisions is one of the reasons I pick the Seashore for my beach time. It’s something I’ve always considered a right and a privilege.
This year’s different, though. Thanks to a bunch of environmentalists, our favorite form of recreation now comes with a list of rules, regulations and a hefty price tag. You have to watch a redundant video and pay upwards of $120 for an annual beach driving permit ($50 for a week). To be honest, the onset of the rule made me cry. I spent upwards of four years partnering with stakeholder groups to fight for fair beach access. But, we got beat. At the end of the day, it seemed it didn’t matter.megpieinthesky@gmail.com or post a comment on my blog meganshawfishin.blogspot.com. Until next time, keep your line or net in the water and fish on and on!
But, like all good Tar Heels, beach access advocates aren’t going to give up without a fight.
The Cape Hatteras Access Preservation Alliance has filed a lawsuit against the federal government for what we believe is an alienation of our rights. Thank this great group for helping to make sure we don’t give up on the fight for our rights to beach access. The Cape Hatteras Access Preservation Alliance has filed a complaint against the National Park Service for allienation of our rights. Click here to learn more about CHAPA and to show your support.
The N.C. Beach Buggy Association is another good bunch of beach drivers fighting the good fight for your rights on our shores. Click here to learn more about the club, including advocacy efforts and membership information. Tell Jim and Dottie I said hello.
Both of these groups have been instrumental in circulating an online petition to oppose these strict access rules.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION.
Salt water fishing
Jam at Teach’s Lair in Hatteras Village reported a few puppy drum and a few keeper flounder in the surf. There have also been reports of some puffer fish caught around Buxton.
Hatteras boaters have been able to find some big bluefin tuna. Weather conditions have limited the amount of trips. As things start to warm up, the bluefin fishing will wane. Then, we can start looking for dolphin and wahoo.
Closer to the gulf stream, Ocracoke boaters have found wahoo, triggers and scattered dolphin fishing.’
I haven’t heard much about inshore fishing, but there’s been talk of the potential for an early drum season with the mild winter we’ve had.
In Ocracoke, things are a little slow in the surf, but there has been whispers of red drum showing up in the surf, along with some keeper puppy drum. Keep the faith and get out there. Presently, the National Park Service is acknowledging a “transition period” with the beach access permits. So, you won’t get in too much trouble if you go out without a permit. I’m not telling you to break the rules, I’m just saying…..
Inland fishing
Striper fishing in the Roanoke River has been the talk of the town lately. Capt. Richard Andrews of Tar-Pam Guide Service has proven the success time and time again. Eels (ew!) are a good bait to use, but for those of us who are squeamish, I’ve found some good artificial eels that I can actually stand to touch. Eels are horrible. We used to catch them from time to time when I fished with my pop as a kid. Boy, what a racket! We would scream until Pop cut off their heads. Then, we’d scream even more when the headless little slime balls kept right on squirming. Yuck.
The Wildlife Resources Commission’s season for keeping stripers ends on April 30, so Capt. Andrews advises you to get in on this action soon! He also made another thoughtful point for all you eel haters. Mirolures, while good bait for the specks he’s found in the Pamlico River, are also great for striper fishing. Who would have thought!
Right now, the moon is full and can't hold lots of water. Technically, the moon is dry and doesn’t have oceans or lakes, but when it’s at a thin crescent, that means freshwater fishing is at it’s finest. Hence the saying, it looks like it will hold water. You freshwater folks are a secretive bunch and I respect that. But, I know you’re out there doing something because you’re mighty quiet about it.
Tell me a fishing story!
Whether you’ve got a line or a net in the water, I want to share your fishing story with the folks in eastern North Carolina. Send me an email at megpieinthesky@gmail.com or post a comment on my blog meganshawfishin.blogspot.com. Until next time, keep your line or net in the water and fish on and on!
Back to being a fishing columnist, I am happy to say I’ve found my place in this world. I love fishing and everyone who does it. Thanks so much to the folks that had kind words to say about the new feature in the Beaufort-Hyde newspapar and thanks to everyone who’s supplied me with the information. Fishermen have to stick together and I’m glad to provide an outlet for your plights.
Commercial fishing
Even though I didn’t technically have a Valentine on Valentines Day, I had a trawl boater out there thinking of me. He was a few weeks late for the official day of love, but he came home bearing gifts that get strait to a fisher-girl’s heart - seashells and fresh seafood. That’s romance at it’s finest.
One lucky girl (Angie) got some cool shells from the catch aboard Commercial Trawler Joyce D. I found zebra mollusks very interesting when my buddy Toby called me up to tell me about them. The striped pattern is unusual and beautiful, but a zebra mollusk is an invasive species and it doesn’t belong here. He said they get here by attaching to the hulls of international freighters. They can threaten native mollusk species, so fishermen are asked to report such catches. According to National Atlas.gov, the species can inflict harm to humans, too. They colonize at such a high rate, they can pose threats to navigation and do serious damage to water intake valves of facilities that rely on fresh water. I guess you could compare zebra mollusks to mermaids - pretty to look at but very dangerous. Boat boys are always wishing to catch one of them, too. I know one that did.
In the Pamlico Sound, a few commercial folks have been crabbing, but there’s not much to it. Oyster season - which was one of the least productive in recent memory - is over.
Beach access
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore is hands down my favorite place in the whole world. The pristine shores have made for some of the best beach days and fishing excursions ever. Driving my purple Jeep out on the beach with a rod rack and a cooler full of the day’s provisions is one of the reasons I pick the Seashore for my beach time. It’s something I’ve always considered a right and a privilege.
This year’s different, though. Thanks to a bunch of environmentalists, our favorite form of recreation now comes with a list of rules, regulations and a hefty price tag. You have to watch a redundant video and pay upwards of $120 for an annual beach driving permit ($50 for a week). To be honest, the onset of the rule made me cry. I spent upwards of four years partnering with stakeholder groups to fight for fair beach access. But, we got beat. At the end of the day, it seemed it didn’t matter.megpieinthesky@gmail.com or post a comment on my blog meganshawfishin.blogspot.com. Until next time, keep your line or net in the water and fish on and on!
 |
| Fishing on Oregon Inlet last summer. |
The Cape Hatteras Access Preservation Alliance has filed a lawsuit against the federal government for what we believe is an alienation of our rights. Thank this great group for helping to make sure we don’t give up on the fight for our rights to beach access. The Cape Hatteras Access Preservation Alliance has filed a complaint against the National Park Service for allienation of our rights. Click here to learn more about CHAPA and to show your support.
The N.C. Beach Buggy Association is another good bunch of beach drivers fighting the good fight for your rights on our shores. Click here to learn more about the club, including advocacy efforts and membership information. Tell Jim and Dottie I said hello.
Both of these groups have been instrumental in circulating an online petition to oppose these strict access rules.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION.
Salt water fishing
Jam at Teach’s Lair in Hatteras Village reported a few puppy drum and a few keeper flounder in the surf. There have also been reports of some puffer fish caught around Buxton.
Hatteras boaters have been able to find some big bluefin tuna. Weather conditions have limited the amount of trips. As things start to warm up, the bluefin fishing will wane. Then, we can start looking for dolphin and wahoo.
Closer to the gulf stream, Ocracoke boaters have found wahoo, triggers and scattered dolphin fishing.’
I haven’t heard much about inshore fishing, but there’s been talk of the potential for an early drum season with the mild winter we’ve had.
In Ocracoke, things are a little slow in the surf, but there has been whispers of red drum showing up in the surf, along with some keeper puppy drum. Keep the faith and get out there. Presently, the National Park Service is acknowledging a “transition period” with the beach access permits. So, you won’t get in too much trouble if you go out without a permit. I’m not telling you to break the rules, I’m just saying…..
Inland fishing
Striper fishing in the Roanoke River has been the talk of the town lately. Capt. Richard Andrews of Tar-Pam Guide Service has proven the success time and time again. Eels (ew!) are a good bait to use, but for those of us who are squeamish, I’ve found some good artificial eels that I can actually stand to touch. Eels are horrible. We used to catch them from time to time when I fished with my pop as a kid. Boy, what a racket! We would scream until Pop cut off their heads. Then, we’d scream even more when the headless little slime balls kept right on squirming. Yuck.
The Wildlife Resources Commission’s season for keeping stripers ends on April 30, so Capt. Andrews advises you to get in on this action soon! He also made another thoughtful point for all you eel haters. Mirolures, while good bait for the specks he’s found in the Pamlico River, are also great for striper fishing. Who would have thought!
Right now, the moon is full and can't hold lots of water. Technically, the moon is dry and doesn’t have oceans or lakes, but when it’s at a thin crescent, that means freshwater fishing is at it’s finest. Hence the saying, it looks like it will hold water. You freshwater folks are a secretive bunch and I respect that. But, I know you’re out there doing something because you’re mighty quiet about it.
Tell me a fishing story!
Whether you’ve got a line or a net in the water, I want to share your fishing story with the folks in eastern North Carolina. Send me an email at megpieinthesky@gmail.com or post a comment on my blog meganshawfishin.blogspot.com. Until next time, keep your line or net in the water and fish on and on!
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