Hey, if you haven’t yet voted for the Proposed Policy & Procedures rules click the link below:

Count My Vote

As a North Carolina native. Mike started his fishing experiences on small freshwater ponds when he was about 7 years old.  Around the age of 11 he started fishing the ‘Big Salt’, mainly from piers. His first efforts on the pier were mostly bottom and bobber fishing but then he began to notice others bringing in much bigger catches. After he watched anglers on the Cherry Grove pier bringing in 32 to 35-pound King Mackerel, he knew that he had to step up his game. He says that learning the craft of fishing is a never-ending process that takes more than a lifetime because there are always new techniques and equipment. He recalls asking others for bits and pieces of advice which they were usually happy to provide. In particular, he remembers Kenny Underwood that was always willing to share his wealth of fishing lore with him and many others. Mike credits Underwood for developing the technique of using floats.  Certainly, ‘Pier Fishing’ seems to be a communal-social experience that differs uniquely from other types of angling endeavors.

Mike says that fishing for Kings’ is not for the anxious, timid, or those without a great deal of patience but that the rewards are worth the wait! Like all of the ‘honest’ fisherfolk, you sometimes go home skunked. Mike confessed that on a bad run it might be an 8 to 10-day stretch without a sizable catch. But once you do get on a nice-sized King, you are in for a 15 to 30-minute battle. A hooked King, he says, will usually take go straight away from you. A big one can take out as much as 400 yards of line before turning and charging back – challenging you to take up slack and keep a tight line. The only thing to worry about after tiring the fish and bringing it to the net, is to hope that a hungry shark hasn’t followed it to the pier! So, King fishing requires both patience and luck. Mike’s largest King was a 38-pound brute that he landed off the Sunset Beach Fishing Pier in 2017!

When asked about his gear and terminal tackle, Mike said that he uses a 5’ 6”-ft Star rod with a Penn Fathom reel, spooled with about 450 yards of 50-lb braid. That’s a nice reel with a 4.3:1 gear ratio!  A 60-lb wire leader ends with double #4 treble hooks. Live bait is a must for Kings and he harvests his own array of small bluefish, spots or pin fish while he waits for the big one!

Mike has done well recently and has filets from three mackerel in his freezer. I asked him about his culinary preferences. He likes to filet the fish after cutting out the lateral line and removing the skin. Best cooked, he says, with a selection of marinades and grilled! Hmm, sounds delicious! Mike’s “Bucket List” includes catching a 30 to 40-lb cobia. Perhaps by sight casting with surface lures on a guided trip. Maybe a good goal for late April through June, or until the King Mackerel season heats up!

Mike fishes for Kings as many as 5 days a week June through October, with some time off in August when it is too hot and humid. But you might see him on the bridges at Vereen Park in Calabash or The River Walk in Shallotte. Wherever you find him, he is always most noticeable in his well-worn, floppy wide-brimmed hat. And he is always ready to take time out for a chat or to trade advice and fish stories.

Sponsor’s Page

Now here’s a good deal for our Sea Trail Fishing Club Members: Show your up-to-date Membership Card to our Club Sponsors and get some serious discounts on guided fishing trips, fishing tackle, food and lots more. The discounts alone are enough to offset the costs of the STFC Membership at only $20 for the coming year!

Act now and renew your membership for the 2024 fishing season. If you are not planning on attending this month’s meeting, send your check for $20 made out to Sea Trail Fishing Club to Alan Trojan, 917 Wedge Pointe Dr., Sunset Beach, NC, 28468.

If you are a new member or have not filled out the Liability Waiver, please go to our Tournament Rules page and download the form to send along with your check.

AND while you are at it, this is a good time to sign up for the 2023-2024 Fishing Tournament! Rules, forms and fees are listed on the page as well!

Braid to Leader Knot

Hey STFC Members, Here’s a problem -solver for those like me who struggle to find an easy way to tie on another leader to my braid line. It’s call ed the Yukatan Knot. If you know it, more power to you. If knot (: check out this YouTube video:

Yukatan Knot

Hey! Don’t miss the up-coming Pot-Luck this Saturday!

SIGN UP NOW by sending your name, number of guests and the category of your favorite pot-luck dish that you will be bring to Alan Trojan at AlanTrojan7@gmail.com.

The club picnic will be held Saturday, September 23rd at the Seaside United Methodist Church, 1300 Seaside Road SW, in Sunset Beach.  Setup will start around 10:00 a.m. with food service from around 11:30 a.m until 1 p.m. 

We’re going to try something different this year: a fish fry! Mike Griffin has generously agreed to provide his cookers and his fish frying skills for the event. We need YOU to help by getting out there and catching fish! If you can help, please let me know and I’ll make sure you get the details. Remember, the picnic will be held in the middle of flounder season, so no excuses for not providing fish. Of course, we can fry just about anything you catch: whiting; pompano; trout; drum; croaker; even mullet! If you need a boat ride to get out there, let me know that and I’ll try to hook you up.

The Club will provide 5 lbs of steamed shrimp, water, sodas, paper products, flatware and condiments.  There is no alcohol allowed on the premises.

What is needed at this time:
– Guest count.  Please advise if you are attending, and how many people will be attending with you.
– Entrees.  Fish (did we mention that?), but if you want something else then bring burgers, dogs, buns, etc.
– Salads and Sides: Green salad; Cole slaw; potato salad; macaroni salad; mac & cheese; baked beans; hush puppies; chips.
– Desserts.  Most Club members have a sweet tooth, board members included.  Church has a refrigerator and freezer to keep stuff cold.

Members, 12 hour Offshore Bottom Fishing Trips on Saturday September 9th

Captain Danny of the ‘Fish Screamer III‘ is planning monthly 12-hour Gulf bottom fishing trips again this year on board the Fish Screamer 3 out of Little River.

Last year every trip was a success, and the ice boxes were full of fish as the many pictures showed.

4458 Water Front Avenue, Little River, SC 29566   Behind Crab Catchers Restaurant on the water)

Boat takes up to 10 passengers very comfortably and fishing is not crowded. It Is a very wide boat and handles the seas very well.

Boat will be leaving at 6:00am and returning at 6:00pm. Please get there 20 minutes before so we can leave at 6:00am sharp.

Will be going out about 45+ miles and bottom fishing.

Cost is $225 per person + tip to the mate.

 If you’re interested, please call or email Andrew David (cell 410-404-0972) /andrewid83@gmail.com

 Send a check for to hold your spot to: Andrew David 706 Royal Fern Ct, Calabash NC 28467

Normal cost per trip is $2600 for the boat.