In December three of our Sea Trail Fishing Club members went on a very successful charter trip with Captain Tripp Hooks. The adventure started out on a sunny, but chilly morning with temperatures in the mid-30’s. at the Salt Fever Guide Service docks. Fishing along the ICW at Tripp’s handpicked, favorite locations, Alan Trojan, Clint Morschauser, and Jim Baumgartner filled out their bag limit of four speckled trout each. The largest was 22 inches, but they also released several undersized trout. One weakfish or grey trout was also released. In addition to a great day of trout fishing, the group also caught a ‘slot’ red drum and four black drum. Most of the action occurred in Tubbs Inlet and Tubbs Cut areas. Spinning rigs were used with floats and treble hooks baited with live shrimp. Captain Hooks runs ‘Capt’N Hook Outdoor’ charters out of Ocean Isle Marina (https://capthookoutdoors.com).
Case in Point: Besides going fishing with our members, there are many great fishing guide professionals in our area that can put you on to a good fishing experience. Some of these guides will speak at our STFC meetings to impart their expertise on lures, rigs, and the right techniques to improve your odds.
One of the great opportunities of being in the Sea Trail Fishing Club is being invited to fish with other members. Whether the invitation is to fish a pond, lake, pier or whatever, it is always more fun and satisfying to fish with a friend(s) than to fish alone. In addition, you get to share information about fishing gear, tackle, and angling techniques. And who knows, it is great to have a witness if you hook the ‘big one’ and to get to make or better know a friend!!
If the invitation comes from a member that happens to have a boat, that is a double benefit. You get to fish in places that you can’t normally access without a lot of expense and there is an added measure of safety for both. Fishing alone can be hazardous if the unexpected occurs.
Yesterday, Brian Brumbaugh put out an email invitation to our members to join him on his boat for a fishing trip. It seems that I was the only taker, even though I offered to step aside if there were others that were not anxious to take up Brian’s offer. Yes, it was a late notice and yes, it was a bit chilly. We did go and it was as much fun as expected! I caught and landed my personal best Black Drum and Sheepshead of the year.
So, get your fishing gear together and your hooks sharp. Be ready at all times for that unexpected call or email. Most of the time opportunities come around when you least expect them.
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.
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!
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:
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