Outing Opportunities Reminder

We have used this boat for previous monthly trips with excellent success over the last 3 years.

Captain and mate are top notch!We have only 3 more spots left on the boat so let us know asap if you can make it.

Cost is $225/per person for the 12 hour trip.

This is a negotiated lower price that already takes into consideration the increase in the price of fuel.

If you are interested, please respond asap and send your check to hold your spot to:

Andrew David cell 410-404-0972 or email andrewid83@gmail.com

706 Royal Fern Ct., Calabash, NC 28467″

Let’s go Surfing

Let’s go SURFING … 🎣 our Club Member Bob White has announced upcoming surf fishing adventures. August 9th and August 22nd. Adventures start at 6:00 AM and usually end around 9:00 AM, depending on the bite.

Directions, come across the Ocean Isle Beach bridge, go straight out to the round-a-bout (fishing pier) then turn right for 1 1/2 miles, look up then you will see the water tower about another mile. We meet in the 2 free parking lots directly under the tower. If you run later just come across street Beach Blvd. to the boardwalk and proceed to the water and you will find us there fishing! Hope to see you there, come one or both dates!

Tarpon at play in Wrightsville Beach area … Two recently hooked and one landed at our Sunset Beach Pier

https://www.carolinasportsman.com/fishing-hotspots/tarpon-at-play-in-wrightsville-beach-area/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1zTg04JfJKySpYZpppSMQsmFHXd4cI8t3WwTv-H6JdgCOBakzoDYURcMI_aem_2BZw8OuxOBjio6N3hBS8cQ

The silver kings show up in July

Tarpon make a big move this month, traveling from Florida into North Carolina’s waters. Capt. Jot Owens catches them in numerous locales all around Wrightsville Beach beginning in July and through late September.

“These big silver fish are making their way up from the south. The long trip has made them hungry, and hungry fish are easier to catch, most of the time,” said Owens (910-233-4139).

Owens said with the keen eyesight of tarpon, anglers should opt for Berkley Pro Spec fluorocarbon in 60- to 80-pound test for their leader.

He uses Trokar AP circle hooks in sizes 8/0 and 9/0, and said anglers really need to be ready for a jarring strike and a hard fight when a tarpon hits.

“If you hook into one of these tarpon, hold on tight. They fight very hard,” he said.

Even when targeting other species of fish this month, Owens is always looking for tarpon, which often show themselves right at, or just under the surface. So he keeps a heavy duty rod handy. And he said this time of year, a tarpon can appear just about anywhere along North Carolina’s coast.

“I look for tarpon around local inlets, shoals and hard bottoms close to shore,” he said.

As far as bait goes, that’s an easy one. Owens said live or fresh, dead bait like menhaden or mullet do the job just fine.

“Fishing those baits on the bottom, and free lining them (with no weight on the line) are the best bet for getting a bite out of these beasts,” he said.

When it comes to having the proper rod to fight tarpon, Owens prefers a PENN Spinfisher VI 6500 and 7500, or a PENN 20LW mounted to either a PENN Rampage or Carnage II jigging series rod.

Sharks are also active

When the tarpon are especially uncooperative on a day he’s targeting them, Owens said the sharks are always willing to play. He said this is a great way to get kids involved, and even adults enjoy fighting these fish, which can test an angler’s skill.

“In July, the bigger sharks really start to show up. Catching these sharks on light tackle is always good for a fight,” he said.

He catches numerous species of sharks with a wide array of baits this month. And in a wide variety of places.

“I drift live and fresh, dead bluefish, Spanish mackerel, mullet or menhaden in 30 to 45 feet of water, just offshore,” he said.

Many of these sharks range from 20 to 100 pounds, and anglers always have the chance to hook into one even bigger, he said.

When specifically targeting sharks, Owens uses 7/0 circle hooks attached to 1 foot of 90-pound wire, and an 80-pound mono leader that is 6 to 8 feet long.

“You can free-line the bait and/or put a small egg sinker on to keep the bait close to the bottom,” he said. “You’ll know when you get a bite!”

The Future of Speckled Trout in NC – an Opinion or Fact ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwwSi9jhhw4 Fishing with Brewski

Speckled Trout fishing in North Carolina is about to receive more cuts in March of 2025. Having no recreational flounder season has caused many people to shift effort to speckled trout across rec and comm sectors and as a result, the stock is now overfished. This video covers statements made by the commercial representatives at the speckled trout advisory committee.

How to Properly Net a Fish …

Published JULY 18, 2024

Your fishing partner has hooked into a great fish and yells, “get the net!”

It’s your chance to go from unsung hero to zero. Net the fish successfully, and you’ll likely never get a great deal of credit. Botch the job, and you’ll never live it down.

Don’t worry, it’s not that complicated, as long as you don’t make it complicated. It’s as simple as dipping the net into the water, then waiting on the angler to guide the fish into it.

That’s it. Dip the net in, wait on the angler to guide the fish in, then lift it out of the water.

It’s easy to get it right. And it’s just as easy to get it wrong, if you try to do too much.

What you don’t want to do is follow the fish around with the net, stab at the fish, or lunge the net at it.

When it’s all going well and the angler has the fish right at the net, but then the fish quickly turns or jumps, just wait. It’s tempting here to try and “save the day” by swooping the fish out of the water. But as likely as not, you’ll push the fish in the tail, which may give it just the boost it needs to spring free.

Avoid the temptation, and simply keep the net in the water and wait. It’s up to the angler to guide the fish back to the net, and the last thing the net man needs to do is start sweeping and swooping at the water, just trying to luck into netting the fish.

Exceptions

Like most rules in life, some exceptions are warranted, but they are few and far between.

One exception is when you can see the fish is barely hooked. When a lunker bass is near, and you can tell the hook is holding on to just the slightest piece of skin, it might be worth it to make a move with the net.

And if you’re reeling in a fish that could tangle itself in a drift sock, or around a nearby tree or other brush, you might save yourself some trouble by getting a little aggressive with the net.

In those situations, you just need to accept the fact that you might knock the fish free, or it might simply get free on its own. And you also need to accept that sometimes, the angler just isn’t going to guide the fish into the net properly, the fish will shake free, and you’ll be wondering if you could have done more.

But most of the time, as long as you simply put the net in the water and wait as the angler guides the fish into it, you’ll get the fish in the boat and won’t be the scapegoat that ruined the day.

Tight lines 🎣