Seafood Potluck

A Seafood Potluck and the 2nd Annual Seafood Challenge were both held jointly at the Pink Palace in the Sunset Beach Sea Trail Plantation on November 15th.

About 45 members and guests of the Sea Trail Fishing Club enjoyed the potluck and provided side dishes, entrees, and desserts. The Club also provided a shrimp boil.

In addition, seven members provided entries to the Seafood Challenge. Recipes of several of the entrees are listed below. The competition was won by Alan Trojan for his ‘Okra Gumbo’, who was awarded the Golden Spoon. The Golden Spoon award was conceived by Laurie Thomas Vaas and as a perpetual award for years to come.

I squeezed out second-place finish with a Shrimp Slider entry, but judging was close and all of the entries were superb!

Here are a few of the submitted entries:

A big thank you top Our Judges

NC Marine & Estuary Foundation – “The Wait is Over! Our Red Drum Tracking Platform is Live”

Friday November 14, 2025

Early last year, our foundation launched a multi-year research initiative with the Division of Marine Fisheries to track adult red drum movements using satellite tags. The project started with a pilot study in which Division staff tagged 10 red drum in Pamlico Sound. From there, the 2025 plans expanded to include 40 additional red drum tagged along the North Carolina coast.

Throughout the process, our foundation toyed with the idea of creating an interactive platform to showcase the movements of these tagged fish in near real time. What began as a far-fetched concept became a real possibility when we connected with a development company called Mapotic. After countless video calls, long email chains, and plenty of beta testing, our vision was brought to life. And now, we’re thrilled to share that our red drum tracking platform is officially live!

This project would not have been possible without the generous support of our donors, partners, recreational guides, Division staff, and many others who contributed along the way.

We would love for you to join our growing community of supporters, whether it be through financial contributions, sporting our merch, or simply sharing our content with friends and family. So, check out the platform, and feel free to contact us with questions, comments, or even a creative fish name! To learn more about the platform launch, check out our press release.

Update :: New Mandatory Harvest Reporting Requirements Begin Dec. 1 in this Old North State – Not as Difficult as I Thought

From NC Wildlife Resources Commission … “Click on the fish icon at the bottom and then the link that says DMF Saltwater Fishing Harvest Report. Screen shots below. This link takes you to the DMF page with all the information. We will be able to report on the DMF page on or after December 1st. “

I drilled down and it appears that it will work without a lot of hassle. It will be better when DMF releases the APPS.

New Mandatory Harvest Reporting Requirements Begin Dec. 1 in this Old North State

Check out reporting requirements on flounder, Red Drum, Striped Bass, Spotted Seatrout (speckled trout), and Weakfish (gray trout). Harvests can be reported through an online webform or soon-to-be-released iPhone app.

More on Reporting … https://www.ncwildlife.gov/news/press-releases/2025/10/31/new-mandatory-harvest-reporting-requirements-begin-dec-1