Fresh Hampstead Fishing Reports

I'm never confident with easterly or northeasterly winds, even when it's just a breeze. But Thursday morning felt so nice, cool, and calm when I pulled away from the dock, so I was sure we were in for an epic day. I collected my client crew in Surf City and headed out with plans to run offshore and find some mahi. I hadn't gone far out of Topsail inlet before I realized that "light" breeze must have been blowing all night and had kicked up a sloppy cross swell. It was just enough to slow me down and make me realize that I didn't really want to pound through this for 25 or 30 miles. The crew was still all smiles in the back of the boat, although they'd taken a couple of splashes in the chilly morning air. I changed my plan and stopped us on the AR about 8 miles out. I was hoping we might pick up a king or two over the reef, or at least a shark or barracuda to make things interesting. If the wind died down, we could make the rest of the run. Otherwise, we could work this area and move nearshore to some of the other ledges and rocks. I put out a couple of cigar minnows, one right on top, one on a jig head to run a foot or two deep, and one on the downrigger. We hadn't been trolling long when I saw the first taps on the top line and knew we'd found the needlefish. If you know, you know, but needlefish can be a mixed blessing. The bigger ones can be exciting to catch. They jump and skip the water like a sailfish, and for something so streamlined, they can pull pretty hard too. But they're also notorious for missing the hooks and just slashing at the baits with those long, toothy jaws. You can free spool and try to feed them to hook up, but even then they get away more often than they get hooked. In no time they had ripped up three or four cigar minnows. I put on a couple of ballyhoo instead, since they're more durable, but the needlefish ripped them up too. We eventually managed to catch two, including one real monster that was easily over four feet. I think the crew enjoyed that, and the constant strikes certainly kept everyone excited, but after a while it just got annoying (and I was starting to worry about my bait supply). I decided to make a move. Since the wind was not showing much inclination to slow down, I opted to move us inshore to some ledges a couple miles off the beach. I figured we could at least find some action with the sharpnose sharks, and maybe a big Spanish or a stray king. It turned out to be the right call, as one of the crew had started turning a little green and would probably have really struggled with the 12 or 15 mile ride offshore. As it was, there was some light chumming action when we stopped to fish the nearshore ledges. The conditions were a little better nearshore, but slow trolling was not helping our fellow back aft with his mal de mer. We picked up one small shark and trolled a bit more over good marks, but I felt pretty bad for the poor guy and thought he might do better if we switched up to trolling for Spanish off the beach. I ran us in to about 30' of water and put out the Clark spoons and planers. Trolling on a zigzag, with the swell and wind kept things pretty smooth, and the faster pace kept a nice breeze across the cockpit. Everyone started feeling better, and we picked at some various fish, including a couple of undersized Spanish, a few lizard fish, and some nice-sized blues. We even caught a ladyfish, which was a first for me on Clark spoons. Finally, we started to hook a much nicer class of Spanish as we worked along Figure 8. It was scattered, and we struggled to get some fish all the way into the boat, but by the time we got to Wrightsville Beach we were starting to get into some good schools. Unfortunately, time was almost up. I was fine with letting the trip run over, but they had to be back so I didn't work the schools as I'd have liked to. Nevertheless, by the time we pulled the lines in at Masonboro inlet, they had seven keepers on ice. This worked out, since the crew wasn't really looking for a whole cooler full of fish anyway. The run back up the waterway was beautiful, with very little traffic on a Thursday afternoon. I got them back to Surf City about an hour later than scheduled, but they had plenty of time to get to their dinner plans. Overall, it was a fun, young crew to have aboard. I think everyone had a chance to fight some kind of fish, and they were all tired, but smiling, as we said our goodbyes.

I've fallen off on my reports lately. Between fishing trips and other business, I haven't had a lot of time for updates... but there are updates to make! First of all, the Spanish mackerel have been a little finicky the past few trips. On our Kid's Fun Trip last Saturday, we couldn't seem to get rid of the bluefish long enough to get a Spanish on the line. That's not a bad problem to have, as the group was catching fish and they really weren't interested in bringing any home to eat. On Tuesday of last week, we ran a 3/4 day trip with Kyle and his boys. You couldn't have asked for a prettier day with calm seas and light winds almost all day long. This enabled us to run out 25-30 miles to hit some of our distant spots. Out there we were able to pick up a couple of mahi before the needlefish moved in. Needlefish can be fun to catch as they like to jump and run all over the place, but they're not for the table. They also tend to take over an area when they show up. As we were bringing one of the needlefish to the boat, something erupted underneath it and a huge barracuda came out and cut the fish clean in half. The 'cuda circled back to get the other half, and I was able to put a bait right in front of him. He struck and the fight was on. This barracuda must have thought he was part sailfish because he jumped and flipped and put on one heck of a battle before the young fisherman was finally able to haul him to the boat. We released the fish in the water (they smell really bad so I didn't want him on the deck), but I would estimate that big boy easily at 40 pounds. As usual around noon, the fishing started to slow. We hit a few more spots and then I suggested we go nearshore and see if the Spanish mackerel wanted to cooperate. We were technically out of time, but I thought I'd extend the trip at least long enough so the guys could catch enough to make a good dinner for the family. Fortunately, once we found a good school, we were able to sling several fish onto the ice. Our final trip on Thursday, another 3/4 trip ran into one challenge after another. The clients wanted mahi and maybe kings, and I figured we had pretty good odds based on the offshore conditions previously in the week. We got off to a great start with nice conditions for a run out to some ledges about 27 miles offshore. I had been watching the weather for a couple of days, but the forecast looked good after some early morning thunderstorms moved offshore. At first I thought the forecast was actually right, for once, but we had not been trolling long when I could see storm cells lining up across the horizon. We hoped they'd go on by, but when the wind and rain started to really pick up, I decided to try to run to another spot where radar showed clear skies. Unfortunately, these summer squalls come up fast, and by the time we reached the new location, more storms were surrounding us. With some lightning in the air, I made the call to run back close to shore and see if conditions were better there. It took a while, but as we got closer to the beach, the wind died down and it stopped raining. I put out the Clark Spoons for some Spanish, but we weren't having a lot of luck. We got into some small fish and some blues, but the big boys just weren't having any of it. The water was pretty murky and we had fairly heavy cloud cover, so I'm guessing they just weren't feeding heavily. We trolled about fifteen miles, picking up little Spanish and blues, as well as some unusually small false albacore (something I don't recall ever seeing before). At the end of the day I think everyone had a great time, along with the adventure of running before the storm. Everyone had the opportunity to reel in fish, even if the fish weren't really what we were hoping for. Some days are like that, though. As I've said before, if I could swim down and put a trophy on the hook for you, I would do it in a heartbeat. But it's a big ocean and fish have their own schedules. Like many captains, I'm pretty good at figuring them out, but sometimes Nature is just going to win.

I think one of my favorite things about running charters is getting the kids out on the water. They're always good for a surprise, whether it's handling rough seas or finding the fun in silly things... making up a fish dance, for example, or spotting things that some of us adults might take for granted. They're always curious and always learning. This is why I created our three-hour "Kids Trip" charters. This past Sunday, we had two kids' trips, back-to-back. It made for a long day, but it was a very good one! Our morning group was a rescheduled Father's Day gift, due to an iffy weather report on Father's Day. The wind and seas were about as nice as you could ask for, with just enough breeze to keep it from getting too hot, but not enough to chop up the gentle swell. These guys weren't really interested in keeping fish to eat. They just wanted to get out and catch some fish, spend time on the water, and have a fun morning. This is just what we did! I dropped the Clark spoons back as soon as we cleared the inlet, trolling south in 20-30 feet of water. With water temps near the mid-80s, I knew the fishing wouldn't be fast and furious, but there were plenty of hungry Spanish mackerel around to keep it from getting too boring. 13 year-old Mason did the bulk of the fishing, while his 5 year-old brother, Carson, explored the boat, ate lots of Sour Patch Kids, and basically had a blast. He'd occasionally ask to reel in a fish and was generally obliged. I think Dad had a great time just watching his boys do their thing, and he did a great job keeping them engaged during the lulls. As we wrapped up the trip, the catch was well over 20 Spanish mackerel, with a couple of blues and lizard fish for good measure. Our second trip of the day, with Chris, his the two youngsters, Stella and Solomon , and their granddad was just as much fun. The afternoon wind had kicked up as it usually does this time of year, so the seas were a bit choppy, but I don't think they even noticed once we got the lines in the water. There was some good-natured sibling rivalry as each child claimed a rod. Dad and grandpa played supporting roles, cheering the kids on with each fish. I'm afraid I lost track of the scoreboard, but they both did a pretty good job... especially considering how bumpy the ocean was getting. Stella definitely got the big fish of the day with a chunky Spanish, but Solomon made up for size with numbers. By the time we brought in the lines to come in, they had 15 Spanish on ice with a couple of shorts that we had to throw back, several bluefish (also released), and a couple of bonus lizard fish. I'd seen a lot of menhaden pods around, so I dropped a cedar plug way back, just as a Hail, Mary, in case a cobia or king was lurking around all that bait. Chris claimed that rod for himself. Sadly, that one didn't score for us on this trip, but I think just knowing it was out there added to the overall excitement of the day. I will always love running way offshore to chase big game fish, but it's hard to beat a day right off the beach with excited kids hauling in the Spanish mackerel. It's a reminder not to take the simpler times for granted. I know, for me, it will never get old!

Had a great booking with Johnny and Kris. The plan was to get out to the 20 mile range as the mahi have just shown up, but the seas were a little too much so we fell back to Plan B and decided to work on the kings for a bit. The fish took a minute, but once we found them we had a pretty good run, especially once everyone got the hang of bringing them in on live bait rigs (it takes finesse). A few slipped the hooks, but we ended up with three and a half fish (gotta pay the tax man). Once the king bite slowed, we ran closer to shore to troll up some Spanish and blues... plus a jumbo lizard fish. These folks will be eating well! Big fun, and I'm ready to do it some more! Come on out!

Ali and his crew booked an 8-hour day for Memorial Day. The weather was looking a little unsettled for the Monday, but Sunday was looking amazing with light winds and slight seas. Fortunately, we all had some flexibility and rescheduled the trip to take advantage of a gorgeous day on the ocean. The weather forecast was dead-on, and we rolled out into a gentle, 1-to-2 foot seas which allowed us to run at a comfortable speed out to one of my spots about 28 miles offshore. I've been itching to try this spot this season, but the weather hasn't been too accommodating. The water temps are still in the low-mid 70s, which is perfect for kings, cobia, and other early season fish. I figured it's still a little cool for dolphin (mahi), but you never know! There weren't many signs of life when we arrived on the site. I didn't see birds or baitfish, and the sonar wasn't showing much underneath us either. Nevertheless, I got some cigar minnows out on the light lines and settled in to start working the area. Ali and his crew are experienced pier fishermen, but were eager to extend their experience to offshore trolling. Like most of my offshore customers, they were really focused on the possibility of mahi, so I tried to keep their expectations realistic. I guess Mother Nature thought it would be funny to prove me wrong, and the first solid strike turned out to be a nice, slinger dolphin! Ben was first up, but after a couple of minutes, the fish threw the hook. Just as it did, though, another line went off. Ali grabbed this one, and after a sensational battle, the mahi came aboard and into the ice. Dolphin move in schools and feed together, and no more had I put the baits back out, we picked up a third fish. Seth took this one, and it was a tough fight. I'm guessing this was a hefty, male dolphin by the way it fought. Unfortunately, after plenty of sweat equity, the hooks came out and the fish took off. Things slowed down after that. The school must have moved off and I could not pick them up again. I kept us in the general area, but eventually spread out to the series of ledges hoping for a king, cobia, or even an amberjack. As I was watching some boats bottom fishing nearby, the downrigger rod started screaming. This had to be a king mackerel! Ali was first to the rod and I could tell when he lifted it up that he was in for a fight. However, the fish wasn't acting like a king anymore. It was thrashing some, but Ali said it felt like he was pulling dead weight. I was afraid we'd traded the king for a shark, but told him to keep at it until we got it in. After some time, Ali reeling and me moving the boat to close the circle, the fish finally came to the surface... sideways. The hooks had slipped out of the king's mouth and dug into his belly. I held my breath as Ali pulled him closer, hoping the hook would hold until I could get a gaff into him. Thankfully, it did! After that, things really slowed down. Most of the boats that had been in the area were leaving by this point, but I wanted to keep at it. I won't deny, I was hoping to get some more mahi action. That didn't happen though. After we'd covered several miles of ocean without so much as a good strike, I asked if the guys wanted to relocate... possibly moving close to the beach to put some meatfish in the cooler. The Spanish mackerel are running hard, and I figured this would be a nice addition to a mahi and a king. They agreed and we made a long, fairly smooth run back to the beach. The guys wanted to try jigging for the Spanish, so I set them up near the inlet. There were fish everywhere, but they did not seem to be interested in the jigs. Ali even tried a Rapala, but it was no go. Finally, I offered to set out the Clark spoons and do some trolling. By the time the lines were out, I was deeper than I wanted to be, but before I could turn the boat one of the rods went over hard. It looked a lot stronger than a Spanish, and when Ben got it in closer, I could see it was an Atlantic bonito. I was surprised to see that so late in the season.. and then surprised again when Ali pulled in another one. I made a few circles hoping for more, but the school must have moved off. There was no time to think about it, though, because suddenly we were into the Spanish. I was only running three lines, and two of them were constantly hooked up. After boating an even dozen Spanish, Ali said they had enough and were ready to go. That's always a good sign! Overall, we had a heck of a day and the season is just getting cranked up!

It's always a tough call when the weather is sketchy. Do I go out and risk a beating, or do I cancel the trip and hope the customers have flexibility to reschedule? The first consideration is safety, of course. I will always cancel for conditions such as extreme winds and seas or thunderstorms because they pose a risk to the fishermen. It would just be irresponsible for me to go out on those days. But it seems like it's becoming more and more common to have marginal forecasts, where the fishing is still safe, but it's not always so comfortable for the fishermen. In these cases, I try to base my decision on what I've learned from talking to the customers ahead of time. What is their experience level? Are they hard core fishermen, or is this their first time on an offshore boat? Are they nervous about going out on the ocean? Are there kids or older adults who might not be able to tolerate a bumpy sea? And then, of course, there's always the question of trusting the forecast. Can you count on the wind to diminish or the seas to subside? Will the wind shift to a favorable direction (never trust a north wind down here)? You have to err on the side of caution, but if you wait for perfect conditions you may never go out. This past weekend is a good example. Jeremy and his crew booked a half-day for May 10, and the forecast kept changing all week. Finally, on Friday the 9th, it called for rougher seas at first light, subsiding throughout the morning to a lovely, calm day. The wind was shifting a bit, but mostly out of the north and northeast. This is not my favorite wind. I made a judgement call and let Jeremy know the trip was on. On the 10th, over my morning coffee in the wee hours, the real time buoy data showed three and a half-foot seas on a four second period... which is just what the forecast had called for. Now, a note if you don't know, but what you like to see generally is a period (the time between swells) that is at least twice the wave height. So, in this case, I would hope for a period of seven seconds or more. I knew it was going to be rough, and this was confirmed when I reached the marina and all the wind socks were standing straight out. With the crew aboard, we hit Topsail inlet and I could see we'd be in for a treat. The inlet is usually the roughest part of the trip as the inland waters and ocean compete through a narrow channel... but this morning we had a favorable current to take us out. We bashed through a couple of steep waves in the inlet mouth and hit the open water. The wind drove the spray across the cockpit, and I'm afraid everyone back there got a bit of a chilly shower, but everyone stayed in great spirits.Those of us in the pilot house were, of course, warm and dry. With the wind pushing straight down the beach and stacking up the seas to well over four feet, the approach I always go to is to fish straight into the wind for part of the day, and then to turn around and fish downwind for a more comfortable ride home. Ordinarily, I would run zig zags and then circle or figure-eight over structure or schools of bait, but in these conditions, I didn't want to be broadside to the seas. I wasn't worried about the boat, but taking that beating from the sides makes it hard to keep your feet under you. We started catching fish after a bit, and while I checked in constantly to make sure everyone was feeling OK, they all agreed that they were having the time of their lives... although one person started to feel a little green a couple of hours into the trip. He wanted to tough it out, though, because everyone else was having so much fun. In regards to seasickness, here's a tip for folks who don't know... if you're feeling a little queasy, stay out on the open deck with the fresh air. Do not go down below. One more tip is, at least on my trips, if you or your crew are seasick you are welcome to ask me to cut the trip short. However, understand that I can't refund your fee if you do. What I will do instead is offer alternatives for the rest of your time, such as taking a tour along the Intracoastal Waterway or anchoring up in Topsail Sound for a swim. The forecast had promised that the wind and seas would subside and I waited for that to happen, but it never did. Still, everyone aboard was making the best of it and we were catching fish so the time slipped right on by. We did not find any Atlantic bonito, but the Spanish mackerel were there... including a couple of nice, chunky ones. We rolled back into the inlet a little beat-up, but smiling and laughing with 18 delicious fish for the crew to take home. So the season has started with some rougher conditions, and it looks like it's shaping up to be another windy summer. I do hope you'll call to book with us, and you can count on me to let you know (as best I can) exactly what kind of conditions you can expect during your trip.