Fun Fishing Trip Turned River Tour
September 29, 2024 Hampstead 8 photos
Little Tunny (False Albacore)
Little Tunny (False Albacore)

Trip Summary

We had a great half-day trip on Sunday with some of the crew from Plastic Ocean Project (POP). POP is an organization dedicated to reducing plastic pollution in our oceans and waterways, as well as education and research about this issue. It's a cause we fully support in whatever small ways we can, including the donation of a charter trip to use as a fundraising opportunity. They auction or raffle the trip during their annual Gala, with the proceeds going to the organization. This year, Jenna, one of the POP staff won the trip and wanted to just get out and experience some time on the water with a few of her teammates. New to fishing, she asked if we could give that a try and of course I was happy to oblige. It's a great time of year for it, and I was pretty sure we could make something happen. We started out with some nearshore fishing, hoping to capitalize on the fall run of Spanish mackerel and false albacore (bonita or little tunny, depending on where you're from). The water was still a little murky from all of the storms and local flooding, but the birds were active and we could see fish feeding. We set out some Clark spoons and waited for the action. It took longer than I'd expected, but one of the planer lines went off and something started ripping line off the reel. There was no question in my mind that a bonita was on the other end, so I handed the rod to Jenna. Most people are surprised by the strength of these fish the first time they pull on one, and this was not going to be an exception. Nevertheless, with a little bit of assistance and lots of cheering from the rest of the crew, the fish came to the boat. It was a little reluctant to pose for photos, but we got it done and sent it back over the side to carry on with its day. It was a beauty of a day with a gentle, rolling swell, but sometimes even that is a little too much for some folks. One of the crew was definitely feeling the effects, and after a little conversation we decided to head inland and turn the fishing trip into a sightseeing tour. We ran down the beach to Wrightsville, and then went inland to the Intracoastal Waterway. Boat traffic wasn't all that bad, so I decided to run us south, cut across to the Cape Fear River, and then tour up toward Wilmington. It's always a pretty ride through Snow's Cut, and the Wilmington riverfront remains one of my favorite sights. Along the way, when we spotted floating trash, we stopped to see if one of the crew could catch it in the net. There wasn't as much as I expected, considering all the flood water still coming down the Cape Fear, but I think almost everyone got a chance with the net. Overall, it was one more great day aboard the Canyon Wren. The POP crew were a lot of fun, everyone had great attitudes and flexibility to switch from fishing to touring, and they brought along some of the best cinnamon rolls (with bacon!) I think I've ever eaten! Now is the time for prime, late season fishing! The cooler weather means no sweltering in the sun, and the fish are feeding their way south. We'll be running trips until the water temps drop into the mid-60s, which usually means late November, so check your calendar and drop us a line! We'd love to get you out there. Also, check out the Plastic Ocean Project at **hidden content**, and learn more about what they're about.
Phillip Loughlin
Hampstead, North Carolina, United States
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Katfish Kayak And Fishing Adventures have a simple motto: If you don’t want someone to bring the fish to you, let them take you to the fish. They offer traditional fishing charters but also provide a mothership for Kayak fishermen. They can take you...

Other reports from this charter

Busy week - mixed fishing
Busy week - mixed fishing
July 31, 2025
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.
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Getting the youngsters on some fish and
Getting the youngsters on some fish and
June 22, 2025
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!
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