When do you fish the....

[saxatilis]

I know from my trip to Cape Look out two years ago that Alberts can be found in many places, but the tough thing I found was know when to be in any one of those places. So, along those lines I have a couple of questions:

1.) Is there a stage of the tide that best to have alberts in the hook? I found that the early morning action inside was good but then there was always lull.

2.) When the alberts are around the shrimp boats is the bite determined by the tide or will they always bite?

I quess what I am getting at with these questions is how should I know when to head outside to shrimp boats. Do I let the action determine when to move or is there some other indicator?

Last question: How busy will the hook be on the weekends vs. the weekdays?

Thanks,

Rick

[Knotdun]

Saxitalis, 28 people have read this message and none replied. A lot of experiened folks on here and your questions, I guess, aren't challenging enough or they require releasing some secrets.

I think people go to the shrimp boats when it ain't happen elsewhere. You know when it is time cause nothing else is working. We only had to try shrimp boat once (last year) and it didn't produce.

Someone can speak to tides, but I have never heard much talk of concern of tides or tidal relationships to Albies. I go to Hatteras and Holden Beach, also, and Albies just come by at random on their migration, as far as I know. I think they are drawing a compromise between continuing southerly migration and staying near bait fish in the process.

Now that I conclude you are new to this and primarily a rock fisherman, my suggest is to observe, be courteous, don't run up too close to other folks, and do things slowly and calmly. Some folks get too excited and inconsiderate with their boatsmanship.

[captjoe]

Been busy for the last few days and just read your post. Tides will sometimes effect the alberts. The outgoing tides at the inlets is the best of it. The bait will pour out the inlets and the alberts are there to greet them. As far as fishing around the shrimp boats, it is very productive. The best time to fish the trawlers is just when they are hauling back to cull their catch. As they are hauling the nets up you will see a cloud of sea gulls and pelicans around the trawlers. This is the best time to fish behind them. Using a 400 grain sinking line will work the best, since it will get your fly sub-surface quicker. Larger Clousers and half & halfs work well, since they are culling fish that are 3 to 6 inches. If you fish a intermidiate or floating line, a Crease fly will also work well on the alberts. It floats around on the surface like a dead or wounded fish. As far as fishing the Hook of the Cape on weekends and holidays, if you like aggravation and torture, have at it! There I have counted as many as 80 to 100 boats inside the hook at one time, all chasing a few schools of fish. I like to see it though, because I know that they will be coming into my fly shop that night to buy new lines that they had cut off by other boats as soon as they hooked up.

Capt Joe