riptide
11-03-2002, 10:29 AM
We just got back from another great trip at Harker’s Island, NC. This year we made the trip with two boats. Riptide and Double Happiness were dragged for nearly 900 miles each way for a week in windy and cold Harker’s Island, NC. We left Bourne around 1400 hours on Sunday the 27th and arrived without incident around 0700 Monday morning. The trip would have been faster had it not been for some unexpected traffic in Connecticut. That slowed us by nearly 2 hours.
We arrived and dunked the boats only to hear that the fishing the last two days had been horrible. The warmer water temps had the fish unwilling to bite, if you could find them. We headed out and worked several areas only to find a ton of micro blues. By afternoon things had picked up and a few albies began to show. We were able to jump in on a bite of mixed blues and albies to finish the day off well.
The next day had us cold and wet as rain came and dampened things throughout the day. We still found some fish and Bob Pink set the standard with a nice fish in the 14 to 15 pound range on the fly. I lost my first and only shot at a kingfish. The little guy was around 8 to 10# and very acrobatic, but alas he threw the hooks.
Day 3 had us out of the room with a late start due to heavy rain. This time we decided to try the other fish of NC. We ran out with heavier gear and some sibiki rigs. Any buoy would yield plenty of live bait and the occasional Spanish mackerel. We ran to a wreck offshore and began to dunk out little friends with the hopes of a king or amberjack. All we were able to find was 3 to 4 food sharks.
Day 4 had us with a split decision. Bob Pink and Jeff wanted to work the eastern areas, while our crew opted for the western approach. The wind was howling and the west was definitely the calmer location. We worked Beufort inlet and then headed further west. A call on the VHF advised of a bite in the Atlantic Beach area west of us. We ran down and got in on the action. When a little albie rage started to show we continued to the west. This worked out well as we found mixed schools of Albies, Spanish and blues. Also in the mix were tons of dolphins, which put on quite a show. When we met back up with the Double Happiness crew at the hotel they said they had started down the west as well in the morning but then went east in the afternoon when things calmed down. They found some “Bolt Buster Albies” to the east but daylight ran out after catching only a few.
Day 5 we figured the east was the place to be after the DH crew had hit some big boys in the 16# range the day before. Both boats we first out of the docks in the AM and headed east at speed. Things looked a little slow at first but that didn’t last long. Soon we had pods of albies working under birds. They were as shallow as the wash on the beach and as deep as 50 feet. They really like the Tutti Fruiti flies that Bob and Jeff had tied up. We scored big on tin and top water. When the day was done everyone on both boats had hit the double-digit marks on albies. Jeff Roop scored his first fly rod albie and his second, third, etc. He was an old pro by mid afternoon. Bob P could not go long before his fly rod was doubled over either.
It was a great end to a great trip. It was unfortunate that it had to end, but it was time to put the boats on the trailer and get ready for the long ride home. The return trip was also uneventful and took about the same length of time. I look forward to next year (we’ve already booked) and can’t wait to do it again. I want to thank everyone that came on the trip, Bob Pink, Jeff Roop, Buddha, Capt. Joe and also thanks to Captain Brian Horsley and Captain Sarah Gardner of Flat Out Charters for their help with local knowledge and information and lastly the folks at Harker’s Island Fishing center for their hospitality. Until next year good luck and good fishing.
Pictures are here http://www.riptidecharters.com/ncpics.html
We arrived and dunked the boats only to hear that the fishing the last two days had been horrible. The warmer water temps had the fish unwilling to bite, if you could find them. We headed out and worked several areas only to find a ton of micro blues. By afternoon things had picked up and a few albies began to show. We were able to jump in on a bite of mixed blues and albies to finish the day off well.
The next day had us cold and wet as rain came and dampened things throughout the day. We still found some fish and Bob Pink set the standard with a nice fish in the 14 to 15 pound range on the fly. I lost my first and only shot at a kingfish. The little guy was around 8 to 10# and very acrobatic, but alas he threw the hooks.
Day 3 had us out of the room with a late start due to heavy rain. This time we decided to try the other fish of NC. We ran out with heavier gear and some sibiki rigs. Any buoy would yield plenty of live bait and the occasional Spanish mackerel. We ran to a wreck offshore and began to dunk out little friends with the hopes of a king or amberjack. All we were able to find was 3 to 4 food sharks.
Day 4 had us with a split decision. Bob Pink and Jeff wanted to work the eastern areas, while our crew opted for the western approach. The wind was howling and the west was definitely the calmer location. We worked Beufort inlet and then headed further west. A call on the VHF advised of a bite in the Atlantic Beach area west of us. We ran down and got in on the action. When a little albie rage started to show we continued to the west. This worked out well as we found mixed schools of Albies, Spanish and blues. Also in the mix were tons of dolphins, which put on quite a show. When we met back up with the Double Happiness crew at the hotel they said they had started down the west as well in the morning but then went east in the afternoon when things calmed down. They found some “Bolt Buster Albies” to the east but daylight ran out after catching only a few.
Day 5 we figured the east was the place to be after the DH crew had hit some big boys in the 16# range the day before. Both boats we first out of the docks in the AM and headed east at speed. Things looked a little slow at first but that didn’t last long. Soon we had pods of albies working under birds. They were as shallow as the wash on the beach and as deep as 50 feet. They really like the Tutti Fruiti flies that Bob and Jeff had tied up. We scored big on tin and top water. When the day was done everyone on both boats had hit the double-digit marks on albies. Jeff Roop scored his first fly rod albie and his second, third, etc. He was an old pro by mid afternoon. Bob P could not go long before his fly rod was doubled over either.
It was a great end to a great trip. It was unfortunate that it had to end, but it was time to put the boats on the trailer and get ready for the long ride home. The return trip was also uneventful and took about the same length of time. I look forward to next year (we’ve already booked) and can’t wait to do it again. I want to thank everyone that came on the trip, Bob Pink, Jeff Roop, Buddha, Capt. Joe and also thanks to Captain Brian Horsley and Captain Sarah Gardner of Flat Out Charters for their help with local knowledge and information and lastly the folks at Harker’s Island Fishing center for their hospitality. Until next year good luck and good fishing.
Pictures are here http://www.riptidecharters.com/ncpics.html