North Carolina=Gulf Stream Action

[nirai]

Each year in Jan day job sends me to the States on business. So this year
like last year I tacked on a some flights from LV to Willmington North
Carolina to catch up with one of the very first friends I made when I got
involved in Jigging, Capt Chip Baker of Off Shore Experiences
www.offshore-experiences.com <http://www.offshore-experiences.com/> (If I new then what I new now, I should have
shot Chip on sight & saved myself a lot of dollars over the ensuing years)
lol
The plan as always was to do as much fishing out in the Gulf Stream as the
weather allowed, but being winter the weather was always going to be the big
player in that plan. I had booked to stay 6 nights 5 days and as one would
expect, (Murphy's law and all) the weather was not looking good until the
very last whole day I was in town.
Day 1 was out as the sea was not looking kind enough for the 2,1/2 hour run
out to GS so I spent time knocking around Tex's Tackle shop drinking &
eating in the arvo our friend Mikey decided we should head over to his
parents place on the Gulf course and fish for some Large Mouth Bass, much
better than doing FA & it was another species I could knock off the bucket
list, first cast I hooked and landed a 51/2lb specimen. Mikey, Chip & Robert
were quite excited I was informed that was a good representative trophy size
LM. Over the next couple of hours we landed around a dozen Bass. A very
pleasant way to spent an afternoon while we waited for the weather to
improve to get out to the real string pullers. The next three days were
spent eating/drinking/shooting clays & enjoying real southern hospitality &
friendship.
The weather still promised to be good on my last full day in town and also
the the following day when I was meant to be on a plane heading for home, I
really wanted two full days so I rebooked some flights at great personal
expense thanks VISA and as quick as you can say zip zap, I was staying an
extra day and would get two full days fishing the Gulf Stream.
(Wed) Day One Jigging
Anglers Capt Chip, Capt Arlen & Nirai
(Thur) Day Two Jigging
Anglers Capt Chip, Zack & Nirai
As I said earlier its 2-2,1/2 hours running at 28-30 knots to get out to the
warmer water of the Gulf Stream, the best way to handle this down time is to
dress very warmly if your silly enough to be there in Jan northern
hemisphere winter like I was & then curl up in a bean bag for the ride out
to the fish. If you head over in our winter the Northern hemisphere summer
the weather is much like our summer and sea condition kinder to off shore
anglers.
The Jigging can only be described as stunning, with more species than
available any where else I am a wear of. There is also fantastic top water
opportunities on Amberjacks, Blackfin Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo & King Mackerel
in their summer months.
(Our Catch)
3 Anglers 2 days fishing
Amber Jacks x 100+ to 60lbs (In the summer months there is many AJs between
60-90lb and a real opportunity of a 100+lb fish)
Amalco Jacks x 100+ & if Amalco Jack got the size of our Kings or AJs
anglers would be in big trouble as a 25-30lb Almaco can really peel line and
kick you around)
Mixed Jack x 80+
Grouper x 3 Gags of around 30lb all released as they are off license at the
moment in NC.
African Pompeno x 13 these are related to Daimond Trevally and great eating
not released!!!! African Pompeno are cool fish to catch and after catching
these its easy to see why GTs are held in such high regard with that wide
dinner table body shape.
Tropical Baracuda x 14 two of these we free gaffed while they eat Jacks we
had caught boat side. The largest was 60lbs (that's should take the Hauraki
Gulf Cuda comp with ease.)
Blackfin Tuna x 1 at 25lb
Jack Caravel x 1 at 35lb
White Trevally x 3 at 30lb (White Island look out)

In short the Jig and Pop fishing out of Willmington on the edge of the Gulf
Stream is stunning a world class sport fishing destination.
Capt Chip Baker of Off Shore Experiences www.offshore-experiences.com <http://www.offshore-experiences.com/> fishes
Cape Cod over the BFT season
Link attached if your interested in casting to a BFT
YouTube - Offshore Experiences Sportfishing, Cape Cod.
& <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjCDAFNxIP0&> Gulf Stream from Wilmington NC the remainder of the year.
Sorry about my arse photo's. I am like a pig in a trough when the fish are biting I fish and in the gulf stream somebody is hooked up 24/7
Attached Images

[Kaiser Pro Shop]

Nice report Scotty!