JAM’s ADVENTURES

and I am always a fan of the underdog. Ya see, I went on a ride along on the Big Tahuna, with Capt Kenny Koci, the target was Black Fins and boy did we find them. Every Drop was a nice sized Black Fin, but the problem was, the Sharks were faster to the Fish then we could get them to the boat. We are not talking Little Sharks People, we are talking 300 plus pounders, and they were everywhere. All Top Water Cruising, must have seen Thousands of them.

Syeve from the Duck Deli with one of a Few Black Fins we were able to get away from the Sharks.

Its not fair to the Black fins to hook them just to have them eaten by Shark, I look at it as a waste, and so Does Kenny, so It was time to change the game and get a little revenge on the sharks.   With the Sharks getting almost every Black Fin we hooked up with, Capt Kenny looked at the 2 younger fellas on the Boat, Daniels and Steve, and asked ” Do you want to teach these Sharks a Lesson” they both replied “YES”. so we put away the Vertical Jigging Rods and pulled out a little Somethin, Somethin for them. An 80 wide, on a Bent Butt, with 200 pound Braid to a Cable Rig with a 20/0 Hook.

I was up on the Bridge watching the bottom machine, when Kenny deployed the Bait, a big filletof a False Albacore. No Weight, just free lining the bloody bait on a monster sized hook. Next time your in the shop, ask me to show you a 20/0 hook. I swear to ya, it did not take but 30 seconds for the 80’s

Steve in the Chair...With the Bent Butt n the 80 Wide..

clicker to start screaming, First up was Steve, from the Duck Deli up the beach. He pulled on the shark for a good while, I would guess around 20 minutes or so, then he got him to the Boat.  Part of any type of Guide Work, is to keep your folks, entertained, after all they are there for a Good Time, so they should get a Good Show. All the Worlds a Stage and we are merely Players…

Nice one!!!!

with that in Mind Kenny Hoisted the Shark over the Back of the Big Tahuna and into the Cock-Pit, its always fun to watch the eyes of the Clients when an over 82 inch Shark hits the Deck of the Cock-Pit, big as Frying Pans…

Capt Kenny is over six foot tall to give you a refrence on the sharks size.

We got our HOOK back, and released the Shark out the Back of the Big Tahuna through the Tuna Door.

Kenny deployed another Bait on the 80, and less then 30 seconds later, the Big Rod is bent over, and we got another big one on, from the bend in the big bent butt rod I could tell this one was bigger then the last.

Daniel in the Chair, look at his face, he was giving it his all... Great Job Man..

Next in the Chair was Daniels, we got him set up in the chair, and the Fight began… He was giving it his all, and we were all coaching him and moving the chair to follow the fish, bout 30 minute later, Mr. Sand Bar was at&t he back of The Big Tahuna, and he was a Giant, well over 109 inches, for our second North Carolina Saltwater Citation of the Day.

Go ahead Lip Him, I dare ya!!!!!!

Number 3 and were out of here, they were both impressed with the strength of a Shark. I told them a Shark is just one Giant Muscle That likes to EAT..

EATING MACHINES

Heck there were so many sharks around, one of the other fellas on the boat, Ernest hooked one on a vertical jig, and a little vertical jig rod. We got him to the boat as well.

Time to move onto the Next Game, the key to a GREAT Trip Is have as Many Plans as you can handle..

Well with the Revenge taken out on the Sharks, we decided to move and do a little Blue Fin Tuna Trolling, they Key to any good fishing trip is to have more then one plan, and to be ready to change the game at a moments notice. Thats what makes a Successful Guide, being able to adapt and over come anything that comes your way, and Capt Kenny Koci is one of the Best.

We had 2 take downs an hook ups on Blue Fins, but that was not meant to be, and the fish came unbuttoned. So now it was time to fill the folks cooler with Fish that they could take home for table fare. We headed to the Kinakeet Rocks for some bottom fishing, rules are different on bottom fish species North of Cape Point. They were able to Load their coolers with some real nice Stud Trigger-Fish.

The 80's and the Bent Butts, and a Beautiful SunSet...

The Sun was getting lower and lower, so it was time to Point The Tahuna to the WESTER and head back to Hatteras. We ran by Cape Point in Buxton, cause Kenny caught big Red Drum to 60 plus pounds there a few days ago, Brought Tahuna close enough to the Beach that the folks fishing Cape Point could make out the name of the boat from shore. But there were no Drum around, so we headed back to the Lair.

The Key to a Good Fishing Trip is Adaptability, ya can’t go out there with just one game, or you will be let down every-time. We mixed it up big time, and by the smiles on the faces of the customers back at the Dock, I think all were very satisfied.. and they got to go home with some nice Black Fins and Triggers…

I am at a loss for words....No text needed...

Until Next Time JAM OUT

She was Loaded For Bear, I could and did live out of it...

As most of you Know, I sold my Jeep several months ago, I had owned this Truck and did every modification to it for 19 years.  It was a true Beach Fishing Machine, that NEVER left me stranded anywhere, it was more Nimble then a Billy Goat and could Climb a Tree, but 19 years of Running the Beach’s of Hatteras Island had taken a toll on her, and I deemed her un-safe to operate this year. 

I had been looking for over a year for a good replacement Truck or SUV, and had pretty much decided on a Generation 2 Nissan Xterra Off-Road.  I had done my home work and Lurked on several Xterra Forums for several months, researched the Vehicle to no end, and pretty much knew more about the Nissan Xterra, then most people who work for Nissan.  It was just a matter of finding the one for me, I am a very very picky person when it comes to condition of a used vechile, so I knew it was gonna take some time to find the one I wanted, and it did, well over a year.  But the Search ended 2 weeks ago when I found her, an 07 Xterra Off-Road, in pristine condition.

Just home and in the Driveway.....Can't wait to start the Rigging..

Now you all remember the Jeep and how she was Rigged for Fishin, now it was time to Rig The X.  The plan was to re-use many of the Parts from the Jeep.   All of the Rack Gear, the Rollers, the Cradles, the Surf Board Pads, the Ski-Racks, would be added to the Rack on the Xterra.  I first had to buy a Thule Cross Roads Rack and Bar System to the Existing rack on the Xterra to accept all of the accessories that I all ready had.  I found this kinda funny, Thule makes Square Bars (which is what I needed) for my Yakima Accessories.. Yakima only makes Round Bars.. I did not get this but it is something that I found out when I was purchasing the Bars. 

Bars on in their initial configuration, I would change that below to allow more roon for Ski and Surf Board Racks.

Got the Bars online at a company called backcountry.com then came quick and a Monkey could have put them on.  They are a locking system which is what I wanted, being from NY, I tend to keep things secure.   I still can’t fathom why Yakima makes just Round bars, equipment tends to shift on Round Bars as I have seen Kayak Cradle Systems move when I would help Clients load their Kayaks back onto their vehicles after the days Adventure.   Square Bars are the way to go, to me they were a must. 

Boat Buckle, Great Product will work in any SUV..

Next was the Interior Racks, found a company Called Boat Buckle, that make stowage systems for the interiors of Boats.  They consist of an adjustable strap, kinda like a seat belt system, and Velcro attachments for the reel butts.  They will keep up to 5 Rods up out of the way, when transporting, or just plain goin fishin. 

Wader and Tackle Bag Stowage..

Next was a Milk Crate, they make Great Wader Holders.  I bungeed the Milk Crate to the Seat Back of the Xterras passenger seat, with a tiny Bungee Cord to keep the Crate secure and in place, its large enough to hold my Waders and my Rain Gear, a perfect removable solution for  Stowage. 

Next was a Cargo Net to hold my Tackle Bags, I switched from Tackle Boxes to Tackle Dry Bags Years ago, I can just grab what ever bad I need for what ever species of fish I will be tracking that day.   Got my 3 Trout Bags in there now, Bag of Mirror Lures and a Bag of Grubs, and a Bag of Rigging material.

These Make Life Mucho Bueno, easy up, easy down..

The Yakima Hulley Rollers make loading and unloading of the Kayak a Breeze when you are alone.  It is a one handed operation and combined with the Yakima Mako Shark Saddles, they make a Great Transport System that conforms to the Bottom of the hull of your Kayak, protecting the integrity of your hull.

They mold to the hull design of you Kayak..Keeping its Integrity.

I will Swap out SurfBoard Pads and Ski Racks As needed...Have a set of Thule Ski Racks that go on in minutes.

Next was one of the Sets of Surf Board Racks that I had on the Jeep, in a Pinch it will allow me to take 2 yaks on the Bars, but I am still looking to build a trailer to haul more. 

On the Truck with the old placement configuration, I changed that after I got home to fit 2 boats at a time.

New Placement of Kayak Rack and Rollers makes room for 2 yaks..

By no means will I be lifting or messing with the suspension of this new ride, it rides like a Cadillac, and that’s one of the things I like about it, the Jeep would shake the fillings out of your teeth.  The last thing I have to do is being done on Saturday.  A man down here Sprays the undercarriage of your truck with a combination of Boiled LinSeed Oil and Burnt Motor Oil, its and anti rust thing that has been done to vehicles  down here on the Island since the Model A days. 

Then she will be ready for the Beach and the Sound Side Access Points, also got a Commercial Beach Fishing Permit in the Works, that means ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.  They wanted to Play so I will use their Rules Against them, this will be my way around the New Beach Permit System that is coming down the pike….

Now She's Loaded for Bear, with pieces and parts from the Jeep, so the Jeep lives on..Just way more comfortable now... LOL.. See ya on the Beach.... LOL

Gonna be Nice to Drive in Places that I have never Driven Before, Legally, LOL….

Until Next Time JAM out

Well Folks, I hate to say it but JAM’s Adventures 2011 Season has Come to an end.  I would like to take this time to say “Thanks”, it was a Great Season and I had a Blast meeting some new faces, and see some old ones.

Sea Ya All Next Year....

I always hate to see the Be-Lo-Me, on the Hauler, it means that the Season has come to an End.. Gonna Hit up Florida this year, with a Stop in the Tampa and a Stop in CoCo Beach, might even make it all the way to the keys this Winter. 

I’ll be back and availabe for Charters in March and with any luck, next year will be as Good as this year if not better.  Happy Holidays and all that good Stuff, I’ll be on the Island until Feb, then its Road Trip Time. 

I will be partaking of the Beach Speckled Trout Scene until then, Hope to see ya at The Roost or on the Beach, there will still be Adventures, but just not the Kayak kind, unless the Stripers pay us a visit this year, if that happens I’ll be on it..

Until Next Time

JAM out

Because I saw the Biggest Deer, that I have ever seen on Hatteras Island today.  Now it was No Upstate N.Y. Deer, but it was HUGE for down here.  He did not pay me no mind as I snapped several Photo’s of him, while I was heading to the Fishing Hole this morning.  But I’ll get back to the deer, in the sequence of the story, the way it happened. 

I Started out down in Frisco this morning at the Butt Crack of Dawn, there was a nice chill to the air, and a slight NW wind.  With the sound being less productive then I like, I opted for Speck Fishing from the beach. 

Blessed, This is what I wake up to on most days, we are the First Ones on the East Coast to See the Sun..

It’s still a little early, but it could start any day, and I want to be there when it starts.  Watched a Beautiful Sun Rise standing and fishing along side the Frisco Pier.  I expected to see more folks down there but I was the First to arrive, which is usual, as I am an Early Bird. 

First person to arrive was Jim, from Maryland, nice guy he asked me if I was JAM and I told him I was, and then he gave me some kind words about the Blog.  I thanked him and we continued Fishing,  he lost a tail of his  Gulp Pearl White Shrimp and we figured it was a Blue.  He re-rigged and as he was re-rigging that’s when a good friend of mine Butch showed up, we have been talking about getting things started on the Trout Front for a couple of days now and it was good to see him out there givin it Hell.  The more Rods in the water the better feel that you can get for what is going on, and today there were only 3. 

Butch Austin, one of the Local Trout Heads...

Got a few slight bumps, that could have been Tail Slaps from a Speck, they sometimes like to Smack their Prey with their Tail to stun it, then turn and attack it.  But the action, just was not happening, so I said my goodbyes, and told the fellas of my intentions to go Fish up in Buxton, and where I would be checking the spots, if they wanted to get back up. 

Arrived back in Buxton around 8 A.M. and as I was pulling into the Parking Area, that’s when out of the corner of my eye I saw something move, I looked there their he was, the Biggest Deer that I have ever seen on Hatteras Island.  He was still on pavement, but he was heading slowly towards the dunes, right where I was going. 

I parked the Car and put on My Plano Trout Bag, its just an easy way to carry all of my Trout Gear around my waist as I walk Miles when I am on a Trout Adventure, and I always have my Camera with me to take the Photo’s of the Adventure.  So I headed off in the general direction of when the Gigundo Deer went, hoping to get a photo of him.  The deer down here do not spook as easy as a Northern Deer, because they are not getting shot at on a regular basis.  As soon as I got on the Path, there he was, 20 Yards away from me, lookin right at me, he did not budge and neither did I, I wanted to get a shot at him, so I eased my Camera from around my neck, and positioned my Trout Rod under my arm so I could get a Picture. 

That's a Big Hatteras Island Deer, I've never seen one this big in 10 years of living here, and 40 years of coming here..

Look at the Size of that Rack, for a Beach Deer, HUGE!!

Got a bunch of shots, as this deer was fearless, even moved closer and he did not move, I could have pulled a Daniel Boone on his @ss, I was that close.  I got tired of him and he got tired of me and I headed on to the Beach to give it a try, and check the waters of Buxton for Specks. 

I went a Mile and a half down the Beach and the same Deer was Following me.

Walked a good distance and hit a bunch of holes that Kevin and I hit the other day, with a few bumps here and a few bumps there but no rod Take-Downs.  Trout fishing is all about moving and if they ain’t where you are at it time to move.  So I headed back to the car, Fishing along the way. 

Next stop was north of Town, I had GPS’d some nice holes up there last week, and wanted to see if they were still there.  I use my Hand-Held Garmin that I use on the Kayak, to Mark Holes, so even if the sun ain’t quite up yet, I know that I am in the right area.  No luck there either, so I decided to head to the Orange Blossom to pick up an Apple Ugly, that after I get done Typing this Adventure is going to be DEVOWERED. 

Orange Blossom Apple Uglie, I Love these after a 4 mile Beach Hike in full Gear..

The TD Fuego is unbelieveable on the Beach, been fishing it from the Yak the last few months, but you can feel ho light it is when Beach Fishing. Can't wait to get the new 2500 TD Balistic, which is being released as I type. Gonna Hit Daiwa up for one of those...

My Lami 702UL Custom and Team Daiwa Fuego, same stuff I use int he Yak..

 Fished  5 Hours, did 4 Miles on the Beach in Waders, and got more down with Nature, and the Environment then any of them A-Holes ever will, that are closing our Beach’s.  Nature is there to be enjoyed, not for us to be locked out of,  here’s a little message to them,  You can’t Stop Me, I will get to where ever I want to get, Be it My YAK or MY FEET..

JAM out Till Next Time…

Sunrise At the Frisco Pier, Hatteras Island North Carolina..

When Summer becomes Fall, the fishing slows in the Pamlico Sound, as most of the species of fish do their push to the Ocean.  They tend to follow the Finger Mullet runs, first the Flounder, then the Drum and then the Trout.  With the lack of catches of Specks in the sound for the past week, I decided that this was the week  that I would start Beach hunting for them.  The water was still too dirty on Friday to give it a shot, so  Saturday it was. 

Left the house at 0′Dark Thirty with my trusty Trout Rod in hand, it’s the same 7 foot Lami-Glas  Custom I use on the yak.  I also fish an 8′6 Lami if I need the distance, but the 7 footer is perfect for long walks on the beach, and it does not wear you out as fast as the 8′6 would. 

There are a few pilings that don't even touch the ground anymore.

Started at the Frisco Pier, before the sun fully cracked the horizon, I still can’t believe it is still partially standing after the wrath of Hurricane Irene, I would have thought she was a goner but there she is, one tough M’F'r.  Worked south of the Pier and north of the Pier for about 2 hours with no luck and only a few bumps, from what I can guess were smaller Flounder. 

Never saw it that washed out before... Lots of sand gone...Middle Jetty Buxton N.C.

Headed back to the Car to head to Buxton, was gonna give the Jetties and the Old Coast Guard base a try. 

Water looked perfect, it had a river green look to it and I have done very well in water color like that in the past.  So I headed North along the Coastline casting at spots that looked fishy to me.  The Jetties almost looked unfishable to me, so many of the sandbags that were used to protect the Lighthouse had created a minefield of snags and I was not in the mood to be re-rigging so I passed on most of it, fishing the areas that I could see would be snag free.  It has changed so much, and allot of the beach is gone, that area is gonna be problems in the future as the main section of the Buxton neighborhood starts right there.  No luck going North so I headed back South, fishing all along the way.  Had a few Bumps but no real take-downs. 

Cape Hatteras LightHouse

Was heading back to the parking lot at the Old Lighthouse Site when I met up, with probley the best Speck Fisherman on the Planet, and good friend of mine Kevin McCabe.  We decided to fish south of where we were at a pretty little Point type outcrop. 

When it comes to Specks, Kevin is the Man, I don't know of anyone that is better at it then him.

Gave it a whirl for a while, and Kevin had a tail bit off and on his next cast a genuine Take-Down.  What ever it was it came off as fast as it got on.  He decided to continue South, and I decided to call it a morning, and hit a Computer job on the way home, nothing like workin on a Computer in your Waders, what can I say, in the summer I work on them in board shorts and bare footed, fall and winter I could show up to your house or business in my Waders, its the Island way. 

Not giving up on the Yak fishing just yet, but I will pick my days wisely, and continue to focus on the Specks from the Beach, it is something that I truly love to do, and get plenty of exercise walkin miles in my waders.  Until Next Time JAM out

BlueBoss on the water Slick Calm, don't worry, thats gonna change...LOL

Had a much anticipated Trip this week and this would be the first one since Hurricane Irene, I was Stoked.  It was with John aka BlueBoss on the Web, he had picked up a demo Wilderness Systems Tarpon 140 and the plan was to swap boats sometime during the trip.  This way he could see which one he liked better, the T-140 is actually and inch or so narrower then my T-120, that and the Rocker of the T-120 makes it a more stable boat.  Most think longer more stable and that is not always true. 

I was hopeing to pull off a Full Day Adventure today but the Weather Gremlins, that have plagued me for the better part of a month started to show his sneaky little head, and Grumble on occasion.  The Morning was slick Calm, no wind and 100% the best conditions that I have seen in a while.  But, I know not to get lulled into that false sense of security, and I had eyes in the back of my head today.  

John, releasing a Citation Pin Fish...

The First few spots we hit were close, so I could keep my eye on a Cluster of T-Storms that were right off the Coast, they passed us off shore, so I told John that we would venture off into full Day Land.  We hit a few spots as we headed out to the Reef off of Hatteras Island, the Calm water mad the paddle out a piece of cake, and when we arrived at the spot, the was bait fish being chased just about everywhere. 

That's a Fun Sized Blue Fish, on a Ultra-Lite Trout Rod..

This was a good sign and it did not take John long to land a real nice Blue, which he kept for dinner.  It was a good 3 pounder or so, so on the stringer it went, while I was putting the fish on the stringer, I noticed a real Big Cluster of T-Storms, and this one looked like it would not skirt us.    I pointed them out to John and said that I would keep an eye on them, but if they started to move in our direction, we would have to call it a day and head in, so we kept fishing for a while. 

The wind shift and the ripples was all I needed to know it was time to get out of Dodge, before it go too bad.

The winds started to pick up and I knew it was time to get out of dodge, like the title says, “YA Got to Know When; to say When”, and now was the time.  It looked Dark over the Ocean, and it was filling in around us in the sound, there was no chance to stop and hit the Island for a Boat Switch, for if we stopped, the Storm would have run smack into us. 

Nice Thunder Head, right in our path... Time for a good work out..

We were gonna have to tough it out and make the Run For Teach’s, before the Storm Hit us.  I had given us enough time, and the wind was not that bad and the waves were just building so they were an non-issue, I felt relatively good we would make it back without getting wet. 

Yup, thats the way we were going, back to land as the storm built over the Ocean, we made it by about 15 minutes...

There were a few Grumble’s of Thunder and a Few distant Lighting Strikes, but it was not that hairy, and we were making good time back to the Marina, the closer we got the more I knew that we would be on dry land when this one hit, and we had John’s Fish Iced and his boat loaded on the Truck before it started to Rain.  Perfect timing, I just wish we would have had the tide switch while we were in the Trout Hole, as I am sure we would have gotten a Stringer full.  It was a Great Day on the Water with a like minded individual, John I hope you had a fun Adventure.. I did…

Until Next time JAM

OUT

After yesterdays @ss kicking, I decided to go with plan A from yesterday, a run all the way up Slash Creek.  Slash Creek is a Saltwater Creek that dissects Hatteras,  it runs the entire length of Hatteras Village.  Its starts at Sandy Bottoms, or Isabel Inlet,  the beginning of the Village and it dumps right into Teach’s Lair Marina, right behind Teach’s Island Bar And Grill, and the Wancheese Fish Company.  Allot of folks lately have been telling me it is quite fishy, and with a very hard NE wind and the beating I took yesterday, I was down for some peace and quiet. 

I was still rockin and rolling for several hours last night before I went to bed, some of you that have been Offshore Fishing know what I am talking about.  For those that don’t,  I will explain, after you take a shower, after boating all day long, your body and mind get out of sync, your mind still believes your are on a boat, and tries to compensate.  It feels like you are still on the boat, which is Kinda Cool, cause I love being Rocked to sleep. 

With the NE wind blowin it’s arse off I headed to the entrance of Slash Creek, it was gonna be fun, I was gonna go into the wind all the way to the end, which is actually the beginning, and drift fish all the way home. 

As I went through the Old Fish House area, it led my mind to wander of days of old, and all the History and Tradition, hard work and fortitude of the people that lived here before us.  Generations of Midgett’s, Williams, Burus, Fosters, Odens, Gray’s, Scarborough’s  and the list just continues. 

Hundreds of years of Island Life, most of them were Fishermen, some were the original keepers of the Lighthouse.  Many were  Coast Guardsmen, all were hardy and strong, and survived many a Hurricane, they just dusted off their boots and picked up and continued on with life.  Directly after Hurricane Irene, I was manning the shop, when a young National Guard member, commented to me, “Everyone is so Calm, no one is Looting, I can’t believe it, if this were anywhere inland People would be loosing their minds”.  I took this as a compliment, and told him that’s just the way it is here. An Old Timer told me when I first moved here 9 years ago, he said, “Son, if ya live on a sandbar, your gonna get your feet wet”.  I carry that with me through all the Nor’ Easters we get through the winter, which can be worse then a Hurricane, and all through Hurricane season.  I am prepared to lose everything, every-time it happens, and if ya watch the news it happens on a semi-regular basis here on the Island.  We stick out 40 miles from Mainland North Carolina, right out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.  So if anyone’s gonna get hammered, its gonna be us. 

I have lived through, Isabel, Alex, Ophelia, Earl, and now Irene, all damaging storms, some worse then others.  The Benchmark for all storms, as told to me by Islanders, has always been Emily, I believe it was 1992 or 93, but that’s what all storms were measured against.  Not any More, the new Benchmark for Hatteras Island is Irene, and I hope I never see the devastation that I have seen in this storm ever again as long as I live.   The Southern Villages we lucky, from Buxton South damage was minimal.  From North Avon up, was devastated, many lost everything they own, and will be rebuilding for years to come.  It llooks like a bomb went off up there in Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo.

The peacefulnessss of The Slash was awesome, winding through canals, passing buildings from a time long ago, not a worry in the world.  It’s different in the Sound, or for that matter Different in the Ocean, when you are on a glorified Clorox Bottle, as your form of transportation.  You have to pay way more attention to the conditions, and be prepared, for at any moment you could be in a life and death situation. 

I fished all along the way, there and back, and guess what, I caught, nothing to write home about, but I caught a Flounder, that I did a quick release right along side the Yak.  Not on purpose, he just spit the Hook as I was about to net him.  He looked to be of  Legal size, 15 inches or so.  

What really surprised me was I got to catch my very first puppy drum of the year, which is crazy, I usually have a couple dozen by now, but they have just not been where I have been fishing.  Nailed him right under the Bridge by the Old Channel Bass Restaurant. 

Kept on Fishing, as I leisurely paddle along and next up was, my Bestest Friend in the World, the Speckled Trout, caught four of them and continued North up the Creek to the Creek Head, not to be confused with Crack Head, which is what all our Weathermen around here are. 

Snapped a Few Photos of the Sound at Sandy Bottoms, fished in front of my buddies Cal’s House, and started the Drift Home. 

Caught a Lizard Fish and a Scup (Hog Fish) on the way back, but mainly was just taking in the senery, and wondering around.  It was a GREAT Day, and I can highly recommend, a Trip up the Slash as a Great Adventure to take with me, whether you fish or not,  just make sure to bring a camera and your imagination, it truly is a Slice of Paradise, most do not get to see.

Until Next Time

JAM out

Not too bad, YET, but by no means does 10 knots do this to water..

High paying job that ya never ever have to be right about, and they struck again.   Awoke to 10 knot winds, nothing on the radar, so it was a go.  The WEATERMAN said it was gonna be 15 tops today, well the Weatherman needs to put down the CRACK pipe, because the conditions deteriorated, and quick. 

Easy  30 Plus NE with higher gusts, and here I am 4 miles off Hatteras, with Rollers to three foot, I knew that there would be no fish today. 

As the Thremal's of the Sun got on it, it got Sporty...

Time to get out of Dodge, this is gonna be FUN!!!!

At this Point my main concern was getting back home, and the fish were not even on my Radar.   I thank God that I am in the best condition of the season, because if this were early on say Aprilish, I would have never made it back. 

I would never take a Guided Trip out in those conditions, but I kinda have no OFF switch, it’s been a problem o mine my entire life, so there I was anchored, and I just had got there, I made a few casts with the Trout Rod, and I sent a Bait out for the Drum, on my Kayak Drum Rod,  figured I was all ready there, no reason to leave now, if I am gonna take a Beating it might as well be a good one. 

No words...

After a futile attempt for around an hour and a half, I decided to pull anchor, and head in the general direction of Teach’s Lair Marina.  It was a Stout paddle in Total Side to current, so I decided to break it up a bit and head for Jamuda.  I drift fished for around a half mile, with the current and the wind pushing me towards JAMUDA, no Lee to hide behind today that only works on a S or SW wind. 

I arrived at JAMUDA, with the onset of HYPOTHERMIA starting to rear its head, I was starting to shiver and shake.  Because of our CRACK-Head Weatherman, I decided that I did  not need the Wet-Suit and Booties today, and only wore a Hoodie and a DryTop, and a pair of Kayak Pants, big, big mistake, from here on in it’s Wet-Suit material.  Did a couple dozen jumpin jacks to elevate my core temp, then it was back in the Boat, for the last mile and a half to Teach’s. 

Dead Jelly Balls by the hundreds..

Even the Jelly Fish were freezing to death, as they were washing up all over JAMUDA Island Dead as Door Nails. 

Did Jumpin Jacks and Ran a bit on JAMUDA, got the Core back up, now its back for a Beating, Round TWO DING..

The Run to Teach’s was a PITA, dead head on, straight in the FACE wind to 30-35, white caps every where, I was taking a Beating, got so bad I just headed for land on the South-side of the Coast Guard Base.  Got there and walked along the Shoreline, towing my Yak behind me with my Anchor Trolley, it disconnects from the handle and you can use it as a tow rope.. Thats why I make and don’t buy, if you design it, you can make it multi-purpose, and that is why mine is on a carabiner clip, and not like the store bought ones at all. 

Had to paddle the last Half mile to Teach’s and boy it was a burner, I did not have to worry about Hypothermia any more because Son, it was work.  On several different occasions I wondered if I was gonna make it back under my own power, but I did. 

Needless to say, today was not a fun trip at all, but it was a great workout. 

At least someone got dinner, cause I didn't...

Should have went up the Creek, like my first plan was, well I know this but I will say IT anyway, Never Second Guess yourself, go with the first plan.  AND if your a Weatherman, steer clear of me for a while.. Goin up the Creek tomorrow..

JAM out

Since Hurricane Irene, Hatteras Island has not been a Normal Place.  Here it is a month after the storm and there is still no road access to us.  We can thank several Environmental Organizations for that, but I am not gonna go there this Adventure, this my friends is a Catching Adventure.   With over 24 inches of rain in the month of September, I have had to duck and dodge and bob an weave to fulfill my fishing addiction, and I have been getting it done.  All solo trips, due to not allot of folks coming to the Island by Ferry, I have lost a ton of trips this month.  

Launched out of Teach’s at around 9 a.m., got a late start today, cause I was rigging a bait rod to bring with me to soak some bait for a Puppy Drum (Red Drum Fish) as I Speckled Trout fished with my jig rod.  No takers on the Bait Rod, but I had allot of good action on the Trout Rod. 

Got my Limit, Limits on Greys is One a day over 12 Inches, this one went right at 16.00.

It took a while, but, Mr. Grey Trout came a calling first, got him right to the net and on the stringer in no time flat.  He was a nice fish, went right at 16.00 inches.  The reason I say HE, is that, only the males of the Trout Species, make a Grunting sound.  Just like the Drum, the males of the Species have an additional muscle, that allows them to make noise.  This is one sure fire way to SEX a Fish. 

After a quick picture, I was back at it, cast after cast.  There were allot of Boats out there today, with Capt. Rick Scarborough, of the F/V Speck-Tackler,  fishing right to me left, at my 9,

The F/V Speck-Tackle with Captain Rick Scarborough and Party.

 and a good friend of mine John, Fishing off my 12.  Everyone was catching, as I saw several other boats putting fish in the cooler. 

I lost a few Trout right at the boat, which is not the norm for me, but everyone has those type of days, so I just shrugged it off and kept at it.  After a short period of time,  I felt allot of resistance on my rod, so I set up like a Big Dog and made sure that this one was stuck, and he was,

Heres my Speck...16.00 Inches

right into the net and on the stringer. 

and heres my Slam... Little Blue Fish to round it off..

The wind started to pick up and the current had too much south in it, and I kinda new that the Trout had moved off.  But I still hung around for a while and threw in the direction of a Slick that popped up, I could tell by the rapid head shake that this was not a Trout, I knew it was a Blue, a little fella, around 12 inches, and folks, thats one way on Hatteras Island to get an Inshore Slam.    

Look Close and you can see Fish...

Lost a Few and Caught a Few Today, was a fun time on the water, with good friends, if I would have stuck it out longer, I probubly could have caught a few more, but with the current and  the wind I decided it was time to make the Stroke back to the Roost at Teach’s Lair Marina and call it a day. 

Until Next time

JAM out

Not much of a window but enough for me..

The Weather report was not looking good for this weekend, and with last weekend being a WashOut with 6.90 inches of rain on Saturday alone.   So I awoke and looked at Weather Under Ground to see if there would be a window of opportunity.  There was storms all around us, but there was a gap, about 5 or 6 hours where I could squeak off a trip. 

I had arrange to take these guys out on a Speckle Trout Adventure, and called them immediately when I new All systems were go.  I told them that I was heading to the Marina and I would check the wind and the radar down there and call them back.  When I got to Teach’s, it was borderline, the wind was all ready on it at around 15 knots, and the gusts were much higher.  I called Zach back and told him it was a not go for a Trip, and that tomorrow did not look good either.  Told him that I would rather catch him next time he was in town, then to take him and his bud out there and Beat Them To Death.    I would rather they have fun, and there was stuff all around us and it was very squally looking.   Thats not my Style, I am about the Fun, I ain’t about Killing You.

But the Conditions were not going to stop me from going, and as long as there was no Electricity in the Air, I was on it.  Left out of Teach’s in Sunny and wind from the South at 15 to 25 knots, there was allot of Side To wave action, which can make it a PITA to get to you destination, but if ya pick the proper angle you will get there eventually. 

Arrived at the Speck hole and I kinda knew that with the way the current was running that there was not going to be allot of action, but I just paddled 3.17 miles, I was gonna fish it anyways.  Got a good angle on a the point of a SandBar and commenced to casting.  No Takers, so I moved a piece and re-adjusted my position and got back to it.  Capt. Doug Martin of the Hallelujah was in the area so I knew he was thinking the same thing I was.  Watched Capt. Doug put one in the cooler and I just smiled, cause I knew it would not take long for me to get one, and it didn’t.  From the pull on the drag I knew it was a keeper and against the current he was quite a fight. 

Just a little over 16 inches, but its a Keeper..

Netted Him, put him on the stringer and measured and photo’s for Kayak Wars, an online kayak fishing Tourney that I have played around in for 2 years.

Better Shot of the Fish on the Dry Ground of JAMUDA Island, just off Hatteras Island

After putting the fish on the stringer, it was not looking good over on the Ocean Side, and this squall, I could see heavy rain in it.  You guessed it, coming right for me, so I pulled anchor and started the long, near 4 mile paddle, back to the Home Port, Teach’s Lair Marina.

Gonna Get Wet, but I always have my rain gear with me..

About a mile and a half into it I was met by torrential rains, wind gusts to 35- 40 knots and 3 foot seas, thought to myself, its gonna be a long paddle back, and I was glad that I called off the Guided Adventure, cause I was getting my assed kicked.  I always have a game plan, for when

It was Growing and Coming right at me, I had to go through that to get to the Main Island of Hatteras.

Shit Goes Wrong, so it was not a very big deal to me and I knew that I would take an angle on the Island of JAMUDA, this would at least put the Island between me and the Hard Wind.  She was about a Mile or so away so I just put my head down and paddled my arse off.   Took about an hour of straight paddling and I arrived on dry land, the squall had passed and it was getting a little nicer, so I decided to take a walk, and look for Flotsam on the Island.  Found a few Crab Trap Buoys that were left on the Island from Irene, and I collect them and hang them off of my deck so I picked them up and brought them back to the yak. 

Had another mile and a half to go and another Squall was approaching so it was time to leave JAMUDA and head for Home.  The last mile and a half was not so bad, because your are closer to the Main portion of the Island, and it pushes the wind up and over you.  Pulled into the Marina with My Limit of Grey Trout, arms burnin from the workout, and thought to myself, Glad I did not bring those boys with me… Real Glad…

Until Next Time

JAM out