Topsail Angler's Fishing Blog
Gulf Stream Trip
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Yesterday I finally got to make a fishing trip to the Gulf Stream this month. The weather kept me penned down for a few weeks and then I had some other issues that kept me off the water, so I was ready to do some catching yesterday. My friend Scott Erickson, owner of Century 21 Action Realty in Surf City was kind enough to invite me to go with him and his buddy Tanner aboard his boat the “Reel Dream”.
We met at the high rise bridge boat ramp on Topsail Island before dawn and headed out of New River inlet, when the sun came up over the horizon we were already six miles offshore. The seas were flat so we made great time. We arrived at Gulf Stream to find beautiful blue water. Man this plan was coming together nicely. We put out a five rod spread and started trolling the “break” looking to catch a hoo or two with maybe a nice tuna or dolphin in the mix.
We had two solid hook-ups but both came unbuttoned after a minute or so. It got the blood boiling but that was it. No more bites on the troll. So we switched over to bottom fishing and proceeded to fill the box with tasty bottom critters. Red Grouper, silver snappers, b-liners, grunts, jolt head porgies and trigger fish. I caught one trigger that weighed in at 4.8 pounds, just shy of a citation but tasty just the same. We hit a few grouper holes on the way back in before arriving at the inlet about 10 minutes after sunset.
We had three very large manta rays come right up to the transom of the boat, one was at least 10 feet across. They are wild looking animals with those eyeballs extended out so far in front of their body and those big graceful wings - they look like a space ship or something. They were fun to watch. Tanner hooked up with another Tiger shark, I was just about to take a picture of it int eh water beside the boat when the leader snapped. What a huge shark!
Beautiful day on the ocean with good friends and a box full of fish. No Hoos but no complaints either.