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East Coast August 2009 Vacation

August 2009, The Outer Banks, Hatteras Island, NC

I had the wonderful opportunity to spend three weeks in a gorgeous beach house, invited by generous
friends of mine. We fished, toured the area, played cards, relaxed, and ate way too much. Here are
just some of the pictures I took.

(Click on any picture to view the larger detailed picture.)

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On the back deck of the beach house looking northward toward
the Pamlico Sound outlet.

 

 

Now looking southward down the canal. My wonderful hosts have
a comfortable pontoon boat they use for fishing on the Sound.

 

 

Another view toward the Sound side.

 

 

 

The front of the beach house. This is the "Dock On The Bay".

 

 

Leaving the canal heading out into the Sound. It is wise to stay
within the Channel as the Sound is too shallow here. For the most
part, near our part of the island, the Sound is 6-10 foot deep with
spots up to 20 foot deep.

 

Nearing sunset on the Sound.

 

 

 

The beach house from the canal.

 

 

 

One of the days we chartered a sport fishing boat out of
Teach's Lair Marina. Edward Teach was better known as
Blackbeard. We're heading out about 1.5 hours to the Gulf
Stream to catch Marlin and Sailfish. We are aboard the
"Hattitude", a 55-foot Carolina Custom.

The dual 700-hp diesel engines get us there at 28 knots
per hour.

 

 

The mate prepares Ballyhoo for baiting.

 

 

 

The mate rigs up the dredge. Imagine an umbrella without the fabric.
About half of the fish attached are rubber. These are lowered off the
outriggers on each side of the boat and towed a few yards behind the
boat to simulate schools of baitfish to lure the marlin and sailfish near
the baited hooks tailing another 20-30 yards behind the boat.

We left before dawn and were in position early morning. There was a
little cloud cover but it started to break up as it got warmer.

 

 

We fished for about 6 hours and caught 2 sailfish which we released.
The day's catch is indicated by the small flags hung on each boat as it
returns to the harbor. If the flag is flown upside down, that means the
fish was released. I don't have pictures of the approx. 25 lbs and 40
lbs sailfish we caught as we didn't bring them onboard.

 

We also caught two bonito. These were probable 5-6 lbs each. They
are not too good eating but are used as cut bait for ocean surf fishing.

 

 

The next day, fishing on the Sound we caught two small skate, which is
in the same group as stingray. Both were maybe 12 inches across and
weighed a couple of pounds. We did hook but did not land a much larger
skate approx. 3 feet wide and maybe 20 lbs.

 

Pelicans were everywhere.

 

 

 

The calmness of the sound. It does get 1-2 foot waves if
it gets windy.

 

 

Ocean surf fishing is another story. There is constant waves, size
and strength dependant on the moving tides. Baited hooks with
normally 3-8 ounces of weight are cast 50-70 yards out hopefully
beyond the sandbars.

 

Another day we charter a different boat out of Oregon Inlet to do
some inshore fishing. These boats are a bit smaller than the Gulf
Stream charters.

 

 

Leaving Oregon Inlet.

 

 

 

Fishing near a sunken wreck we catch a load of Trigger fish.
These are maybe 2 lbs each and pretty tasty.

 

 

One of the many False Albacore that we caught. We kept four and
released about 20. They are not favored for their flavor but we had
to try. They have a dark oily meat and it taste rather strong and fishy.
It's edible but the common white fish is better.

 

The catch for the day. I count 17 Trigger fish, 11 Spanish
Mackerel, one of them almost twice as large as the others,
4 False Albacore, and 1 dolphin (far right - green colored.)