Bluefish

I never used to take much pleasure in talking to other people. Fishing used to be a way to get away from others and find a secluded place where I could be alone with my thoughts and nature. As I get older I enjoy the company of fellow fishermen and I find myself talking to random people more often. The benefit of doing this is not only to meet great people possibly make a new friend but also you can pick up fishing tips you might not have found other wise. This just happened today as I was gearing up to fish the surf. A truck pulled up "are they biting?" The drive asked. I explained that I hadn't even hit the water yet. The gentlemen went on to talk about how in another section they caught so many they couldn't keep them all. I don't know why but I always like to think I know something others don't. Especially when it comes to fishing. I said I'll try the surf and head over if it seems dead. The gentleman looked at me a little strange and drove off. On my walk to the beach I couldn't get the gentleman's expression out of my mind. Why did he look at me so strange as he drove off? I started to beat the surf with my casts. I saw no signs of life and even worse no other fisherman. I started to wonder if I should head over to where the guy in the truck suggested. While I walked back to the car I realized why I got the look I did as the man drove away. He probably didn't understand why I was passing up a known location that obviously had fish. When I hit the other section the man from the truck was sitting on a bucket and asked how the surf was. He was reeling in a fish right as I got there. We talked for awhile and I learned we lived in the same city and had other random things in common. Then he told me to try a spot down the beach. "Usually there at least some bluefish down there" he said. This time I was listening and I headed down the beach and began casting. On my second cast I had a fish and brought it to hand. It was a speckled trout. The first I had ever caught. I dropped it back in the water still on the line and walked back to get my camera. Unfortunately once I got the camera the fish came off. I didn't catch another speck but I did hook up with 15-20bluefish. The gentleman was right on. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers and bluefish. They can save you from smelling like skunk at the end of the day.

The Drum and The Shark

Surf fishing is tough. There's so much going on it's hard to figure out exactly the proper way to fish. The current is going different directions the foam creates shadows and the current stirs up dirt. Many times you have no idea where to cast. I'm always hoping to see some sign that a fish is in a certain area. I tried finding beach features that stood out. Places where the sand created a crater or some kind of underwater dune. I figured fish might try to pin or trap bait in these places. I worked an area for awhile and used various retrieves. I felt a tug during on one of my retrieves and pulled in my first fish ever caught in the NC surf.

It was a little bluefish and it gave me the confidence to continue working the surf. I started to trust my hunches about where fish might be. Then I noticed some shadows that weren't moving with the flow of the waves. As I got closer I could tell it was a school of something. I was guessing bluefish. My first cast yielded nothing. The next cast landed right on top of the school. I waited a couple seconds then gave the fly some quick strips. There was some tension then the rod started to bob but the resistance was strange. It felt more like the fly was dragging in the sand than a fish fighting. As the current went out I saw a splash and tail slap. There was a huge disturbance and the other fish in the school bolted. The rod started to really bend and at first I wasn't gaining any line on the fish. Then I saw the tail come out of the water again and noticed the spot that marks a red drum. At about the same time the fish decided it was gonna fight. I figured no big deal I'm using a 9wt. I severely under estimated the fish. Every time I thought I had the drum under control it would make another run. It took awhile but I eventually realized I needed to get the fish into shallow water. I started to work my way back up the beach. The drum gave in after what seemed like 10min.

The fight red drum dish up is almost unreal. They have so much power in a small package. I've caught bigger reds but I can't remember any of them fighting like this fish. I used to think you could get away with a 5wt in the surf. This fish would have snapped that like a twig. My 9wt was perfect and even with that the fish torqued it good. 

As I released the fish and watched it swim away I started to adjust my line and get ready for my next cast. I noticed a dark shadow coming my direction. It looked like a seal. I used to see them all the time in San Diego. Then the shadow moved in front of me and a fin broke the surface. It was a shark and it was swimming no more than 20ft from me. By the time I knew it was a shark it had spotted me thrashed the water and took off. The whole thing happened so fast it really humbled me. It reminded me how vulnerable we really are once we're in the ocean. I think that shark was investigating the area because of the drum struggling as I brought it it. If that shark wanted to get me I wouldn't have had a chance. 

You'd think an experience like that would keep me out of the water but it didn't. I was having too good of a day. I continued to work the surf and after several hours of not even a bump I hooked my first flounder.

It was truly an awesome day. All of the fish were caught on a clouser that I tied. Even though it was scary it was cool seeing the shark. Before I left the surf late afternoon I saw a sea turtle. I have never seen once since I've lived in NC. It was so close to shore I could have ran out in the surf and probably swam with it.