Seapuppy
05-22-2006, 06:39 PM
Arrived at the public boat ramp in Ocracoke village about 4am.Finished prepping the Seapuppy for the long & incredible day ahead.Packed the sandwiches made last night & cut up about 5# of mullet,bunker & shrimp.Place them in 3 separate baggies, in case I loose one I won't loose all of it.Drove down to the ramp & backed the Seapuppy over.This is the steepest ramp I have ever seen,must be 45*! Can't trust the parking brake at this angle so I placed a block of wood behind the left front wheel,shut the Jeep off & put it in gear.Walked down the ramp & immediatley busted my butt,hurt my elbo real bad,green moss on the concrete was so slick,almost could'nt walk on it without slideing.Should be a sign warning of the conditions! Tied the Seapuppy to the pier,pulled the Jeep & trailer out & parked it in the parking lot.It's about 5am,Warrior & I jumped aboard & headed for the inlet.The wind is blowing SW at 20 knots, very overcast,the darkness turns to dawn.With the strong SW winds it's a rough ride heading straight into the 3-4 foot whitecapping,choppy waves.Warrior started out on the bow at first but ended up at my feet as we went thru the angry sound,plenty of spray comin' into the Seapuppy.I reached back & pulled one of the plugs.At least the return trip should'nt be bad.It's been quite a while since I have traveled this channel,runnin' aground a couple times as we make our way along the backside of the island.The water is gettin' rougher the closer we get to the inlet,the waves building to 5 foot.I let a couple of large sportfishin' boats pass & followed them around the large sandbar just west of the southwest end of the island.Turnin' east into the inlet the waves are about 6-8 foot,pretty rough & choppy.The combination of the outgoing tide goin' directly into the wind makes for some very rough conditions.Still 2 hours before low tide so I headed out to the bar just south of Ocracoke south point & the main ocean going channel.Caught a few drum there a month ago.Looked over the area inside & out,turns out the bar has been flattened out from the strong NE winds a couple weeks ago.Headed SE out to the main bar NE of Vera Cruz.Found a good spot where I could anchor the Seapuppy being sure I would'nt get trapped by the outgoin' tide.Once on the bar it was a short walk to the breakers,a deep trough goin' north to south just beyond the crashing whitewater.The waves were about knee deep,Warrior was able to touch bottom so no need to run a rope from her back to my waist.Cast out two medium conventionals baited with bunker/mullet,discovered that on my third rod,the reel would'nt lock after casting so I put it back in the boat.The very reason I carry so many rods.Before I could get all the 4 light tackle rods rigged & cast out one of the medium conventionals bent way over,the drag screamin'.Grabbed the pole & after a heck of a fight landed the first big bluefish of the day.It's probably 10#,almost all of it head as spring bluefish are always skinny.Warrior wanted it bad but I released it unharmed."Gotta' wait for a skate or a dogshark" As I was rebaitin' the big rig,looked over at the one light tackle rod I had out so far & it was bent over.Recast the big rig & went over to the light tackle rod,after quite a spirited battle landed the first pup of the day " We're in luck,26 3/4 inches,perfect for dinner! " Tied it to the stringer & cast out all the light rods baited with shrimp.I do very well with shrimp,a month ago out here catchin' 13 out of 14 pups on shrimp,only one on cutbait.Another run on one of the big rods,pulled in a 3 foot dogshark,just what Warrior was waitin' for! After I unhooked it Warrior chomps down on it about mid-body & carried it around for at least 10 minutes.There's nowhere to put it as we are in knee deep water so she finnally tires & drops it into the surf.Caught a couple more big bluefish & 6 more pups,all around 26-30 inch.Every one on the light tackle shrimp rods.I throw them out besides & behind me with a 1 oz. pyrimid sinker,2 sharp longshank beak style hooks on a homemade rig of 25# test.Just let them roll around with the breaking waves."Holding Bottom" is way overblown.I like my rigs to roll around naturally,some baits in less than 2 foot of white water,the pups findin' the bait & runnin'.It's very chilly out here as the whole sky is clouded up,the SW wind picking up to about 25knots with the incoming tide."I'd give anything for some sun!"as I put on my light windbreaker raincoat & pulled the hood over my head.I have a full size wetsuit on which works very well if you're in the water but allows the wind to come in when it's dry.Decided to pack up & take a ride around the backside of Vera Cruz & run south along Portsmouth Is. searching for the big cut across the bar that produced a nice 35 inch yearling last month.I always wait for a riseing tide before goin' back in this area as the water is very shallow between the outer shoals & Portsmouth beach.We made our way across the shallow spots,had to raise the engine up one click as we crossed,the incoming waves lifting the Seapuppy over the worst spots.Looked the area over carefully & found the deep cut thru the bar.Anchored Seapuppy along the west side of the bar,Warrior & I grabbed 1 medium conventional & 2 light tackle shrimp rods & walked out to the rageing whitewater of the south point of the bar.The deep cut very close easily reaching it with the big rig cast straight into the howling wind.Threw the light tackle rods to each side.The rod to the south of the bar picked up some pinfish & seamullet,the one on the north side picking up pups again.Caught 3 more pups(28-30 inch)on the light tackle when the big rod bent over,the line screamin' out.Had a pup still on one of the light rods,just loosened the drag & put it in the holder leaving the pup still in the water.Got up to the big rod,"We got a REAL BIG fish here!" After a fifteen minute battle landed a real nice yearling about 38 inch,great fight in the rough waves & wind.Released that one & castback out.Went back to the light rod & brought the pup in,lettin' it go for another day.The tide is really starting to run fast now,the incomeing tide & high wind combinding so that the current is really racing by the bar.The big rod bends over again,this time after a ten minute battle landing another nice yearling in the 35 inch range."This is turnin' into a pretty good day!"The tide racing across the bar we had to pack up & retreat to the next bar north.The wind must be close to SW 30knots now,the whitewater rageing.Really good drumwater!! Landing on the next exposed bar I threw out the three rods again.The big rod bends over first takin' line out in a hurry,fighting like heck the fish jumps 2 foot out of the water,another big blue.Blues put up avery spirited fight but it is shortlived on a 25# test conventional.I wrestled the fish in & released it to fight another day,don't care what anyone says,they ain't worth eatin'! As I was rebaiting, Warrior jumps up at the bait & sinks a big drum hook right up her left nostril !! Starts whineing/screamin' like crazy.I grabbed her,got ahold of the nail clippers & cut the hook loose from the rig.The hook is so deep,the point is sticking out the top of her nose.I tried pushin' the barb thru but she went crazy so I just left it in & we continued fishig.Warrior is a tough animal,continueing to fish like nothing was wrong.It really is a comical sight,Warrior with "nose art" lol.Put on another rig on the big rod,turned around & both light tackle rods out on the bar were bent over,drag just a screamin'! Good thing I set the drags real loose.Walked back out to the point & recast the big rig.Grabbed the first light tackle rod,the fish to my north in the fast moving current made for a very tough 10 minute battle,landing this pup(about 30inch) I rebaited & cast it back out.Then headed over to the other light rod,the fish still hooked up,it too cut across in front of the big rig & into the raceing current,another very tough battle ensued gettin' this pup in after a teriffic fight.(another 30 incher).For the next hour & a half the pups tore up the light tackle shrimp rigs,catching 5 more,bringing todays total to 20.All the while the big rig hooking up with big blues.All this action kept me very busy."I definately found the fish now!",this bein' the 3rd or 4th bar I've been on today.The tide riseing with the high winds I had no choice but to leave 'em biteing as the Seapuppy was gettin' beat up pretty bad on the backside of the bar.We packed up again & retreated to another bar just to the north.Anchored the Seapuppy just behind the bar & took a break,Warrior & I ate the three sandwiches I prepared last night & a peanut bar for desert.Warrior with the big hook in her nose lookin' really funny."Might as well laugh at it!"The wind is a substained SW 30 knots but the clouds are begining to move out,blue sky peeking thru.The sun finally popped thru from behind the clouds bringing with it the extra warmth I've been hopeing for all day long.After a 30 minute break we moved north again to the last exposed bar before Vera Cruz,fished it for about an hour catchin' three more pups in the 30 inch range,a couple more big blues & one small doggy which Warrior gladly took care of.Ran the total drum today up to 23,20 in the 26-30 inch range & two 35-38inch range,all but the two largest caught on the light tackle shrimp rigs.The tide finally runnin' us off the last bar we retreated again .....continue below
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