# 'Widespread Panic' OI 8/20



## Zigh (May 2, 2002)

posted on 22-Aug-2004 8:30:32 PM


Greetings fish chasers!! Made a trip out of Broad Creek with Capt. Paul on Friday in search of a little fun and excitement. We were fueled up, rigged up, iced down, and ready to go at 5:20am. In the pre-dawn I was spot lighting channel markers until the first wisps of morning sunlight made them visible to the naked eye. The inlet was very tame as we sped out in the CAT and made a course southward down the beach. We traveled south 20 or so miles and then headed ESE for waters in the Diamond Shoals tower vicinty. Out on the edge we found a weedline running NE to SW with nobody on it. Brilliant water clarity, nice stacked up grass, bait, birds, and Mahi everywhere. It was just Paul and I and so we were kept busy with 7 rods out and multiple hook-ups. Most of the fish were in the 8-12lbs. range with 1 or 2 larger specimens. Also had a tug on a deep bait that felt like a Marlin pull and then 20 minutes later we had another shot for a Billfish as Paul battled a White one until he threw the hook with all the grace of an acrobat. This fish was quite a leaper after hitting the naked short rigger, and then tail walkin' to Hatteras. AMAZING!!! After the weedline broke up and the water turned a more blended color, we trolled back NE on the line and talked to Darren and crew on 'Graceland'. They hit the line and found Mahi as well. We worked futher NE getting many short bites from Bailers and Peanuts and one bite that sheared a Hoo so neatly it was suspected a Wahoo. Then there were fish busting off in the distance and away from the line a good bit. As we approached, our hearts were pounding when we realized they were large Tuna frenzied on the surface in big pods all around. We trolled and tried to cut them off, but they were everywhere it seemed. We tried different things to produce a bite to no avail. 'Graceland' had similiar results, although I think they put a Blackfin in the boat. We followed the busting fish to an area were there was a neat current edge, topped off with a color change. We fished both sides with one pull on the deep rig, more busting Tuna, and getting very low on bait. We had brought 40 baits and were down to 4. Trolled out deep along the rip until it intersected with the grassline, and both blended making for tough trolling in the scattered grass. The stuff was everywhere although we did get 2 pulls that never came true. Headed inshore some to 140ft. and found what we had been hoping for; Wally!!! Mr. Wahoo hit the long rigger Sea Witch on the wind-on and fortunately was brought boatside for gaffing despite the mono. he went probably 25lbs.. Lines in and a circle of the area produced a searing run on the deep bait with Black Hole. As I lifted the rod I could feel the hearty head shaking of a larger Wahoo. After some great feeling runs and pullage the fish was tempted to see who had the HOO! He saw the boat, he caught onto our plan, and decided to speed forward and down under the CAT with; aaaarrrggghhh, outboards. Somehow I managed to free-spool, dip the rod, as Paul lept and had the port Suzuki to neutral and trimmed up, all in the flick of a Wahoo's tail..... And, he was still tight......YES!!!! Brought him back to boatside where Paul leadered the in-line and wire up and I backed off, put the rod in the holder and stuck dinner in the head. This fish was 32 lbs.. We were elated since we had no more bait, put 2 Wahoo in the box minutes apart and it was still early... SWEET!! Our tally was 1 White on, 2 Wahoo, and 14 or so Mahi.... YUMMY!!! Made the trip into the marina in 2 hours flat having been 38 miles from the sea bouy on our departure. BIG THANKS to Paul for the trip and the Wahoo pulls; it was a BLAST man!! Looking forward to more angling soon. Later friends!! 
Fish On 

Laughing so hard, the devil gets scared.... 

Zigh 
><((((*>


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## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

Zigh sounds like a blast, always good to have a "reason" like using up all your bait (and actually catch some for the fish box) to head in early to a cold one!!


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## Yrosnake (Aug 8, 2003)

*Excellent post*

I wish I lived closer to the ocean or had 2 weeks of leave to try that type of fishing (I've only got a 10 knot cruise maybe 12 if the wind and currents are right coming from Baltimore). I've never gone offshore =( How far out did you folks go? Is that type of fishing available 20 to 30 nautical miles from shore?


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