# Brunswick Isles "boat report"



## LEADDRAFT (Oct 9, 2001)

Credit's.........

too Capt. Brant


FISHING REPORT
Weekend marks strong
Gulf Stream fishing
BY CAPT. BRANT MCMULLAN
This past weekend officially kicked off the spring Gulf Stream fishing season as Mother Nature opened her arms to eager fishermen.

It was really an absolutely beautiful weather week as it was fishable pretty much Wednesday through Saturday. But as most folks have to deal with a work schedule, Saturday was the day to go for the big ones.

Boats from up and down the coast poured into the ocean at daybreak headed offshore in search of yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin. The Steeples, BlackJack Hole, 100/400, 530s, MacMarle'n Hole and Winyah Scarp were all covered in some shape or form as fishermen scattered out everywhere.

And although it seemed there was no single hot spot, fishermen that found the right conditions caught fish at or near all the normal fishing spots.

Specifically the right spot was fishing a temperature break that was holding some 2 to 5 miles offshore of the 30 fathom break. This temperature break went from the low 70s to the mid 70s and had some scattered weed mixed in.

The bait of choice was ballyhoo. Local Ocean Isle boat Billfish with Capt. Billy Leonard had four wahoo between 30 and 48 pounds along with a couple of tuna from the Black Jack hole.

The I Love Lucy won the Ocean Isle Fishing Center's $20 gift certificate prize for bringing the first yellowfin to the dock on Saturday. Not only did they bring in the first yellowfin, but it was a whopping 68 pounder at that.

Capt. David Hooks on the Capt. Hook had a good and surprising day in the stream. He came back to the dock with a boatload of dolphin which are typically not seen until at least May. But who the heck knows what the fish are thinking? They follow their food, so the key in fishing is be where the food is.

Nearer shore, the sea bass fishing has picked up to a fevered pace over the past week. I've guided several groups on both three and five hour trips and have been able to catch good boxes of sea bass fishing from 3 to 15 miles out. The best fishing seems to be in the 12- to 15-mile range in 60 to 65 feet of water fishing the normal summer king mackerel haunts.

I still haven't seen the Atlantic bonito which are due to arrive any time now. The water temperatures nearshore are near 60 degrees and that means they should be here. I've marked a lot of baitfish while heading offshore, so I won't be surprised to see them before the weekend is out.

That's all for this week. The spring fishing season has begun and its time to go fishing.
1-190-575-FISH


----------



## inawe (May 24, 2003)

sounds like ya had a great time


----------

