# Last weeks CB trip



## Redhorse (Mar 1, 2006)

Well...the fish and the weather didn't cooperate as usual. We spent the majority of our time fishing the CB inlet, as the surf was pounding a little to hard. We did catch some small blues, which we promptly cooked and ate on the beach with some home brew mead to wash them down. Also, a bunch of lizard fish which we used for cut bait (I caught my biggest one to date 18 1/4"). That cut bait produced the trips only speckled trout for me. Some guy next to us caught a nice 25" red and gave it to me as he didn't want to clean it  . I also caught a couple pogy's, about a 7" fish that looked like a black drum (cute little guy) but it's body was more elongated and the pectoral fins were more like fans (is wasn't a sheepshead), a bunch of golden croakers, a black drum, and one little fish I still haven't identified. I think it might have been some small member of the cod family, as it had the distinctive single barble on it's chin. It was the same general size and color as the croakers I was catching after dark our last night there. Threw it in the cooler, and noticed the next day it wasn't a croaker  . Hope it wasn't something I shoulda threw back! It's the one between the black drum and the croakers. If anyone can tell me what it is, I'd appreciate it.










We do have a "the one that got away" story . It was raining Friday evening, and two of us went out in the canoe to cast net the mud flats at low tide when the fish are congregated in the channels, leaving one person behind to man the rods. Figured we might get some larger mullet than the fingers that we were finding at the inlet, as our cut bait was being depleted quickly by the crabs. A storm brewed up after we left, it was dark QUICK and the wind got fierce. My buddy manning the rods would walk out and check them every 10-15 min, then return to his chair hunkered in beside the truck as a wind block. On one of his rounds he got to the last rod (my new heaver I put that 545 on) and the reel was singing, with half the line gone. He battled the fish for around 15+ min until he got it to the low tide sand ledge of the inlet. With no light, no net, no help...he attampted to drag it up onto the bank and the hook pulled out. He estimated it's length at over 50", but being his first time at the ocean, he had no idea what it was. _Thanks to the guys who pulled up in the truck and watched him fight the fish then left after he lost it. The landing net was in the back of my dodge, and you coulda scooped it for him, but I guess ya didn't want to get wet _:--| . EndRant

Overall, it was a fine time...and my buddies who came with me are ready to do it again next year. Hope it works out that we can. It was real nice meeting you Darin and Bill. Hope we can fish together again sometime (when they are biting) .

I brought home all our bait...finger mullet, shrimp, pin fish, squid, and two big mullet one of Darins (finger mullets) fishing partners gave us when we all left FF. Ran all that, plus the guts, bones, and heads of the fish I cleaned, through my meat grinder. Got a few frozen chum blocks in the deep freeze for the next trip!

Redhorse


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Mulletfest 2006!!!!*

As Redhorse said the weather sucked!!!! 
If it wasn't raining the wind was howling. 
It was good to see RH catch a few fish.

On Friday I fished the South end at FF. I caught a short flounder and a small pomp. I had one good run while I was sitting in my truck to stay dry. I could not get to it in time. As the rain picked up I decided to head to the house. 

I am glad Redhorse and his crew decided to stay at the house. I could not imagine trying to sleep in that driving rain. 

On Saturday we caught nothing all day until the wind laid down a little. I caught a small shark and a small blue. That was the only fish of the day. I called it quits a little early and head back to the house. 

Redhorse, it was a pleasure meeting and fishing with you. Bill, it is always a pleasure fishing with you. Thanks for magging the Squidder. She works great now. I am looking forward to some decent weather to see what she can actually do. It is hard to gauge how far I can throw it when the wind is blowing 30 mph. 

Redhorse in the mead master!!!!! My first experience with mead was a pleasurable one. Thanks for the bottles. I steamed them and put them up for later use. Thanks again RH.

Thanks again guys for a great trip. maybe one day the weather will cooperate and we will actually catch fish!!!

Darin


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## hokieboy (Jan 19, 2006)

Great report guys. Always fun to read them when you dont have a chance to get down. Redhorse the fish you refer to is a whiting. The technical name is Northern Kingfish and it is in the porgie family. Great reports guys...


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## Redhorse (Mar 1, 2006)

Forgot to add to our catch list a couple of short flounder also. 

Ok...so that little fish is what's called a "whiting". However, I find a *Blue Whiting *_Micromesistius poutassou_, a *Whiting* _Merlangius merlangus_, an *Australian Whiting *_Sillago ciliata_, and a *Spotted Whiting* _Sillaginodes punctatus_...that are nothing like this fish. Then I find *Northern Kingfish *_Menticirrhus saxatilis_, which matches the description of the fish I caught, and is what you are calling a "whiting" in NC. However, it is not called "whiting" in any part of it's name  .

To add a little more confusion to this matter, I've heard people call mullet "whiting". I even asked someone to clarify that for me on this site...I'll have to look for the post. I was told that mullet are "whiting"  . I found *Golden Grey Mullet* _Mugil auratus _, *Thin Lipped Mullet* _Liza ramada_, *Grey Mullet* _Mugil cephalus_, *Thick Lipped Mullet* _Mugil cephalus_ (which I believe to be the kind present in NC waters), and *White Mullet* _Mugil curema_, which would be the closest thing to "Whiting" going strictly by the name.

I didn't have to learn any saltwater fishes in my ichthyology classes during college. However, I've been trying to get some accurate knowledge first hand...and it's proving most difficult. I have certainly come to understand the necessity for scientific names!!


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## fisherkid (Jun 30, 2005)

Redhorse said:


> Forgot to add to our catch list a couple of short flounder also.
> 
> Ok...so that little fish is what's called a "whiting". However, I find a *Blue Whiting *_Micromesistius poutassou_, a *Whiting* _Merlangius merlangus_, an *Australian Whiting *_Sillago ciliata_, and a *Spotted Whiting* _Sillaginodes punctatus_...that are nothing like this fish. Then I find *Northern Kingfish *_Menticirrhus saxatilis_, which matches the description of the fish I caught, and is what you are calling a "whiting" in NC. However, it is not called "whiting" in any part of it's name  .
> 
> ...


yes we call that fishie a whiting or a kingfish as was stated. I think, if I understand correclty its also known as Virginia mullet.
Fisherkid


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## NCsurffisher (Jun 27, 2004)

We normally call them "sea mullet" in NC. In the southern part of the state, I hear "Virginia mullet" a lot. Whiting is rarely used in NC. I think they call em that in SC. Kingfish is what they are called up north (jersey and thereabouts). We have both northern and southern kingfish in NC and you can usually distinguish between them by 1) the darker bands along the sides of the northern species and 2) a long dorsal fin on the northern. I'm surprised you didn't catch more of them. This is the time of year. Great eating fish.

By the way, how did you expect someone to use a landing net in the surf? Can you really blame a few guys driving down the beach for not going into the back of your truck to fetch a net and then wade out into the water to somehow net the fish? Landing nets are rarely used in surf fishing. Gaffs are more common. Either way, it would have been strange (and inappropriate) for them to go into your truck, unsolicited.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Whiting*

They are called all kinds of things.  Kingfish, whiting, virginia mullet, sea mullet.


I even saw one guy catching them on the pier and telling his kid it was a croaker and they were no good to eat. He had all kids of looks when he was throwing them back and keeping pinfish to eat.

I call them whiting or virginia mullet. It is kind of confusing. When someone calls it a Kingfish it takes a minute to realize they are talking about a whiting. 

Redhorse, I thought I told you it was a whiting. Maybe I had too much Mead and thought I told you it was a whiting. 

Anyway I know it will eat good!!!

Darin


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Whiting...I hear they ones bout 14" + are toxic...better give em all to me to send off to the special lab i know of to have em checked out. The fillets will do just fine, they need the 'loins' for tissue samples. Keep frozen in water until you get them to me


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## mlbowman1 (May 19, 2006)

*Found on a website for your reading pleasure*

Sea Mullet

Whiting, Southern Kingfish, Virginia Mullet, Sea Mullet-It has many names but it is the same fish! And this great eating fish can be caught just about anywhere along the NC coast right now. Here's a little background info on this multi-named fish.

Description
The southern kingfish, or whiting, is a member of the family Sciaenidae. It has an elongated body and a characteristic single barbel on its chin. The mouth is small and inferior, as is characteristic of fishes that feed on the bottom. 

Coloration varies somewhat with habitat, but it is generally gray to brown above with silvery reflections and 6-8 broad oblique lateral bars. The latter are not always distinct, however. Fins are dusky, sometimes with a black margin, especially on dorsal and pectoral fins. The caudal fin of adult kingfish has an elongated lower lobe, making its margin appear "s" shaped. Pelvic, anal and caudal fins sometimes exhibit a yellowish coloration. 

Habitat and Biology
This species spawns in the late spring and summer in near-shore coastal waters. Young juveniles occur in channels and along the coast in the penaeid shrimp fishing grounds. Males and females are sexually mature by age two. 

Their absence in the coldest months of the year suggests that they move either south or slightly offshore to warmer waters. Southern kingfish feed on a variety of benthic infauna and epifauna such as polychaetes, crustaceans and mollusks.


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## Redhorse (Mar 1, 2006)

> By the way, how did you expect someone to use a landing net in the surf? Can you really blame a few guys driving down the beach for not going into the back of your truck to fetch a net and then wade out into the water to somehow net the fish? Landing nets are rarely used in surf fishing. Gaffs are more common. Either way, it would have been strange (and inappropriate) for them to go into your truck, unsolicited.


Actually, as stated in the post...it wasn't in the surf. It was the back edge of the inlet. No wading required, just a willingness to get out of the truck in the rain and ask if he needed help. He certainly would have asked them to go get the net...at that point it would have been solicited. At low tide there is a pretty good "lip" at the waters edge in the back of the inlet. One scoop of the net from about two feet away is all that would have been required. I guess if it was me in the truck, I'd have jumped out and seen if I coul lend a hand...or at least gotten a little closer to the action . But really, it's a moot point  .

So back to the whiting thing...let me get this straight. A Northern Kingfish can be called a sea mullet, or a virginia mullet, or a whiting. However a Thick Lipped Mullet (finger mullet) is never called a whiting? So my association of the Thick Lipped Mullet with the name "Whiting" came from the fact that a Northern Kingfish can be called both a "Whiting" or a "Mullet"  . I need some duct tape for my head  . Where's my bottle of Mead!

Yes you did tell me it was a whiting FM...it's just that I was still cornfused about the whole "Whiting" "Mullet" thing. If you had told me it was a Northern Kingfish...I could have come home and let the whole thing rest  .


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## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

*One other thing Redhorse*

That trout I believe, unless youve scaled it already looks to be a greyt tout or "weakfish". I dont think it is a speckled. I might be missing something though so Im not 100%. It is very much as good as eating though. BUt on that note. Im really glad you guys did okay down here this time. Sorry I couldnt get out there and meet you and the guys/girls again. Ill catch up next time though.


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## chilehead2 (Jun 20, 2006)

*them there whiting*

Anybody know a bait shop what sells them benthic infauna and epifauna such as polychaetes?
Just wondering


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## Redhorse (Mar 1, 2006)

Hey firespyder7...that was a speck, and not a grey. It lost it's spots after being packed on ice for 2 days before the pic was taken. I killed the fish by spiking it in the brain, then packed it in ice  . 
I have never caught a grey (weakfish) yet, but someone gave me one a couple years ago when I was down. I noticed how much this one looked like a grey when I posted the pic, and figured someone would say something to that effect. Hope I get the chance to fish with you the next time I'm down. 

chilehead2...maybe you should open one  . Might just be a nich market for ya! Millions man...I say Millions $$ . If you want to get started, just go skoop up a bucket of muck off the mud flats at low tide. There will be plenty of benthos in there for the taking :--|


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## NCsurffisher (Jun 27, 2004)

Yeah, the one on the left is a gray trout, aka weakfish (up north).



_Oh, okay...looks like a gray in the photo, but after a couple days on ice, who knows..._


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

*One more name for the Sea Mullet*

I hear some guys call them sea monkeys!!!


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Jebson38 said:


> I hear some guys call them sea monkeys!!!


I call em dinner....


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## Carolina Rebel (Aug 25, 2005)

My buddy was convinced the virginia mullet/c mullet/kingfish/whiting we caught on a recent trip were puppy drum. It took the game warden checking our cooler to convince him otherwise


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Roundhead
Seamullet
Northern Kingfish
Whiting
Va Mullet


Whichever,they make a good sammich... 

Grey trout for sure.. 

Glad to see ya had a good time,Redhorse...


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## Redhorse (Mar 1, 2006)

That fish looked JUST LIKE these two when I first caught it...I swear! It just lost all it's coloration in the cooler  . I decided to wait and clean them all after we got home. The only ones we cleaned on the beach, were the blues we ate there...and that 25" red those guys gave me.












So on the mullet whiting thing again. Nobody calls a mullet (the ones commonly used for bait) a whiting...am I correct? When I lived down in Texas and fished Galveston a lot, we used mullet for bait all the time, and I remember some old salt telling me "now you don't eat these mullet from the Gulf:--| , but on the East coast they taste good and they call them Whiting". Was that old codger just as confused as I am about these common names...or do you eat those big mullet?


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*Not bad*

Congrats on the catch.


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## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

*good job*

I know that they can change a little after being on ice. Those specks are chomping in that inlet.


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## Redhorse (Mar 1, 2006)

I sure wish a few more would have chomped while I was there. That was the only one we picked up, and we fished that inlet hard for 2 1/2 days!


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Redhorse said:


> That fish looked JUST LIKE these two when I first caught it...I swear! It just lost all it's coloration in the cooler  . I decided to wait and clean them all after we got home. The only ones we cleaned on the beach, were the blues we ate there...and that 25" red those guys gave me.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Redhorse,not to contradict just to contradict: If you'll look at the spots on the top of the trout in the first pic you will see they are very small spots.. I know specks loose some color,but small spots don't reappear by the dorsal from being in a cooler.. Gray trout can,at times be confused with specks. Can't be possitive cause I wasn't there to actually see the fish,but that would be mho... 
Yeap,many folks,including myself will eat a big mullet "jumping mullet".. I've never heard a "jumping mullet" called a whiting before though??


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## Redhorse (Mar 1, 2006)

Jumping mullet...works for me. I think I've got it sorted out nicely now. No more confusion on those particular species.

Talked to my buddy from Toledo who took some of those small blues back with him on ice. We filleted and ziplocked them immediately at the beach. Said they tasted fine being packed on ice the couple of days before he cooked them up. I've brought them home on ice and smoked them and they were fine. So...maybe as long as they don't get frozen? They aren't as good as flounder, but they taste fine to me .


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