Lets Get Salty

[The Mad Duck 0]

This weekend, my wife and I  took a long weekend and went to Ocracoke Island. On Saturday, we took a charter over to Portsmouth Island for the day. For those of you that dont know, Ocracoke was where Blackbeard the Pirate holed up when not plundering the high seas. It is also where he met his demise. Portsmouth Island was crucial in the early days of the shipping trade in the new world. It was also part of the area blockaded by union troops in the Civil war. Over the years, Ocracoke inlet started to silt in and the shipping trade on Portsmouth basically dried up. The last resident left the island in 1971 and the village there is now abandon, but is maintained by the National Park Service.

 

 Anyway, enough history lesson...I packed up a flyrod and some salty type flies I had tied up and off we went. When we got to the dock, the captain looked at the rod in the case and asked if it was a "Fly Pole" I said, "yep, sure is, Why? Are you going to laugh at me"?, he smiled and said yup. He said no one fishes with them. I said. well, I'm going to try anyway.

Portsmouth is about a 30 minute boat ride from Silver Lake (Ocracoke's Harbor). We ran to the far southern end of the island and the guide dropped us off. He said for me to walk the flats until I reached the drop offs. The tide was falling and most of the flats were dry and it was about a 1/2 mile walk to the deeper channels. I went one way and my wife went to the beach to collect shells. I trudged across some very wet sand and every step I sunk in about 3 inches. It was some tough walking. I got to the "channel",which was 3 feet deep instead if 4 inches deep. I tied on a brown/white Clouser that was tied on a SS #2 hook. It was the closest color combo to the small mud minnows and shrimp I was seeing in the shallow water. The wind was blowing a steady 15-20 with gusts around 25. It was difficult casting and I ended up having to double haul quite often until the wind started dropping out a bit.I made a few casts and felt a funny tap and came tight on about an 8 inch long Flounder. I kind of laughed about that. A few casts later, I came tight on a 5-6 inch long pinfish ,then another, and another until I had caught about a dozen Pinfish. Great for bait, but not much of a challenge on a flyrod. I moved to another stretch and started working another drop off. As soon as the third cast hit bottom dropping off the ledge, another small Flounder. I have never, until Saturday, caught a Flounder on a flyrod. I managed a total four small Flounder and all the Pinfish and I was pretty happy.

My wife walked back from the beach to see if I had caught anything. We stood there talking as I casted. She walked over to where I had set my drybag down and sat down to watch. She was soon snoozing. I woke her to a big whoop. Something sizeable had finally taken my fly. The water wasnt really clear, so I didn't see the take, but I sure felt it. I came tight and the line started burning off of my reel. It went almost to the backing on the first run, but I tightened the drag a bit and slowed it down some. I still hadnt seen the fish at that point so wasnt really sure what I had,but had an idea. Two more long runs and I felt the fish tire out. After a few more minutes, a pretty Red Drum rolled onto the sand. I estimated the fish at 24-28 inches and 5-6 pounds. I had hooked the fish really deep, but fortunately not where it would hinder the fish much. I didnt want to try to pull that hook out,so, I cut the line,had my wife shoot a few photos and released the fish.

I can tell you that I was pretty happy to report to the captain what I had caught. He said, Photos or it didnt happen. My wife pulled her camera out and showed him the photos. I gave him my estimates and said I likely weighed more like 8 Lbs. I did not however get any photos of the Flounder or Pinfish. My phone was in my drybag up on the flats.

All fish caught on a 8wt that Steve built for me. Try not to laugh too hard at my expression. 15-20 mph winds blows a lot of sand and I was trying to keep the sand OUT of my mouth.

 

 

[Steeldrifter 0]

Very cool that sounds like a fun day on the water Ken, well, except for being sandblasted by the wind&sand lol

[skeet3t 0]

Nice fish on the fly and they are tasty.

[mikechell 0]

Almost makes me want to try salt water fishing ... almost.

[niveker 0]

Great write-up, good to see Steve's rods in action. 

[The Mad Duck 0]

9 hours ago, mikechell said:

Almost makes me want to try salt water fishing ... almost.

Jeez Mike, You a couple of hours from some of the worlds best saltwater fishing. Expand your horizons Grasshopper. 😋

[mikechell 0]

Got the salt water near by, that's for sure.  Don't have the salt water gear to use in it, though.  Just not worth it to me, when I've got a dozen places to fish within 30 minutes of me ... all fresh water.

[The Mad Duck 0]

10 hours ago, mikechell said:

Got the salt water near by, that's for sure.  Don't have the salt water gear to use in it, though.  Just not worth it to me, when I've got a dozen places to fish within 30 minutes of me ... all fresh water.

Ok, fair enough,but, them salty fish are a tough buch 😉

[Steeldrifter 0]

I'm surprised at the fact Mike doesn't saltwater fish. I mean, look how BLUE   the fish are 😁

 

 

[mikechell 0]

S'true ... that is a beautiful fish!  If I had the wherewithal ... I'd have an aquarium full of them!  I'm just too cheap to do it.

[The Mad Duck 0]

2 hours ago, mikechell said:

S'true ... that is a beautiful fish!  If I had the wherewithal ... I'd have an aquarium full of them!  I'm just too cheap to do it.

Fishing in an aquarium is kind of cheating, isnt it Mike? 😜

[mikechell 0]

On 9/22/2021 at 9:13 PM, The Mad Duck said:

Fishing in an aquarium is kind of cheating, isnt it Mike? 😜

Well, if I was fishing a tournament or something, sure.  But with a 10" .2 weight fly rod and a size 22 clouser, I'd have a blast !!!

[The Mad Duck 0]

52 minutes ago, mikechell said:

Well, if I was fishing a tournament or something, sure.  But with a 10" .2 weight fly rod and a size 22 clouser, I'd have a blast !!!

Your casting would have to be VERY accurate for aquarium fishing, unless you're at Sea World's aquarium, then I would recommend an 8wt