Saltwater/Offshore Fishing Thread

Rnuovrcj5

Rnuovrcj5

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2013
Location
Harmony
I love it and I pretty much suck at finding fish so hopefully some of y’all know what’s up.

I got the bug about 3 years ago at Holden Beach. My wife’s family tries to go for a week every summer and I drug my little old boat down with us. Fast forward a few day of running around the intracoastal and next thing you know my FIL and I are roughly 2 miles out in a 15’ trihull from the 70’s with a 1968 Mercury on the back and we got on a pile of blacktip sharks. It was awesome.

I mentioned something about kinda wanting a newer, bigger boat and possibly a center console. Next thing you know, my FIL is on Craigslist looking and shows me a boat up on Lake Wiley. Went to look at it when we got back and brought it home with me. It’s a 1993 C-Hawk 23 with a Yamaha OX66 250hp on it. Hard t-top center console boat that used to be a Towboat.US boat on Norman and Wiley.

I’ve had it down to the coast the last two years and I’m getting it ready to go down next month. I keep tweaking and improving stuff on it each year. This year’s big change is adding Bennett trim tabs so I can push the nose down when I need to.

Anyway, I want to learn how to find and catch fish. We’ve hit up a couple of the marked wrecks within about 12 miles of Lockwood Folly inlet and really haven’t had too much luck. Really just from lack of experience with saltwater fishing. I’d love to fill the fish box with Mahi or a couple tuna but I’m kinda lost in the sauce on making that happen.

So help me out, post tips, tricks, spots(if you’re ok sharing them) and just general knowledge. Pics of cool boats and loads of fish are always good too.

6E0DB118-6D20-43EF-8428-929A7DA906B8.jpeg
76B7A0DC-A7FA-4EA1-8C0A-D932647E08B7.jpeg
97CF5F1F-7EAD-4F23-81FF-512565BF9ADB.jpeg
1E4978A4-A224-4349-834E-54E337572C8F.jpeg
 
Go check out the Carolina section of the hull truth. Lots of info for that area.

The Carolinas - The Hull Truth - Boating and Fishing Forum


This time of year dolphin are scattered, tuna are north. Wahoo who knows. Get some #1 planers 00 Clark spoons and some mackerel trees and catch Spanish or blues or kings.

Got to go deep for decent bottom fishing 90-150' for trigger vermillion snapper and the like.
 
I’ve struggled in July. September, October are the best times.

I’ll be down there next week. We don’t go out we just fish the ICW and up Lockwood folly.

I’d love to know a few spots to try and catch a trout
 
I prefer inshore just because I can go by myself. Been catching mostly short trout and reds. Did manage a couple slot reds.

I'm getting ready for old drum fishing in the Neuse and flounder season. Hopefully I'll catch an old drum on the popping cork this year
 
The one hobby that could pull me away from wheeling is fishing. I’ve always said if I get out, I’m buying a center console boat and I’ll be burning up the salt water in the bays and water way, etc.

While I don’t make much (almost any) time for fishing I certainly enjoy it. The thrill and mystery of saltwater fishing has always intrigued me. I will enjoy this thread.
 
What I didn’t realize is how expensive some of the salt water gear is. I saw a used Penn on a high end rod (I forget the brand) and it was $1400 bucks. Just the reel was $800 used. I don’t have that in all of my freshwater gear combined.
 
Wes said:
What I didn’t realize is how expensive some of the salt water gear is. I saw a used Penn on a high end rod (I forget the brand) and it was $1400 bucks. Just the reel was $800 used. I don’t have that in all of my freshwater gear combined.
Click to expand...


If you add it up, it makes wheeling look like a cheap hobby.

Don't look at the marlin lures ~$100 for something that you can lose.
 
ive always said if i lived within 4 hrs of the coast id be fishing it not lakes.

Also youve got bigger balls than me to take the tri-hull out of intercostal. maybe its just because ive not spent any time on the water down there but i just dont think i would feel safe taking my boat past intercostal.
 
I love saltwater fishing. I spend quite a bit of time at the coast and finally bought a boat, as posted in my thread. My boat experience is minimal. Been taking some trips with friends, all inshore but one, over the last couple years. I grew up fishing the piers and surf in Atlantic Beach and Pine Knoll shores. That's really what I know well. I have some good spots inshore from my friends to get started and then I'll see what I can find myself.
 
shawn said:
The nice thing about a red center console like that is you can haul ass through all the no wake zones and people just assume you're on the way to pull some dumbass off a shoal.
Click to expand...

It still has the ghost outlines of all the towboat.us stickers all over it. That and the white hard top stops people in their tracks. It’s pretty fun to watch people chop throttles when I come around a corner on the lake.
 
Loganwayne said:
ive always said if i lived within 4 hrs of the coast id be fishing it not lakes.

Also youve got bigger balls than me to take the tri-hull out of intercostal. maybe its just because ive not spent any time on the water down there but i just dont think i would feel safe taking my boat past intercostal.
Click to expand...


We definitely picked our days doing that. 2 miles straight out of the inlet and that was it. Very calm flat days. It didn’t really feel too sketchy doing it but it probably was.
 
I've been on a saltwater charter twice and loved catching the Spanish mackerel.(mid April) the boat we chartered was also a center console boat like that. First time I saw it I said we are going on the ocean in THAT?
I grew up on the great lakes (Erie mostly) where a 22' was standard up there, and on Huron or Superior the beam would be 12', a 22' boat was good for the calm days. Always pictured ocean vessels to be much much larger. plus the shelf is so far out too, that, I didn't expect, you go a 1/4 mile or less in some places on the larger lakes and you are in 600-700 plus foot of water.
 
No fries said:
I've been on a saltwater charter twice and loved catching the Spanish mackerel.(mid April) the boat we chartered was also a center console boat like that. First time I saw it I said we are going on the ocean in THAT?
I grew up on the great lakes (Erie mostly) where a 22' was standard up there, and on Huron or Superior the beam would be 12', a 22' boat was good for the calm days. Always pictured ocean vessels to be much much larger. plus the shelf is so far out too, that, I didn't expect, you go a 1/4 mile or less in some places on the larger lakes and you are in 600-700 plus foot of water.
Click to expand...

I’ve got buddy’s that want me to come up north and fish for salmon on the Great Lakes and I’m worried my 17.6 deep v boat isn’t fining to be big enough on calm days. Plus the weather up there changes so fast


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
We have fished Lake Michigan (once a year) in Algoma Wisconsin just north of Green-bay in a 22' sea ray for years until my Grandfather died. I've seen bass boats, and all kinds go out. The worst I've been in is 10' - 12' rollers, where all you see is water either side of the boat until you crest then see 5 other boats all around you!:eek:. If the weather is right 17.6 would be fine. Lake Erie if you had a 3'-5' chop I'd say no way. But it is typically 1'-3' no salmon in Erie on the south side of the lake. Walleye and Perch
Salmon fishing (trolling) is the best fishing I've experienced. You use the big motor not a troller. They can fight you 20-45 minutes. We had 4 down riggers with cannonballs running 25' to 150' deep, and 2 dipsy divers running on the sides. Makes me want to go back! Lake Huron we set up pretty much the same but was always a charter north of Buffalo with a larger 12' beam I forget the length. Pirate Queen maybe was was the name.
 
Loganwayne said:
ive always said if i lived within 4 hrs of the coast id be fishing it not lakes.

Also youve got bigger balls than me to take the tri-hull out of intercostal. maybe its just because ive not spent any time on the water down there but i just dont think i would feel safe taking my boat past intercostal.
Click to expand...

Back in the 70s/80s my dad and friends took 4 to 10 trips to Harkers Island and Cape Lookout every year.Dad had a 16' Evinrude tri-hull/single 90hp just like this one.He took it to the Atlas Tanker and through or around the diamond shoals many times. Most of the time there were 3 or 5 boats in the group for safety if shtf.The largest boat was a 21' Cobia.Only 1 boat had a marine radio, the rest and dad had CB radios.They tried to stay in touch w the radio and of sight but sometimes they went further away while looking for fish.The guy w the marine radio would call the rest when the forecast went to shit in the afternoon to tell us it was time to head back. If you pick your days by the forecast a smaller boat can go offshore just fine, getting in and out of some of the inlets can suck everyday w a small boat w the tides/winds. I've seen jon boats go in and out of Bardens inlet on nice days.

attachment.php
 
Last edited:
mommucked said:
Back in the 70s/80s my dad and friends took 4 to 10 trips to Harkers Island and Cape Lookout.Dad had a 16' Evinrude tri-hull/single 90hp just like this one.He took it to the Atlas Tanker and through or around the diamond shoals many times. Most of the time there were 3 or 5 boats in the group for safety if shtf.The largest boat was a 21' Cobia. All but 1 boat had a marine radio, the rest and dad had CB radios.They tried to stay in touch w the radio and of sight but sometimes they went further away while looking for fish.The guy w the marine radio would call the rest when the forecast went to shit in the afternoon to tell us it was time to head back. If you pick your days by the forecast a smaller boat can go offshore just fine, getting in and out of some of the inlets can suck everyday w a small boat w the tides/winds. I've seen jon boats go in and out of Bardens inlet on nice days.

attachment.php
Click to expand...
A guy told me on vacation a few weeks ago that he saw a dude on a flat bottom skiff about 25 miles out. Went out and back with no issues and came home with a boat full of fish. I’m not that brave when it comes to the off shore game.
 
I’d take the jones brothers out 20-25 miles no problem on a good day hell I’d went out 10-15 on a 16ft Jon boat. I can leave my house and have the boat launched in about an hour and a half. The biggest thing with saltwater fishing is you have to be fishing when the fish are hungry. If that’s Wednesday at 2pm we’ll that’s when you need to be on the water. I like saltwater but I just don’t have the time to do it right
 
PAT Ventures said:
This guy takes a jet ski 25-30 miles out

Off the Hook | 'Jet Ski Brian' takes fishing to extreme
Click to expand...


He could have a nice, used boat for what that huge jet ski cost w all them accessories.I watched 2 dudes riding one that size up and down carolina beach this may. They were hauling ass and getting pounded enough for the passenger fall off the ski twice .They were just past the breakers maybe 250yrds, off the beach.
 
I keep my boat at Oak Island. Its a Carolina Skiff 198DLV, I very seldom take it out. I couldn't catch a sniff of shit in an outhouse down there. I guess I'm just retarded but I have not caught much of anything consistently down there. If anyone needs a deckhand or whatever PM me (we could even take my boat if needed). It is just depressing for me to never catch anything so I mostly just drink and wish I was fishing. I have never tried to go out into the ocean I just stay in the ICW but I am willing to learn.
20191130_121132.jpg
 
Infamous1 said:
I keep my boat at Oak Island. Its a Carolina Skiff 198DLV, I very seldom take it out. I couldn't catch a sniff of shit in an outhouse down there. I guess I'm just retarded but I have not caught much of anything consistently down there. If anyone needs a deckhand or whatever PM me (we could even take my boat if needed). It is just depressing for me to never catch anything so I mostly just drink and wish I was fishing. I have never tried to go out into the ocean I just stay in the ICW but I am willing to learn.
View attachment 321726
Click to expand...


find an inshore guide to come on your boat to show you the ropes.

You can go out side in a boat like that I see Carolina skiffs up at lookout all the time. Pick your day watch the skies and wind and you'll be OK. Troll for Spanish or sight cast to busting bait.
 
My fishing season just took a hit. Test run of the boat on the lake before a trip to the coast resulted in a water pump failure ending with a scuffed cylinder wall. So now I get to get really familiar with the insides of an OX66 Yamaha.
 
Back
Top