PHOTOS CONTHIBUTtD
FA YE TTEVllJJL RESIDENTS Mill DeReyna (left) and Tim Can
non show off two of the American red snapper they caught Satur
day on the Alice E out of Holden Beach.
ROBERT PAYNE of Raleigh (left) receives a trophy from Holden
Beach Marina manager Gary Carr Saturday for catching the
year's first Spanish mackerel among marina storage customers.
The Mosquito Fleet
Strikes Yellow Gold
BY JAMIE MILLIKKN
I
The weekend of May 1 produced some of ihe most incredible fishing
? _? action that has taken place in recent
memory. May is always the most pro
ductivc month for blue marl in and ycl
^ 1 CAPTAIN lowfin tuna. The Gulf Stream provides
JAMIE'S a ^P4* highway for these migratory
T fipeeupvRp gamcfish.
h wrronunt was g p m Friday. Rube McMul
1 fishing lan and I, along with Trilcnc, my gold
REPORT cn retr>cvcr- wcre sitting on the stem of
the Caribbean Soul rigging ballyhoo.
The forecast was perfect, and the ex
citement level between us was high
enough to ignite the nuclear reactors at CP&L.
Before long a few of the best offshore fishing captains began to arrive.
There was Capt. Adam Sanders, Capt. John Shcppard, Capt. Daniel Hooks
and Capt. Chip Maree. I'll tell you, there was enough fishing knowledge
around my book to write a "how-to" book on blucwatcr fishing. Chip and
Kyle White had fished the bluewater that day, and die 52-pound wahoo in
their fish box had everyone fired up.
At 5:30 a.m. Saturday morning the VHF was busy. The "Mosquito
Fleet" had departed Shallotte Inlet. There was "the Job Site, Island Son,
Captain Hook II, Shooting Star III, Caribbean Soul. Sin-Sation, Boom
erang, Hot Water and the Lindsey Kay, making their way to the Gulf
Stream. At 8:15, Captain Hook // got everyone's attention when he
screamed over the VHF, "Marlin hook-up!"
David had one on. I remember at one point he informed the fleet that he
was having to run the fish down. See, David and his crew had this blue
marlin on a Pen 4/0 and a Pen Stand-Up Slammer rod. David, O.C. and
John successfully landed the estimated 150-pound blue and quickly
snapped a few pictures and successfully revived the blue and removed the
hook. This magnificent fish was free to grow and reproduce.
Congratulations, Captain Hookl
m m m
The Boomerang and Island Son soon called with successful landings of
40-pounds-plus wahoos. Bill Tripp and I landed a nice dolphin and had a
smoker wahoo on. This "hoo" is probably still laughing at us. He dumped
300 yards of line on his first run and then reversed himself and charged the
boat at his mean 70mph swimming ability. It was this maneuver that won
him his freedom. What a fish!
Capt. Sammy Session, fishing his boat the Shooting Star III, called us
over to his location. Sammy was embattled in some incredible yellowfin tu
na action. It didn't take long for the entire fleet to move to the tuna bite. We
all were working a well-defined weed line in 650 feet of water, roughly 70
miles from Shallotte Inlet. Everyone was picking up a few yellowfin and an
occasional wahoo. I remember making the comment to Bill, "You know,
this is blue marlin country."
? ? ?
The three blue marlin I've had the honor to be a part of catching were
always around large schools of tuna. They arc running males. Not long af
ter we discussed that, someone screamed over the radio, "Sammy, a billfish
in your baits!" Sammy later told me the story of what happened next.
Brent Gore dropped the bait back to this blue "just like the book says,"
and this bad boy of the deep was quick to pick it up. They were hooked up.
This is the fish that Sammy has always dreamed of doing battle with. The
big blue ran off around 500 pounds of line and did an estimated 12 spectac
ular greyhound leaps. Two hours later, with a body that was worn to a fraz
zle, the big blue gave up. They estimated his weight at 300 pounds and
once again released the greatest gamcfish of them all.
Sammy's dream had been fulfilled, and I know that he and Capt. David
Hooks will nevelr be the same. I'll tell you, this; it couldn't have happened
to two finer guys in the world. Way to go, guys. I love you both!
? ? ?
This is not the end of the story. You see Chip Maree, Kyle White and
Chip's father Hap Maree left Sunday morning. Remember, they fished on
Friday, rested Saturday and, with all this action, they wcre going back.
I'll tell you, fishing friends, I have seen a lot of full fish boxes in my
life, but theirs Sunday night was a sight to behold. Eleven yellowfin tuna,
nine dolphin and one wahoo!
And are you ready for this? Mr. Map landed the fish of the day, a 72
pound yellowfin! Any of you who have ever been hooked up with a tuna
know the incredible strength that these fish possess. Bill and I landed a 40
poundcr and my back is still out. Mr. Hap batUcd this for at least 45 min
utes with a 6/0 Pcnn before they gal fed and dragged that mule over the rail.
It did my heart good to witness this father and son back at the docks.
When I was around Chip he would say. "That's my daddy!" and Mr.
Map was saying,'That's my son.** I love this sport!
Until next time, good fishin' and good luck. Jolly Mon.
FISHING REPORT
Anglers Land
Mackerel
Blue Marlin
BY DOUG RUTTRR
Local fishermen cclcbralcd ihc ar
rival of Spanish mackerel to inshore
waters last week and enjoyed three
catches of blue marlin offshore.
"The fishing is really doing
good," John Sheffield of Sheffield's
store at Occan Isle Beach said
Monday. "We had a spectacular
weekend."
Highlighting the weekend was the
catch and release of three blue mar
lin in the Gulf Stream. Anglers were
Sammy Sessions of Occan Isle,
Mike Helms of Charlotte and Oscar
Stephens of Whiteville.
Sheffield attributed the catches to
bigger boats and advances in fishing
equipment. "That's the first ones
anyone's caught fishing out of here,"
Sheffield said. "I'm sure in the next
couple of weeks we'll have a lot
more once everyone hears about it."
Besides the marlin, anglers who
ventured offshore last week caught
several wahoo and ycllowfin tuna.
Inshore, Sheffield said fishermen
caught spottailcd drum and flounder
in the waterway. "The first Spanish
mackerel have showed up out here.
The fish are moving in closer now."
TVipp's Fishing Center
Fishermen out of Shalloltc Point
caught spots, croaker, red drum,
blues and flounder inshore last
week, and wahoo, ycllowfin tuna,
dolphin and black bass offshore.
"It's looking up a little bit," Joyce
Land of Tripp's Fishing Center said
Monday morning.
Chip Marce of Windy Point
caught wahoo, blackfish, tuna and
dolphin aboard the Keel Chase.
Inshore, Billy Lefler of Albemarle
caught spots, whiting and drum over
the weekend. Jimmy Jackson of
Lumbcrton landed several flounder
and one drum.
Sea Mist Camping Resort
Fishermen in the Brick Landing
area caught spots, small flounder,
Spanish and spottailcd drum last
week, according to Barbara Scott of
Sea Mist Camping Resort.
"There's still not much fishing,
but there's some spots coming in,"
she said. "It's starting to pick up and
looking a lot better."
Anglers caught their first Spanish
mackerel of the season last week,
she said, and pulled several large
spottailcd drum from Shallot te
River.
"It looks like it might be good by
Memorial Day," Scott said. "They
say the water's not as warm as it
usually is. Wc didn't have any warm
snaps during the winter."
Pier Fishing
Pier fishermen finally got their
first good week of the spring, catch
ing lots of blucfish and Spanish
mackercl to kick off what they hope
will be a good month of May.
The highlight of the week was the
catch of a 32 1/2-pound king mack
erel Sunday night at Sunset Beach
Fishing Pier. It was the first king
caught at a local pier this year, and
one of the biggest kings caught at
Sunset in the last few years.
Sunset Pier manager Ed Kayler
said anglers also caught blucfish and
Spanish mackercl over the weekend.
The Spanish showed up Saturday,
after blues had been hitting for sev
eral days.
Gil Bass of Holdcn Beach Fishing
Pier said anglers caught blues,
Spanish, spots, whiting and croaker
last week.
"They really picked up this week.
They've been catching quite a few
blues, and some nice ones too," Bass
said. "Everything picked up a little
bit, but mostly it's been blues. It's
one of the best runs we've had in the
last couple of years."
Anglers weren't so lucky last
week at Ocean Isle Beach Pier.
Manager Curtis Williamson said the
fishing still hasn't started.
"Ain't had no fish in the last
week," Williamson said Monday. "A
man's been out there all morning
and he ain't seen a fish. He ain't had
a bite."
This Week's
Tide Table
MAY
HIGH LOW
Day Date A.M. P.M. A.M. P.M.
Thursday 6 8.48 9:23 2:45 2:51
Friday 7 9:40 10.13 336 3.39
Saturday 8 10.30 11?2 4:25 4:27
Sunday 9 11:20 11:50 5:13 5:16
Monday 10 12:11 5:59 6:05
TWsday 11 12:40 1:03 6:49 6:57
Wednesday 12 1:30 1:54 7:38 7:51
ADJUSTMENTS
SHALLOTTK INLKT?add 17 nun.
high ude, add 32 min. low tide.
1-OCKWOOD FOIJ.Y?subtract 22
min. high tide, subtract 8 min. low tide.
BALD HEAD ISLAND?subtract 10
min. high tide, subtract 7 min. low tide.
SOUTIITORT?add 7 min. high tide,
add 15 min. low tide
LITTLE RIVER?subtract 11 miri
high tide, add 18 min. low tide.
4/ W VV^W ^
Sxwing& CeCe&tation
We're celebrating Mother's Day with super savings. Reward yourself-stop in
and take advantage of these super-low prices.
BUICK
BMW
SCHAEFFER'S
USED CARS
THRU MONDAY, MAY 10
LUXURY AT ITS BEST,
THE SCHAEFFER WAY!
92 BUICK ROADMASTER 4-DOOR I
$
16372
V-8, air bag, ABS brakes, tilt, cruise, like new, warranty. Rearwhee! drive!
'92 OLDS 98 REGENCY, 4-dr., V-6, tilt, cruise, air bag, ABS
brakes. Just like new! Warranty. P428. Was $19,995, NOW $17#984
'93 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE, 4-dr., 4 0 V-6, 4x4, all power, tow
package. Just like new! Now only $20,912
'88 BUICK REATTA, local trade, rare find. Clean car, all power, V-6.
ON SALE!
'91 GMC K/C PICKUP WITH SPECIAL BED COVER
Tilt, cruise, power windows and locks, local trade. Just traded!
'88 BUICK PARK AVENUE, 4-dr., 3 8 V-6, tilt, cruise, all power,
low mileage. Very clean JUST ARRIVED!
'91 LINCOLN TOWN CAR, 4-dr., V-8, rear drive. Local trade, all
the bells and whistles! Just like new. Was $19,995, NOW?$18,984
'92 CADILLAC ELDORADO, 2 -dr., leather, warranty, like new, V-8,
must see. Save thousands over new car! All power--JUST ARRIVED!
PRE-OWNED SPECIAL BUYS
FOR YOUR BUDGET
1. Clean
2. Reliable
3. Good Price
4. Safe
'91 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX SE MODEL
Tilt, cruise, power windows
and locks, sport wheels.
Was '11,995, NOW
'85 BUICK RIVIERA, V-8, only 33,000 miles, one owner, local trade.
Like new, garage kept! JUST TRADED
'89 JEEP GRAND WAGONEER, 4-dr., 4x4, V-8, one owner, local
trade, low miles, very good condition. Must see this one. Was $14,995,
NOW $13,970
'89 OLDS CUTLASS SUPREME INTERNATIONAL, 2-dr., sport
wheels, V-6, all power, 38,000 miles. Must see! JUST ARRIVED!
'85 OLDSMOBILE TORONADO
(/./) aft tsnwtMr tttfi* if MiiwJ mm UA>e QQK
* Of OH JJUSftSif Smmnr (WIT WUWVm> iArVi riuw
. ..J> J,. ."J -J
'88 CHEVY ASTRO VAN, raised roof, conversion van, TV, 4.3 V-6, very
plush, low miles. Tow package! Was $13,995, NOW $12#964
'87 BUICK LeSABRE LIMITED, 3.8 V-6, 50,000 miles, power seat, tilt,
cruise, very pretty car. Was $8,995, NOW $7,987
'89 BUICK SKYLARK, 4-dr., automatic, A/C, like new, very clean car,
economical, low payment. Was $6,995, NOW $5,981
?<903 THE BT.UNSWICK BEACON
SCHAEFFER BUICK-BMW
4920 NEW CENTRE DR.*WILMINGTON* 1-800-473-2995