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Tuesday, January 31, 2006
The Debate Over Outer Banks Beach Nourishment Continues
 On January 1st of this year Dare County narrowly passed a 1 percent sales tax increase to fund beach nourishment projects to help preserve the county's fragile shoreline. Next week there is a referendum to determine if the county should repeal the sales tax increase and there is currently a hot debate over the subject. This debate isn't just limited to Dare County, almost every North Carolina coastal community is struggling to keep their beaches intact against ongoing erosion. The core of the arguments boil down to will beach nourishment protect and preserve the Outer Banks and who is responsible for paying the ever increasing bills? Historically many beach nourishment projects aimed at stabilizing the constantly shifting Outer Banks have not been very successful. Only 12 percent of all projects last more than five years and a whopping 26 percent don't even make it through their first year. More on this story is available here.
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Sunday, January 29, 2006
Video of a Sailfish Caught from a Kayak
 While not exactly news on North Carolina saltwater fishing, every now and then we like to treat visitors to some fun fishing videos from other parts of the world. We've been hearing more and more recently about how much fun inshore fishing from a kayak is, but offshore? An angler in Florida recently landed a nice size sailfish from a kayak and we've found the video to prove it. Apparently this isn't that rare down in the tropics. We also found a long video from a guide service off Baja, Mexico that shows folks catching mahi mahi and more sailfish from their kayaks. And while we're on the topic of great fishing videos, you might also want to see Salt Water Sportsman's video of a black marlin attack. We also guess that many of our newer visitors might have missed the video of the blue marlin attack and those high-quality videos of billfish in the south pacific. All in all, today is just a good day for high-speed internet.
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Friday, January 27, 2006
North Carolina Bluefin Tuna and the Japanese Market
 Last week we told you the story of Captain Brant McMullen of Ocean Isle and his amazing catch of two 500 pound bluefin tuna. While many of you may already be familiar with the popularity of bluefin tuna in Japan and the sale of NC bluefin on Japanese markets, we found a great article on the sale of bluefin to Japanese buyers. Jason Bahr, a buyer for Kashiko Exports, was interviewed earlier this week by the Brunswick Beacon and he revealed a lot of interesting details. Bahr has bought and shipped about a dozen bluefin tuna caught off Brunswick County to Japan in the past few days. North Carolina bluefin are being sold in Japanese markets in only about three days from the time they ship and every one of the Brunswick County bluefin went for at least $11 a pound. Those bluefin ranged in dress weight from 200 to 400 pounds so each fish brought between $2,200 and $4,400 for the boat that caught it. There is quite a bit more in the article on the business behind the bluefin and the complicated logistics of getting these giants to market on the other side of the planet. Visit the Brunswick Beacon for the full story.
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Thursday, January 26, 2006
Learn Offshore Lure Tying from a Master
 This past week at the Raleigh Saltwater Fishing Expo we had the unique privilege of spending some time with lure tying expert Kevin Fraser of Hardcore Offshore Custom Lures. Kevin was not only kind enough to answer a ton of questions we had on how he makes his amazing lures, he even agreed to help us put together a step by step offshore lure tying guide. Kevin is not only great at his craft, he is also able to explain lure tying in a very straight-forward way that can have just about anyone tying like a pro in no time. While we don't think that we are going to start tying all our lures anytime soon, a few custom color combinations would be a welcome addition to our collection. If you do any offshore fishing, you need to give Kevin a call. His lures are just as nice as any Islander, a great deal cheaper, and he can give you any color combination you'd like.
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Wednesday, January 25, 2006
NC Wildlife Resources Commission Wants Your Input
 The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NC WRC) started holding their annual public forums this week to get input on and explain new regulations. These public forums will be held in nine different locations throughout the state to provide the public easy access to officials. If you are anything like us, it's pretty hard to find the time to make it to a meeting during the week, but the NC WRC is now allowing people to submit comments and suggestions through their website. Comments on both fishing and hunting regulations can be made here until February 1st. There are 20 fishing proposals up for review including the proposal to increase the minimum length limit for flounder in inland waters from 13 inches to 14 inches and the proposal to protect river herring. Please take a moment to share your thoughts and ideas, North Carolina could use all our help to better manage our fisheries. More on the NC WRC forum series is available in this article from the N&O.
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Sunday, January 22, 2006
Sonar References Deleted From NC Whale Beaching Report
 Last year a group of 37 whales beached themselves on the North Carolina coast near Oregon Inlet and government officials have been investigating potential causes. A recent court order that required investigating officials to release their documentation has revealed that a lead investigator changed her draft report to eliminate all references to the possibility that naval sonar may have played a role in the beaching. We've reported on the potential problems the Navy's high-intensity sonar training range on the NC coast might cause and North Carolina officials have not been swayed by any of the Navy's arguments to date regarding potential environmental problems. Last spring a preliminary report cited sonar as of the most plausible causes of the whales beaching themselves and even autopsy results were reminiscent of whales who beached themselves in the Bahamas because of sonar activity. It seems downright shady that sonar references have been deleted from this report, especially in light of the Navy's inability to sell the idea to both the public and North Carolina officials. In the end, it's the Navy's choice alone on whether or not North Carolina will host the training range; it does not require any NC vote for approval. Visit MSNBC for more on this story and be sure to let your state representatives know how much the idea of an experimental sonar training range just off our coast concerns you.
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Saturday, January 21, 2006
Two 500 Pound Bluefin Tuna in One Hour
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Most bluefin tuna are caught in the northern half of North Carolina's waters, but Captain Brant McMullan of Ocean Isle just proved that a little luck and skill can land the big ones even farther south. Thursday afternoon McMullan hooked up with not one, but two 500 pound bluefin tuna in under one hour. While the bluefin season has been a little slow to get going this year, big bluefin have been biting more and more over the last few weeks. Captain McMullan runs a charter service out of Ocean Isle and since his amazing afternoon Thursday business has been booming. For more on this story, visit wwaytv3.com.
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Thursday, January 19, 2006
Tug Sinks Off NC Coast; 3 Dead
 Near gale force winds and 15 to 20 foot seas were too much for the Valour Tuesday night. The tug sank off the coast of North Carolina near Cape Fear killing three crew members. Two crew members were found dead and the search for the third was called off today. Another tug in the area, the Justine Fox, responded to the Valour's distress call and was able to rescue 4 of the Valour's crew. A fifth sailor was later rescued by helicopter and air lifted to a Wilmington hospital. The Valour was pulling a 500 foot barge loaded with about five and a half million gallons of petroleum byproduct and efforts are currently underway to prevent any environmental damage. Visit WCNC Charlotte for more on this story.
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Monday, January 16, 2006
New Blue Crab Limits Start Today
 The NC Division of Marine Fisheries' new Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan goes into effect today and there are some new limitations for both recreational and commercial fishermen who harvest them. The new regulations create maximum sizes for female crabs and are designed to leave more large females since the larger female crabs produce more eggs. Starting today, fishermen will not be allowed to keep female crabs over 6 3/4 inches from spike to spike or female peeler crabs over 5 1/2 inches from spike to spike. Peeler crabs are ones that are in the process of developing a new soft shell under their hard shell before they shed. The new regulations will stay in place from September 1st to April 30th for at least the next two years. Officials with the NC DMF are optimistic that the new regulations will result in increased egg and larval production, more multiple broods, and in the end, more crabs for everyone. For more on this story visit the Newbern Sun Journal and the NC DMF for more details.
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Sunday, January 15, 2006
NC Saltwater Fishing Expo Roundup
 The last three days at the NC fishing expo have been long but they have also been a whole lot of fun. We've had the opportunity to meet and talk to a ton of great people. We were also able to attend several of the fishing seminars to get some tips from the pros. After it was all said and done we ended up with a couple of jewels that we'll be sharing with you later this week. A special thanks again to Kevin Fraser of Hardcore Custom Offshore Lures and to Captain Rick Bennett of Rod-Man Fishing Charters. While most captains are more likely to give you their bank PIN numbers than specifics, Captain Bennett led the best seminars of the expo due to a ton of great details. We will be condensing some of his presentations into how-to articles later this week. Best of all, we got to shake hands with some of our readers. All in all it was a great weekend and we are looking forward to doing it again next year.
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Saturday, January 14, 2006
Study Shows Most Speckled Trout Survive Catch and Release
 A new research project by Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi has found that speckled trout are exceptionally resilient and over 90% survive being caught and released. The researchers created a pool of anglers with various skill levels and let them use what ever lures and baits they normally would use. Specks were caught and then brought in live wells to containment pens for three days to determine mortality rates. Ultimately the only factor that had any influence on the trout's survival rate was how deeply they were hooked and if they suffered any gill damage during hook removal. For more on this story there is a great article in the News and Observer.
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Friday, January 13, 2006
Day 1 at the NC Bass and Saltwater Fishing Expo
 For those of you who haven't heard, the NC Bass and Saltwater Fishing Expo is at the state fairgrounds in Raleigh all weekend. We spent all day Friday talking to bunch of really good people and got to see a ton of new products for fishermen. One of our favorite new products that fall into the we wish we had thought of this category was a floating vinyl liner to protect your hull called Bottom Liner. It secures in your slip and can eliminate bottom paint and bottom cleaning for boats as big as 45 feet all the way down to jet skis. We also got to spend a great deal of time talking to offshore lure tying master Kevin Fraser of Hardcore Custom Offshore Lures and he has agreed to provide a step by step lure tying guide to our readers. We should have that ready next week so keep your eyes peeled. For more information on the Fishing Expo, visit ncboatshows.com.
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Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Use Circle Hooks for Catch and Release
 We've heard that fish caught and released with circle hooks instead of j-hooks were more likely to live after being released and some early data from a new scientific study is really proving it. Dr. John Graves and graduate student Andrij Horodysky of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science have been investigating the survival of white marlin released from recreational fishing gear. They've been putting satellite tracking tags on white marlin caught with both circle hooks and j-hooks and have found that circle hooks are far less harmful to the marlin. In fact, 7 of 20 marlin caught on j-hooks later died and all of the white marlin caught on circle hooks lived. Research is still ongoing, but if you are going to be releasing your catch, it's becoming clear that using a circle hook can make all the difference. More on Dr. Graves research is available from the CCA's site.
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Tuesday, January 10, 2006
More of Newport River to be Closed to Oyster Harvests
 If there is an environmental problem or chemical spill that could make oysters in certain waters dangerous to consume, the Shellfish Sanitation Section of the NC Division of Environmental Health will temporary close oyster habitats. They have been using this technique to safeguard the public since a major sewage spill in the late 1960's. The only problem is that many of the areas closed never reopen. Last fall when the NC DEH closed oyster areas due to the runoff from Hurricane Ophelia. Now it seems the trend of dwindling oyster acreage is continuing as more of the Newport River between Morehead City and Beaufort is going to remain closed. Officials believe that one of the primary causes of difficulty for North Carolina's oyster population is the rapid land development in the eastern part of the state. Every new subdivision and parking lot means that more water polluted water will flow directly into NC's rivers. North Carolina agencies have been hard at work this past year trying to revive the oyster population and have instituted a program to allow residents to grow oysters under their piers and also started an oyster shell recycling program to create more habitat. More on the Newport River closing is available at the Newbern Sun Journal.
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Saturday, January 07, 2006
Saltwater Fishing Expo in Raleigh Next Weekend
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The Bass and Saltwater Fishing Expo returns to the North Carolina State Fairgrounds January 7th, celebrating it's 15th year. The Jim Graham Building and Dorton Arena combined will house over 100 fishing exhibitors, one of the largest shows ever. In addition to information on the latest fishing gear and equipment, the expo will also include fishing instruction seminars on freshwater, inshore, and offshore tactics. We aren't going to have a booth this year but will be there all three days talking to folks and attending the seminars. Definitely plan on attending if you can, but if you can't don't worry; we are going to have write-ups on just about everything there. Admission is just $6 for adults, $3 for kids, and $5 for seniors. For more information visit ncboatshows.com.
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Thursday, January 05, 2006
New North Carolina Striped Bass Record
 Catherine Willis' long-standing record set in 1972 for a 60 pound striped bass has finally been broken. David Hiebert of Kalamazoo, Michigan was fishing just off Avon on Hatteras Island on December 30th when he landed a 62 pound striper. The record striper measured 53 1/2 inches in length and 32 inches in girth. While Hiebert was elated about catching a North Carolina record, he missed out being able to cash in on his catch. On the day he landed his striper there was a tournament out of Oregon Inlet that had a special prize for state record catches; cash and merchandise totaling $250,000. Hiebert's response, "I'm not going to moan too much, though. A state record striper is prize enough", shows that although he isn't from North Carolina, he is a true fisherman. For more on this story visit the Charlotte Observer.
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Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Outer Banks Wild Horse Shot Near Corolla
 While not exactly fishing news, we're hoping that someone out there might be able to lend a hand with this one. It appears that some jackass shot and killed one of the Outer Banks' wild horses last week near Corolla. Officials found a pregnant wild horse that had been shot and killed near the dunes of Swan Beach in Currituck County. The Corolla Wild Horse Fund is offering a reward of $8,576 to anyone who can help bring the culprit to justice and anyone with information should call the Currituck County Sheriff's Office at (252) 453-8204. For more on Corolla's unique wild horses, or for information on how you can help preserve this wonderful part of the Outer Banks' history, please visit www.corollawildhorses.com.
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Tuesday, January 03, 2006
CCA Edition NC License Plates
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Happy New Year from Fishing-NC.com
 We hope you had a fun and safe time last night and are as excited about the coming year as we are. We've got a whole lot of fun new additions planned in the coming months that you are going to love. We'll also be rolling out our new logo soon and giving away some nice gear to our members. Make sure to sign up for our newsletter so that you can stay in the loop. The weather is great today and while there might be some rain tomorrow, our professional advice is that you need to get out there and put some lines in the water. Have a happy and healthy new year and may your lines always stay tight.
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More in the NC Fishing News Archive
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Last year the NC House passed a bill to implement a Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina special license plate and the bill has recently been signed by the Governor. The CCA is currently pre-selling the first 300 that are required before production can begin. The CCA will be donating all proceeds from the plates directly to the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NC DMF) for their conservation programs. For more information and application instructions please visit the CCA's site. While we would always recommend the CCA's license plate, other coastal theme plates are also available from the NC DOT. These include Core Sound Waterfowl Museum license plates, Historic Lighthouse plates, Maritime Museum plates, North Carolina Coastal Federation plates, and Save the Sea Turtles plates. We are excited for the CCA and are looking forward to seeing that great looking plate on the back of our vehicles. Make sure to get your application in as soon as possible and remember, all the personalization choices are still wide open.
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