Monday, April 21, 2008

Spanish, Redfish, Bluefish and Bonita.....


The fishing is really turning on here at Wrightsville Beach and the weather has been great these last few days.


As of right now there aren't any spanish showing up but anglers have reported steady bluefish at the jetty and out along the beaches.


I am still hearing scattered reports on Bonita out to about 12 miles and only a few caught locally on the Liberty Ship using Pink 7 gram Maria Jigs.


The redfishing is still going strong and I am using DOA CAL Jerk baits in New Penny on a Mustad 3/0 ultra point hook rigged weedless. The water in the back bays was 68 degrees Farenheit on Saturday and the fish were "happy". If you get a chance to go while the wind is laid down you're sure to do okay.


posted by Intracoastal Angler at 12:59 PM 0 comments

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Richardson Boys catchin' Reds


Last Saturday I guided father and son Pete and Max Richardson to some spectacular redfishing. We started the morning on topwater plugging the surf around Figure 8 and managed one nice drum,Max caught it, for two topwater explosions. I honestly could not find the fish after we landed Max's fish. These fish are so silver compared to their backcountry cousins and are a lot more difficult to see at times.

Both Pete and Max were plugging the topwater scene well and I am noticing that as the temperature warms up here it doesn't hurt to pause from time to time on the topwater to entice a bite.

We ran to a new spot later that morning and spent the afternoon with Pete taking fly shots at a big school of reds that were winking and rolling for about an hour of hot feeding activity. We tried several fly combinations and didn't see any refusals but also didn't get any aggressive takes. There were some half-hearted takes and a couple of intense follows but none of the reds tried to smash the fly. It was an excitingly tense morning of fly fishing for these big redfish.

There are some larger fish inshore and I am seeing some nice schooling fish so don't wait too long or this opportunity will pass just like the summer heat!


Tight Loops & Lines,

Captain Seth Vernon

910-233-4520

sethvernon@hotmail.com

posted by Intracoastal Angler at 5:13 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Chris & Jacob Kenny get Topwater Heat!


It was hot today, 110 degree heat index and on the water was the only place to escape it that wasn't indoors. I was glad to have the father son combo of Chris Kenny and son Jacob for some great 11th hour topwater redfishing this morning.


Chris is no stranger to fishing and I knew right off the start we were going to have fun chasing drum today. The ocean breeze we had stayed just under 12 kts making for tough visibility to sight fish and I really wanted to get Chris a shot at some fish on fly. The weather would't allow for it and he gladly put in some time this morning on topwater to get the ball rolling. Early in the day the bite was slow even though we were on some schooling fish, I would have thought the fish would be more active in the cool morning temps but that simply was not the case.


On our last fishing spot Chris managed 6 amazing topwater bites and two strong redfish landed at the boat. I sure was glad it happened for him since he drove from Holden Beach just to fish with me today.


Thanks Chris for a special day with you and "Jake" I look forward to seeing you both back in the near future. Good luck with your duck season this winter!

posted by Intracoastal Angler at 4:46 PM 0 comments

Monday, July 30, 2007

Schools of Reds and some larger fish arriving...


I fished with friend and angler BC Cone yesterday amidst cloudy skies and the threat of a thundershower and we managed to find and cast to a lot of fish despite the tough "sight fishing" conditions. BC caught a nice drum on topwater early in the morning as well as a handsome bluefish on topwater, about three pounds, but our emphasis was on the fly.

Because of the overcast conditions we were both having a hard time seeing the fish until they wereliterally right in front of the boat, I guess the good news is that Beavertail Skiff of mine is stealthy. The challenge was to lead these solo, paired or schooled fish on short notice. If you are new to saltwater fly fishing it is important to practice both distance casting and short distance casting. Think of a golf game, if you don't have a good short game or putting game it can really hurt your score, the same is true in fly rodding the salt. Another tip I would like to mention as a general rule is once you are comfortably fishing on the bow learn how to hold your flyline and leader and fly in the "ready position". Practising going from a dead stand still with your line, leader and fly in hand is more realistic than blind casting. Now once you have mastered the ready position through casting you are good to go.

Lastly if you encounter shallow water sight fishable reads practice putting the fly immediately and delicately in front of close encounter fish so that they don't have a chance to think about it, you want a reactionary bite. On your long distance fish keep leading them a foot to eighteen inches until you determine the fishe's mood and this will allow you multiple shots at a fish without spooking it.

The fishing is great and the fish are holding a pattern as we hurdle towards the shrimp "hatch" so give a call if you are interested in some spectacular sight fishing for red drum.


Good Luck and Good Fishing,

Captain Seth Vernon~

910-233-4520

sethvernon@hotmail.com

posted by Intracoastal Angler at 5:00 AM 0 comments

Friday, July 27, 2007

Bill Slaughter has a fishy new boat!







Hello anglers. My good friend Bill Slaughter has a bad new toy and we took her on her maiden voyage today, it is 17' Yellowfin custom flats skiff that he will use on the redfish tour this year and the fish better watch out. We scouted some new water in the boat and were both impressed at the poling draft and quiet hull in the shallows. we found some fish early in the morning and even had one tailer in the calm of the morning, no good fly shots today but some insane topwater action again today and some nice schooling drum as well as singles, all in all some good times!



It's nice when your buddies throw you in the briar patch if you know what I mean. Big thanks to Bill for letting me run the new boat through the shallows like I stole it! Great days on the water happen more than you think don't waste any time getting down to Wilmington for some fishing.






Good Luck and Good Fishing,



Captain Seth Vernon



910-233-4520



posted by Intracoastal Angler at 1:51 PM 0 comments

Thursday, July 26, 2007

John and Bill Toaspern fish Topsail Reds...


What a day! I guided John and Bill Toaspern this morning and we had some spectacular shots and bites from reds this morning. Bill had five bites, hooked three and landed two and I beleive that if conditions had been better for John, who fished fly this morning, he would have connected to a few fish also.

We fished the waters around Topsail and I met John and Bill by way of the article I wrote for this months Saltwater Fly Fishing magazine on Cape Fear Coast Redfishing.

I was really thrilled to have a father son today on the boat as the weather and tide were perfect, light wind falling tide and two excited anglers makes a good day. We could have easily caught more fish today and I have to hand it to these guys they really wanted to learn more about the fishery here and some new tactics!

I look forward to seeing them both again and may have the opportunity to take John and his son out this fall. Here is a picture of the one that didn't get away! The ones that did get away could have eaten this one! Not bad for a west coast steelheader and a Colorado trout fisherman. You guys will always have a spot on my skiff!


Good Luck and Good Fishing,

Capt. Seth Vernon

910-233-4520

sethvernon@hotmail.com

posted by Intracoastal Angler at 5:19 PM 1 comments

Top Dog fishing does it again....


On Wednesday I had the opportunity to spend some time topwater fishing with Joe Lee of Durham, NC. He had never plugged for redfish and so we set out to find some schooling fish and get to work. Our first stop of the morning put us on feeding fish in the shallows, in the early morning low light we had to work hard to see the school. I had some strong visual clues from the platform and we managed two drum right off the bat.

I was awfully excited to see Joe catch some fish on the topwater plug on his first attempt. We are talking about putting together a father and son trip this fall for Joe and his son who just graduated from UNCW and I promised I would call when the reds start eating shrimp full force again.

Thanks Joe for trusting me to put you on the fish and for trying some new tactics for redfish.


Good Luck and Good Fishing,

Captain Seth Vernon

910-233-4520

sethvernon@hotmail.com

posted by Intracoastal Angler at 5:13 PM 0 comments