Hello from the Great Lakes

[Topper]

Hello all!

A friend and I have talked for a long time about coming to NC to do some saltwater fishing and this is the year! Actually he vacations on the OBX every May and comes home with the pics and stories to get me jealous. Last week he called and said that he was stressed out and wanted to go to NC ASAP! I could swing it so here we come!

We are going to try for blue fin aboard the Second to None with Captain Shane on the 3rd. If they are cooperating, we may spend more than one day with him. If not, we may try to locate someone to take us on an impromptu striper trip. Any way that it turns out, I am cetainly getting excited.

I live in East Springfield, Pennsylvania. If your Pa geography is rusty I can fully understand, LOL. East Springfield is right along the banks of Lake Erie and borders Ohio. I have lived here my whole life and grew up fishing the Great Lakes for Walleye, Steelhead, King and Coho salmon, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and other pan fish.

We have a fantastic fishery here, but sadly nothing like saltwater. I have been hooked on saltwater since I was 12 and started going to Florida with my parents on vacation. In the past few years I have had the chance to fish the Atlantic off of Cape Canaveral, the Gulf off of Punta Gorda, and a deep sea trip off of Saint Maarten (that one was a bomb!). I have also fished a lot in Port Charlotte and the surrounding bays for Reds, Snook, Specs, and various other species. I am a junkie!

I am looking forward to trying out NC because of the great fishing reports and the closer proximity to my home (a mere 700 miles).

I operate a charter fishing service on Lake Erie. I worked as a first mate out of high school and just loved seeing other people experience the thrill of fishing so as I could afford the time (and the boat) I geared up to open my own charter service. My boat is a 252 WAC Sportcraft. Fishes nicely on the Great Lakes and would probably work just fine in the salt too.

I have no ambitions of coming to NC with clients or opening a charter service there, but I look forward to meeting some reliable people to refer my clients from up here in the frozen north to. Most of my clients get really bad cabin fever after the holidays and often asked me what other kinds of fishing I could point them to. Well, I am coming down to do some first hand research (and catching some fish wouldn't hurt as I have some cabin fever symptoms too).

Anyway, glad to make all of your acquaintances. I will be heading down your way on the evening of the 1st (I think my New Years resolution will be to fish more. How am I doing?) My friends and I (including a couple of my first mates) will be heading to Morehead City for the first part of our adventure. If anyone has any suggestions I would sincerely appreciate them.

If you want to check out my boat you can go to my site at Something Catchy Charters > Home ( DNN 4.3.3 ).

Tight lines and Happy New Year!
Captain Brian Mills