High Winds and Reds, Beaufort, N.C. 5-2-08

[yak4fish]

Fished solo today around the Newport River area, Beaufort, N.C. Weather started out perfect - clear skies, low sixties, and a light breeze to keep the bugs off. As usual, I started the a.m. off with a top-water plug and quickly found a few Blues.. not what I was looking for so I switched to the ole’ stand-by jerk-shad. After working a long marsh edge with no bite I got out to search a creek mouth as the tide ebbed. Still nada. I did have an approximate 30” Blue roll up as my bait got close to the rod. I looked down to see how close the bait was just in time to see it, it see me, and spook off. Needless to say I spent the next hour trying to find that dude - no luck. Continued across the creek mouth to a point that comes close to one of the channels where the current is swifter and found two Reds hanging out in an eddy willing to hit a jerk-shad. Next spot was a mile away, across two channels. Targeted low tide holes and found two more Reds, two Specks and a handful of Blues - all on Rapalas new Sub-Walk. Wind began blowing steady around 20 mph so I began considering how long I could continue to fish, knowing I would have a mile long return trip into the winds, along with an incoming tide. Originally, I had planned to make the return trip under a falling tide, but that was still three hours away, and I didn’t want to cross the channel with those winds at night. Might as well fish the last two holes before heading back, I thought. High winds disrupting the water surface calls for a loud top-water so back came the Zara spook. Had one nice Red make a serious swipe, but missed it. About two minutes later, bam, a solid hook up resulted in a 28 1/4” Red. These fish are serious fun!.

By the time a paddled through the marsh to the windward side of the sound and the channels ahead, all I said was to myself was crap, there’s noway around this crossing, other than wait it out with the possibility of spending the night in the marsh. Winds had picked up to 30 mph with higher gusts. Fueling up with cookies and gatorade I committed to cross in now what were 2 - 3 foot tight rollers. It was difficult making headway with the combination of wind, waves, and current. The Manta Ray is a confidence inspiring boat. It would bust through the waves, launch off the crest and slam down the backside, then repeat, taking it in stride. I had a few waves crash me broadside, filling the cockpit. It took an hour to make the mile crossing. I was soaked, glad it was behind me, but couldn’t resist throwing the zara spook to some Blues busting the surface... a nice end to a great day on the water.
May 2, 2008