MHC/Beaufort 5/25/2008

[GanzAndere]

launched from the public pier area near hwy70, and fished the marsh near that hwy all afternoon. spooked drum all afternoon on a slack, then falling tide. at one point was surrounded by a school of at least 100 drum in a broad, shallow bay (they were breaking and tailing all around me), but couldn't buy a bite -- threw everything i had at them. finally paddled my kayak right through the middle of them just to see them all spook at once -- pretty cool. had at least 10 blow up on top water (top dog) but none seemed serious enough to get hooked up. finally hooked a keeper flounder off an oyster bed. later hooked 3 just-under-slot reds from another school -- boated 2 of them; one came off for no obvious reason. all on root beer 5" GULP jerk shads with their tails missing from pinfish (!). left my water bottle in the car, bummed a bottle from a group of kayaker fishermen from high point -- thanks, otherwise i would have had to cut the day off early! fun but frustrating day -- had drum around me all afternoon, but couldn't get 'em to bite.

did get my license checked for the first time in saltwater (on the main channel of the hwy70 marsh). super nice guy -- almost didn't check me because he thought he'd check me before that day.

// joel