LiveLine Charters Fishing Report

We finally got a short weather window after 15 days of hard SW winds. Ray, Paul, Ben, Sherman and George made the drive down from NY. The ride out started with stiff SW winds but once we were out 40 miles it let off. We did have to take a detour around a Navy ship exercise but finally started in 140 feet and 1st jig in the water and Paul was on Ray dropped next and a double header. The current was tough 4 plus knots due to the moon and SW winds for ever. George caught his 1st African on the next drift. Then someone turned the switch off and we worked a few more spots with slow results. Went to 240 feet and it was on finally. The guys did a great job with 4 to 5 anglers hooked up. We had a lot of large Almacos and AJs. Ben had the largest for the trip 49 inches x 32 inch girth (around 75 lbs). The guys wanted to see if we could target grouper later in the day so we moved inshore a little but the winds and current made the drifts tough for grouper. This was some of the guys 1st jigging trip to NC and I think they are hooked. The weatherman put a end to Sunday’s trip with 20 plus SW winds again !

Captain Mike Jackson
LiveLine Charters
910-686-7271

Had a Gulf Stream trip with Dale Holbrook and friends. The weather in the AM was OK just a mixed swell off shore. Started in 130 feet and had a couple Mahi bites quickly but couldn’t keep the hook in them. Once we got to the drop we found a rip with a temp break than ran off shore and it didn’t take long before we started catching small Mahi on spinning gear. After a dozen fish and a few minutes to clean the boat we started trolling off shore on the rip and a large Mahi 25 lbs ate the short bait. Continued off shore and then all lines went off from the clips but didn’t get hooked up then when I tried to reset the long rigger it went off in my hand and a White Marlin started heading for the horizon. It took all but 100 yards of line off the reel before we got the boat turned. The angler did a great job getting it to with in 75 yards of the boat and the hook pulled. The wind started picking up from the NE so we trolled in from the break. Stopped and the tower and tried for a few minutes but no luck. Sorry I didn’t get many good pictures.

Captain Mike Jackson
LiveLine Charters
910-686-7271