Emerald Isle, NC

[shorthaul]

Greybeard

Ill be there the same time on a charter off the Atlantic Beach causeway (fishing on the 29th and 30th). Our target species will be false albecore and in years past we have fished from Emerald isle to 1/2 way to Ocracoke. There can be great action by the inlet at Ft Macon. Its mostly run and gun fishing to fish busting baitballs but last year they were drifting with the bait and dropping sinking lines over the side and had nonstop action all day. There are big reds (30-40#) around but I've only fished the jetty and the shoals from open water and caught small ones. 10 weight rods are pretty much the accepted gear for albies. They eat flies readily, get a #2 clouser or gummi minnow or even a crease fly into the gull activity and get tight as soon as it hits the water-- they swim around 35 mph--there are no subtle takes .

I've caught albies(6-12#) chasing the surface activity, caught reds and speckled trout and weakfish off the jetty, a few blues by accident that didnt bite me off and got spooled on probably an amberjack. All on fly gear. We saw a 5 ft tuna free jumping in 20 ft of water chasing something on the surface. Its toward the end of spanish mackeral and not cool enough for stripers.

There is an article on the huge reds down east if you get tired of chasing albies in the latest "Flyfishing in Saltwater".

Pm me with your phone number and if we do well I will give you a call.

Shorthaul