01-06-2004, 05:32 AM
[font "Arial"][size 2]What a great way to start the year, fishing. Off to chase the rock fish this morning from Oregon Inlet. There was so many boats in line on hwy.12, you could not see the parking lot. We got in line about 2 miles from the fishing center. After a few hours, we finally got in the parking lot. There where well over 200 boat trailers in and around the parking lot. I though that was bad. But when we got to the boat ramp it was overflowing with boats. There where 15 to 20 boats around the ramp waiting for their buddy to park the truck and get back. Got the boat in the water and it was like follow the leader through the channel. I thought the worst was over, but when we hit the channel past the bridge, all you could see was birds falling from the sky and it was a fiberglass zoo. I don’t see why the birds where not hitting boats, because you could all most jump from boat to boat. The fish where having a blitz on top of the water as far as you could see. There where boats trolling, boats casting, all where catching fish, well not all, some where catching each other. I saw a few motors tilted up and people untangling line from their motor prop. We caught some good numbers of fish there. It was not long before we slipped out from all the boats and looked a less crowded place to fish. There where still a lot of boats everywhere and you had to stay on your toes to keep from hitting someone, or someone hitting you. We caught fish all day off and on. Back at the ramp it was just madness. Finally got the boat on the trailer. Found a room for the night and made a plan for the next day.
The next day the same thing, long lines and boat to boat. After a few hour of stop and go. We got the boat in the water and we where on the hunt. Did not take long to find the fish. We caught rock off and on the rest of the day. At the end of the day we decided to put up with all the boats one more day.
The next morning, back in line again. This time the park rangers where in the road at the campground making all the boats circle through the campground and get the boat ready to put in the water. They only let a few boats at the time go to the ramp, so hopefully it would be less of a problem to unload. On the water and on the hunt for the rock fish again. We caught good number of fish in the morning. For the afternoon, I guess something went bad. We ran up and down the beach looking for birds and fish. We saw a few birds diving, but I think it was just bait fish. We had to fish hard to get two rock fish for the afternoon and two nice size bluefish.[/size][/font]
[signature]
The next day the same thing, long lines and boat to boat. After a few hour of stop and go. We got the boat in the water and we where on the hunt. Did not take long to find the fish. We caught rock off and on the rest of the day. At the end of the day we decided to put up with all the boats one more day.
The next morning, back in line again. This time the park rangers where in the road at the campground making all the boats circle through the campground and get the boat ready to put in the water. They only let a few boats at the time go to the ramp, so hopefully it would be less of a problem to unload. On the water and on the hunt for the rock fish again. We caught good number of fish in the morning. For the afternoon, I guess something went bad. We ran up and down the beach looking for birds and fish. We saw a few birds diving, but I think it was just bait fish. We had to fish hard to get two rock fish for the afternoon and two nice size bluefish.[/size][/font]
[signature]