Monday and Tuesday openings

Want drum?   We got some and someone to take you. 

Capt. Justin Haddock will go stir crazy with two days off.  He is going to release some of that pressure on the doves, but is ready to go on Monday and/or Tuesday if some of you want to get into the action.

more cork'n with Capt. Will Jones

Super great guy, let me know if we can get you rigged up with him

cork'n

 

Capt. Chris

Capt. Chris has been doing a good job for us putting customers on fish here in the river, but he is also catching them at the coast: 

"fishing over here has been good this week... found some brown yesterday but it wasn’t the water." ----Capt. Chris 

If you can't tie a knot......

.....tie a lot.   I had the pleasure of fishing with Capt. Will Jones today and he put me on a giant red drum on my fly rod......very cool topwater bite and 2 seconds until my own knot failed. 

15 blue marlin in 2 days

That's what's going on in Costa Rica.

my mixed bag

Anna wanted a big drum

 I wanted dinner

Drum Rants

There are 4 of them.   Here is where they are:

 http://blog.downeastguideservice.com/2013/09/

 http://blog.downeastguideservice.com/2013/08/

George/Anna, 

I am new to old drum fishing (first two trips over the last two Saturdays). One of the most helpful things I've read was your four part rant of 2013. My oldest son landed our first old drum today, and I videoed the release.We took care as best as I could understand with both landing and releasing the fish, but after watching the video I'm curious if the "fish grip" tool is safe to use while releasing or at all. Here is the link to the release.  What is your opinion? Recommendations? Thanks for caring so much about the resource. Video Link:

https://youtu.be/6MIybvT9kls

Thanks,

Josh  

Josh, 

I think that fish grip is fine to help release.....as long as the drum doesn't swim off with it.   The important thing, especially this time of year, is when holding a big drum, to support it's weight and not hang them vertically from that tool or something like a Boga Grip as that puts a lot of pressure an can tear mesentaries supporting the extra large ovaries and testes. 

Capt George 

This morning from Capt. Greg

one of 7 on the corks this morning, this gal was over 50 inches to the fork, an easy 60 pounder.  

yesterday with Capt. Greg

Capt. Ray's Double Digit Day

Capt. Justin

Recognize this guy?

He's quite a celebrety where we fish in the winter. 

live from Capt. Justin on the Pamlico Sound

big group today with some new faces

Capt. Matt's mixed bag

 and Capt. Will proved that he can catch them on corks or on the dark side as a meathead.

yes, we too catch them on corks

Some pics from Capt. Chris yesterday

Pics from Capt. Justin

Berto and Wade

They are the two short guys :)

I'm mighty proud of my two friends and their performance this last week in Pirate's Cove on The General.  They ended up just a couple of fish away from the money and in 12th overall in the tourney, but came in 3rd in the Alice Kelly Memorial

Blast from the past

A friend of mine sent me this.  I'm ready to go back.  Anyone want to join me in late october? 

From Capt. Greg today

drum report

Most of us are getting what we need, but it has been a struggle.   Every year is different and this year is no exception.   You can't expect the fishing to be the same or the fish to be in the same spots, using the same "patterns" as they have in years past. 

All of this rain has had it's impacts.  The fresh water has not affected the overall salinity, but we are seeing some minor algae blooms.   The perpetual SW wind and hot temps result in a very stratified river, heavier, saltier water on the bottom and the fresher water on top. The result is that the oxygen levels are very low in the deeper parts of the river, forcing more fish to the shallows or downstream. 

The corkers have been frustrated, sometimes seeing dozens very finicky big drum sipping on weak and dying menhaden on the surface, but not having the easiest time getting them to bite.   The meatheads are not catching fish in the deeper portions and having a hard time keeping bait on the hook as the "dead water" has forced all the bait stealers (crabs, pinfish and little bluefish) into the shallows.   Two or three big drum in the boat is a good day, but not the numbers we have been accustomed to this time of year.

The guides who have been doing the best and who have been most consistent have been making longer runs into the sound where the water is more mixed and the fishing has been better.

We are getting tuned into these conditions and will go where we need to go to get the best action. 

All this is going to change when we start getting some nor'easters, but this change in wind direction will be ugly at first.   When the wind changes direction, parts of the river are going tos see a heck of a "flounder walk".   The more oxygenated surface water is going to blow to the other side of the river and all that dead water with no oxygen is going to come to the surface, trapping fish and crabs using the shallows which will be void of oxygen, forcing the fish to the shoreline. 

This has historically happened, but this year is going to be one to remember. 

Now don't get me wrong, we still have some great fishing with some great trips with big numbers to come, but bear with us as we stay on top of a rapidly changing system and prepare for a longer boat ride if that's what we have to do.

pics from the weekend