[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Coastal Angler Magazine crew boarded the James Joyce II on the Morehead City Waterfront at about 5:10 AM. After a safety briefing we were off on our adventure. Capt Troy Pate eased the 51 footer out into the ICW and we headed offshore. I stood on the bridge with Capt Pate as we made our way to the planned fishing spot. We discussed many things from how our families were faring, the weather, but mostly the fishing. Our speed early was a little slow as the sky was pitch black. Once the sun came up we were able to make about 20 knots. Our planned spot was about 50 nautical miles from the inlet so the trip took a little while. As we got within about fifteen miles of the spot, the radar showed what appeared to be a squall right on top of where we wanted to fish. As we got closer the storm moved away, but it seemed to follow us all day. A couple of times we were rained on but overall, it was a nice cool day.
Within minutes of getting the spread of lines in the water the reel on the planer rod began to scream. I love that sound! We had already discussed the rotation so the first fish went to Sheila Williams our only female on board. It was her first time offshore. She worked the fish perfectly and in a few minutes our capable mate C L Lupton put the steel gaff into the wahoo and swung it over. The grin on Sheila’s face told me that we had just created a new saltwater fishing fanatic. This was about a 30 lb fish and the beginning action of a great day on the water. Our second fish also hit the planer and turned out to be a King mackerel weighing about 25lbs. After the second fish it seemed like an eternity until the next bite and I began to worry that our luck had run out. Throughout the day we had periods of frantic activity with multiple hookups on at the same time and we had other periods of quiet. Some of our crew relaxed in the salon during the quiet times but I stayed deck at the ready waiting for my shot at a NC fall Sailfish.
I brought in a couple of Wahoo and Blackfin, but the sail never showed. Well maybe next time. I have taken several trips with Capt Troy and C L. I can attest to the dedication they bring to the job. If you want to experience some of the best offshore fishing on the North Carolina coast, contact Capt Troy and take a trip on the James Joyce II.