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I camped in Rodanthe Nov. 8 - 11. Generally great weather and winds, although rather cold at night (I wish I'd brought my cold weather sleeping bag instead of my 45-degree model!).
Saturday was a great trout day (so I heard). I fished the beach on the way in after dark and it was dead slow at first. Just before low tide, the trout turned on and bit pretty steady till I left well into the rise, starving and in need of a campsite, around 11 pm. Wound up with 8 trout from 16"-24" with most in the 18"-20" range. The 24-incher was pushing (but not quite) 5 pounds. Nightstalker mirrolure.
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Started late Sunday and got a big breakfast, then putzed around, cleaned fish, cooked fish, and hit the beach again after dark. Despite seemingly better conditions, bite was slow (although guys up the beach did well). I landed a smallish (16") trout and a small keeper pup in a brief flurry of activity.
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Monday afternoon, found a nice bite south of the point - lots of small stuff on shrimp (10" black drum, small spots, very small blues) and some nice flounder. I had scattered throwbacks on a gulp swimming mullet, but started hitting some nice fish on strips of cut fish. Ended up with three 16-17" keepers. Fished HARD that night, again in great conditions, with one lousy hit to show. Tons of people out plugging the beach; didn't see anyone with more than one fish.
Early Tuesday morning the wind had picked up moderate NE. Lighthouse beach was tough fishing, so mid-morning went further south, to Ramp 55/Hatteras which was very nice with the wind at my back. Some great structure along this beach. I fished grubs and quickly landed a nice 3#, 18" flounder and then a few throwbacks before low tide. The rise was really slow. Hit the beach again, after dark, on the way back to Raleigh. Highish tide with the headwind made plugging a little tough, but conditions improved as the tide fell. After an hour or so of nothing, the big trout started hitting. I landed five and missed only one (which should tell you that they were hitting pretty aggressively). Four of the five were over 20" with two over 4#. Nice action for about 30-45 minutes, then it stopped and I hit the road before finding out if and when it picked up again.
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In case you were wondering what they were eating...
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...looks like a small (~5") gray. Kinda resembles a mirrolure, eh?
Saturday was a great trout day (so I heard). I fished the beach on the way in after dark and it was dead slow at first. Just before low tide, the trout turned on and bit pretty steady till I left well into the rise, starving and in need of a campsite, around 11 pm. Wound up with 8 trout from 16"-24" with most in the 18"-20" range. The 24-incher was pushing (but not quite) 5 pounds. Nightstalker mirrolure.
Started late Sunday and got a big breakfast, then putzed around, cleaned fish, cooked fish, and hit the beach again after dark. Despite seemingly better conditions, bite was slow (although guys up the beach did well). I landed a smallish (16") trout and a small keeper pup in a brief flurry of activity.
Monday afternoon, found a nice bite south of the point - lots of small stuff on shrimp (10" black drum, small spots, very small blues) and some nice flounder. I had scattered throwbacks on a gulp swimming mullet, but started hitting some nice fish on strips of cut fish. Ended up with three 16-17" keepers. Fished HARD that night, again in great conditions, with one lousy hit to show. Tons of people out plugging the beach; didn't see anyone with more than one fish.
Early Tuesday morning the wind had picked up moderate NE. Lighthouse beach was tough fishing, so mid-morning went further south, to Ramp 55/Hatteras which was very nice with the wind at my back. Some great structure along this beach. I fished grubs and quickly landed a nice 3#, 18" flounder and then a few throwbacks before low tide. The rise was really slow. Hit the beach again, after dark, on the way back to Raleigh. Highish tide with the headwind made plugging a little tough, but conditions improved as the tide fell. After an hour or so of nothing, the big trout started hitting. I landed five and missed only one (which should tell you that they were hitting pretty aggressively). Four of the five were over 20" with two over 4#. Nice action for about 30-45 minutes, then it stopped and I hit the road before finding out if and when it picked up again.
In case you were wondering what they were eating...
...looks like a small (~5") gray. Kinda resembles a mirrolure, eh?
