http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/surf2fish/fish1.jpg http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/surf2fish/2006FishingTrip011.jpg Fishing the OBX of North Carolina is a challenging and rewarding experience. Pictured are my two citations I was blessed to catch out of the wild surf. The 50 pound red drum was caught off of Avon beach in November of 1999. The fight took well over 40 minutes. I was exhausted and full of adrenaline. In the end I conquered the trophy drum out of the surf. She was caught on a fatback tail on a 6/0 circle hook on a fish finder rig. The 46 inch, 38 pound citation striper was caught out of the cold January surf off of Avon beach. The fight was not nearly as exciting as the drum, but I was still stoked to pull such a cow from the rough OBX surf. Again I was using cut bait on a long-range striper rig. Both of these fish were caught on Penn spinners, (7500 SS&8500 SS) using a 12 ft Ugly Stik and a Bass Pro's Ocean Master series 10 ft rod. Surf fishing is not for everyone! Boat fisherman can probably double or triple the fish production, but, surf fisherman from Cape Cod to Ocracoke know that their trophies taken requires more patience and skill. A trophy from the surf is a trophy you'll always remember. Even the guys that fish with you will always remember. After catching my citation red, an older surf fisherman from Virginia wandered over to talk to me about my catch. His words had the weight of a man that had been there and done that. "Son, I've been fishing the Banks for nearly 30 years and never caught or even seen a fish like yours." My trophy in my mind had just tripled in its weight. The value of my experience is immeasurable and unforgetable. The only way it can be more special is the people you share it with.

I have claimed my personal victories (not so humbly) over the two citation quality fish I've been so fortunate to land from the surf without mentioning several very important facts. Fishing in groups as we do definitely develops a healthy competition, but I have to mention also that teamwork was involved in the landing of my trophy red and striped bass. The Moore County Bottom Feeders are a motley crew, this is true, but when a fellow fisherman has a pig on...the entire team springs into action. Lines are retrieved and rods are put in spikes safely out of the fish fighters path. It doesn't end there. My crew has always assisted in surrounding the quarry and making darn sure it's not going back into the surf. Now that's team work!

Rod tips etch a winter's sky......... crashing surf and a sea gulls cry...... the lean, the heave, with hesitation........ watching.....waiting.....anticipation......... thin, taut lines capture light......gripping hands await the fight........... faint conversations.....lots of smiles........... sand rushing over sand for miles............ first fish landed!! expectations soar.......... these men have seen it all before......... cutting winds and a setting sun......another fishing trip has just begun!