Dolphin, wahoo mark offshore charter trips

Big wahoo are common catches during the spring when charter boats troll for dolphin.

May’s spring weather has been unpredictable at the N.C. coast, with offshore charter boats having great days then getting blown off the water two or three days in a row.

However, boats are ready at the Crystal Coast — Atlantic Beach, Beaufort, Morehead City — when the seas are calm. They usually return with good catches of dolphin and wahoo, plus tasty bottom fish and occasionally fly a blue marlin flag.

“Right now the dolphin bite is really good,” said Capt. Bill Dillon of the Atlantic Beach-based Beagle (SeaWater Marina, 252-670-1080, www.beaglecharters.com).

“We have been catching some nice gaffers (10- to 15-pound average size). Last year we caught 200 to 500 pounds (of dolphin) every trip, and we’re just waiting for the water to warm up a little. Right now the water’s cold all the way to the Continental Shelf, so we’re making the 40-mile run to south of the Big Rock. That’s where we usually go.”

In addition to beautiful dolphin, Crystal Coast charter boats are hooking up with wahoo, some yellowfin tuna, king mackerel and amberjack.

“The kings usually average from 10 to 15 pounds,” Dillon said, “while the wahoo go from 15 to 40 pounds and the AJs from 15 to 50 pounds.”

When trolling is slow, and he marks bottom fish, Dillon said he stops and lets anglers jig for “big groupers, triggerfish and AJs.”

He uses heavy Chinese-made jigs, and they’re effective, he said.

“The (jigs) weigh up to 1-pound,” Dillon said. “The only problem I have is like recently when I had a charter of older guys and one of ’em finally hooked a 40-pound red grouper. I use 50- or 60-pound-test Fireline and that big grouper just absolutely whupped the old guy by the time he got the fish to the top (surface).”

About Craig Holt 1382 Articles
Craig Holt of Snow Camp has been an outdoor writer for almost 40 years, working for several newspapers, then serving as managing editor for North Carolina Sportsman and South Carolina Sportsman before becoming a full-time free-lancer in 2009.

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