i

29

“Well, Boyd, you were fishing the right body of water, but the wrong inlet,•’ said Wheeler Ballance of Hatteras. That just about summed up the Cape May Co.-Hatteras spring fishing trip, as northeast winds and heavy seas made every species disappear — and the catching of sharks was the order of the day. Nevertheless, Andy Grace and I got a chance during this offbeat fishing trip to see and do some things we’ve always planned to do, and I got the opportunity to go out fishing with two of the most famous captains on the Outer Itynks. ON SATURDAY night, on the way in, we stopped at the Hatteras Island Fishing pier in Rodanthe and saw Alvin Garrison and Cecil Bryan of Court House. Jake Wright and Ralph Ransom, who are the other two owners, were back in Cape May getting the Ugly Mug open. The complex is real well done with a 36-unit motel, 23 cottages, and a two-story restaurant plus the fishing pier — which is the best on the Outer Banks. When we arrived in Hatteras at the Atlantic View Hotel, Ray and Hal Gray had the side room ready, and gave us full use of the hotel. On Sunday after church we got together with Charlie Cants. Charlie Raff Sr. & Jr., Bob Cants, and Lee Cants, and went up to surf fish on the Cape Point beach where there had been a drum run the night before. We met Nell Madvay of Pennsville there, and he gave us all the details, because he had been right in the middle of it, and unfortunately hath lost a big drum due to tangling with three or four lines. We found out that five drums had been taken (it was reported as 4 40 in Hatteras). Well, we fished there for 3>A hours, and everyone caught big sharks but no drum. ON TUESDAY the whole bunch met at Sonny’s Restaurant in Hatteras, and headed for the North Point of the Ocracoke beach where for three more hours we caught more sharks. Bob Cantz, and Charlie Raff caught a couple of the big ones then at 1 o’clock we picked up and headed for Ocracoke village. We went into Jack’s place on the waterfront, while some of/ the boys browsed around the Community store./and I called Cpt./Thurston Gaskill. Captain Thurston was open for that day, but Neil was the only one Interested in fishing the shoals, so Andy Grace took the rest of the party back to Hatteras. Neil and I fished till 6:30. on the South Wind back of the bar in Ocracoke inlet, but once again all we got were more of those big sharks. The wind had come around strong NE on Sunday, and fishing really deterioted. ON TUESDAY Charley Cantz and Charlie Raff and their party packed and left for home. The wind got stronger, so Andy Grace and I headed for Buxton, and inspected Cape Hatteras Light. Bill Garrett’s project Seascape has made

about 100 yards of beach build up in front of the candy striped lighihouse, and it now looks as though the famous landmark is out of danger. We also ran into Ray Couch, who had been searching for us for two days. Ray writes a fishing column, and helps publish the Outer Banks Current, and he wanted to know my opinion on the proposed jetties at Oregon Inlet. I told him I thought it would do the same thing as the Cold Spring Jetty had done to Cape May — erode out the beach in front of the Pea Island refuge. He and quite a few of the natives are of. the same opinion. WE THEN RAN into Neil Madvay, and fished Cape Point again till dark. The results were more sharks, and some small croakers and weakfish. I caught a croacker — the first edible fish of the trip. We fished that day with Billie Lewis, famous Atlantic City surf fisherman, and his buddies, “Bootsle” and Ed Knight. They’d been fishing day and night since Sunday, and had the beach littered with sharks. On Wednesday, Andy decided to take a day off from fishing, and in the morning I had about a two hour conversation with Cpt. Willy. BUI Foster’s son, and Cpt. Bill are going'to man the boats this summer; and they're really going after the charter business. The second'generaton of Hatteras skippers are now in charge, and this should be a very productive move for them. AFTER THAT. Cpt. Oliver O’Neal and I traveled to Ocracoke where we surprised Cpt. Thurston Gaskill who took us fishing on the SouthWind Oliver’s 79, and Thurston is 80, and they’ve both fished the outer banks for over 40 years. My only regret is that ! didn't have a tape recorder along, because if I'd taped that exchange of ideas, I’d have had a best seller on sport fishing from 1930 on. I did find out that red drum come from the Ocean to the sounds in the spring, and go from the sounds to the Ocean in the fall. Well, we went sighting drum from the middle of Portsmouth Island to the South shoals of Ocracoke,* but didn't find any; and then we anchored on the inside of the South shoal. (There was a slight disagreement here; Oliver thought we should be in the breakers on the outside of the shoal, but Thurston was the captain, and Oliver said he should know what he was doing, because he’d been fishing there 40 yerfre. We caught a mess (of big sharks, and Olivet got a small hluefish, so after five hours of fishing we headed for the dock. WHEN WE arrived back in Hatteras we found out that the boys coming back from commercial king mackerel fishing had run into three big schools in Hatteras inlet, and caught two drum (wrong inlet again). On Thursday the wind really blew again, but I got a pleasant surprise early - about 7 a m. there was a knock on the hotel door, and I^ndor Brodie was standing there holding

"SPOTS 1

my fisherman’a Zippo lighter that I had lost in the spring of 1981. My son had given me that Zippo, and I had the first Field and Stream award I’d ever won soldered on the face, with my name on the back. Landor said he found it on the ferry, and several of the fellows there knew me; he also figured it was valuable to me, so he took care of it, and after two days of looking for me; this Spring he wanted to give it back (that could only happen in Hat-

teras.

AFTER THAT, Andy Grace and I took off to Kitty Hawk to see Cpt. Bill Foster and his wife Joann, and their lovely house on Baum Bay harbor. Cpt. Bill gave us a tour of Colington

(littered with dead sharks) so I got on the ferry, and went to Ocracoke to fish the North Point. While I was fishing there I could see Howard Waller and Raymond Basnett, who caught 730 drum last year, were

out there.

ON THE WAY out of town the next morning Larrls Tolson, at the Red Tackle Shop told me they’d gotten 11 red drum there, so I was in the wrong inlet again, but I was closer this time. I did learn one thing from all the listening I did .with Cpt. Thurston and Cpt. Oliver — that was that the catch wasn't all that important - what mattered was that we were there trying to catch fish. When we left Cpt. Thurston at the dock.

I’ll give you the route through Elizabeth City and Manteo. • • • MACKEREL FISHING is the order of the day on the Jersey Cape, and I've got some insights on those big blues, and big weakfish

that I’ll cover next week. • • • LAST MINUTE FLASH: Randy Laudeman and Donald Roseman had seven drum in their nets up the Bay, and some big weakfish — one going 15 lbs. More next week/

harbor, and I was able to ; he said, "I sure enjoyed

find the new book David Stick had just published called an Artist's Catch. David’s dad Frank had made his living as an illustrator, and after he died, David discovered 200 or more of his watercolors of fish he’d seen on the Outer Banks. It's bound to be a classic, but there aren’t many copies around. I showed it to Hans Toft on the Ferry, as he and his dad and mom, and wife Sue were returning from Ocean City, Md. He said it was the best fish book he’s seen yet. Friday was the last day, and it was still windy. I messed around all morning trying to get someone to take me out and anchor for drum in Hatteras Inlet, but nobody was interested, so I ran the beach to Hatteras Inlet which didn’t look good

fishing with you boys. Come back in the fail, if you’re able! Those few words speak volumes on the art of fishing. Our trip wasn't a total loss. Andy Grace found a friend who knew about a spot in the sounds; and Friday night he and I caught two puppy drum each, and this friend gave us twelve more to bring home. Walt Hendee and his buddie Frank Peterson are heading down today, and they should hit it just right; so maybe we'll still be able to keep our legend going in

1962.

• • • ONE NOTE, The Coinjock bridge got hit by a barge, and is closed for a short time. If you plan to go to Hatteras, call me, and

Seminar Set For Fowlers

POMONA - The annual waterfowler’s night, sponsored by the New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife will be held at 8 p.m. May 14 in the ”A” Wing Lecture Hall at Stockton State College

here.

This annual seminar is designed to give duck and geese hunters and all other persons concerned with New Jersey’s waterfowl an opportunity to comment on both existing and proposed 1962-83 waterfowl hunting regulations. Among the agenda items are waterfowl populations, proposed hunting regulations, steel shot, and wildlife-oriented programs ori National Wildlife Refuges. THERE WILL be discussions on hunting proposals for both the Bamegat and Brigantine National Wildlife Refuges; hunting options concerning zoning, and proposed restrictions on the hunting of black ducks and Canada geese. Further information can be obtained from the New Jersey Bureau of Wildlife Management, CN 400, Slo-pitch Meet CAPE MAY - The first organizational meeting for the 1962 Women’s Slo-pitch Softball League will be 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 4, at Convention Hall. Interested teams can call 884-8411 ext. 20 or 27. Unbeaten Still VILLAS i- Ken Kirsch and Bob Edwards again stood smiling as their Traveling Cape Express Soccer Team whistled past Linwood's team in a 9-0 shutout at Lin wood recently. This victory gives the I^)wer Township Team an undefeated 5-0 record.

Trenton, 08625, or by calling the Bureau at 292-6685.

-Cape May CounlyALMANAC

MOON PH \SKS/l»OSITIONK The Mojih 'i affect on thr Tide ti xrratetl when rlnieil In Eortfi tin perlgeei and when in direct alignment with Sun 6 Earth (full moon t new mnan phaiei) On and •fvinf fh*jr date*, low preiture tyitemi and/or ilrnng wind* tdepepdinp upon direr tiant may reiufl in flooding and extremely low tide*' APRIL First Quarter 30 MAY Full Moon 7 Afwdw i| Lait Quarter i« New Moon 23 Pwigee 23 Pint Quarter 29 TWF TABI.F. Computed far Capa May City hadctyfrant, for other area*, laa Correction Time*

Mon Tue Wed

« 10-t to r it-i u * 2o~a m 9:26-9:43 10:23-10 44 ll:1ttU

II.30-1

u ‘iris

HIGH a.m—p.m. ~ll ST IS St I 41 I St : 44 3:61-3 49 4 06-4 S3 5:11 5 51 . s ms St 4:57 7 21

CORRF.<TION TIMES Compute approximate time* of high 6 low water for your area by adding nr xubtracting the following number of minute* for each.tide ptiote in the Tide Table M)W HIGH Great Em Harbor Inlet mmua 10 plun 10

Ocefn City iMh S pin' 35

Bridge i plu'20

Se:i Mr Cilv l.uill.im Thom bridge' plun tfl plu» 45

Townsend Inlet

Seven Mile Rraeh

Stone Harbor 'Great Channel !iridge> plus 4o plus 4n Herelord Inlet lAnglenem plus 20 o Wildwood beach

.Weil Wildwood iGrasse Channel bridge! plus 45 plus 4i Cape May Harbor

e Fathom Hank.

Cape May Potnl

McCrle Shoal plus m plus 25 IVfuwnrr Hith llavshore Channel 'Rav-Canal lunctinni plus 50 plus 40 Miami Reach plus M) pius 45 Dennis Creek entrance plus 120 plus 95 Hrandvwinr Shoal l.rght plus Ml plus 40

•Corson Inlet • bridge i

AVALON SEAFOOD MARKET ANNOUNCES GRAND OPENING FOR .'82 SEASON, WED. APRIL 28 LIVE LOBSTER A COMPLETE LINE OF FRESHLY PREPARED SEAFOOD PUTTERS And A Full Variety of FRESH SEAFOOD Including • Clams • Shrimp • Fish Filets • Scallops • King Crab • Crabmeat • Steamed Stone Crab Claws • Lobster Tails • Oy-.ters

1 Phone 967-7555 ~ OPEN 7 DAYS 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. 29th & OCEAN DRIVE, AVALON