Best way to keep shrimp alive?

Hello from Surf City! The following appeared in the NC Waterman Message Boards. It's interesting, and I thought I would share.

Best way to keep shrimp alive?

What's the best way to keep shrimp alive? Seems like I've heard something about a cooler with ice, then newspaper and then shrimp on top? Any tips? Thanks and have a safe 4th.

Water and and a BIG BUBBLES!!!!!!!!

How long are you gonna keep them? If you've got 'em today and you're gonna use 'em today, a bucket of water and a good bubble maker are all you need. If you're gonna keep them longer...the same setup will work, but you're gonna need to change the water a few times a day and you will certainly want to keep the temperature in check. Don't leave 'em out in the sun! For that matter you can just keep them in the house...just be sure to change that water! Jay

Something that I've always done with live shrimp is to sink a piece of mesh or something rigid that they can hold on to. Especially important in a live well. This keeps them from getting swept around and thrown into the sides of the bucket or tank....one of the main reasons live shrimp die out when kept as bait.

I used to fish live shrimp quite a bit on the Texas coast. We would buy them just before going fishing for about $5 per quart. I used a Flow Troll bait bucket with an aerator that clipped to the bucket. We usually wade fished with the bait bucket tied to us so we removed the aerator and got the bucket in the water asap. Kept the shrimp alive quite well however, if you leave them in the heat very long they will die quickly even with aeration in a bait bucket until you get the bucket in the big water. More water and a lot of bubbles will likely be the key to keeping them alive.

If you have them in the live well with tons of circulation, then I might would worry about putting something in there for them to hold on to. If you are just using a bubbler with no water circulation it isn't needed. Jay

FansEdge.com:


Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"


Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.


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Croakers on the James River!

Hello from Surf City!

"My brother in law and I ventured to James River today.We put in at hunington park, could not believe the ramp had only about 20 vehicles there. We caught about 200 or so kept 100 to feed the ones who are not able to fish anymore. Great day on the River and seen my first Submarine surface ,That was cool. Navy Patrol boats were every where.

North Carolina Anglers, The above quote appeared in the NC Waterman Message Board. Why can't we catch croakers like this in North Carolina? Is is because of the netting laws in N.C.? Can anyone tell me? Just a thought.


Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"


Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.


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East Coast Sports July 4th Fishing Report

Hello from Surf City!
East Coast Sports Fishing Report for July 4th, 2007



If you would like to receive this Fishing Report (In an easier to read format) Send me an e-mail and in the subject line put add me to the list. You even get red alerts when something is biting really well. ecsports@earthlink.net

Topsail News Bit

The East Coast Sports Kids Tourney went well.
1st Place winner was Matthew Steffe.
2nd Place was Stefany Briggs.
3rd Place was Michael Kenneway.
Everyone had a good time and were good Sports.

Best Bet For Fish This Week
Lots of Flounder In Banks Channel. The ladyfish are here and they love live shrimp and Gold spoons ripped across the bar at the inlet.

Pier Report
Sea View Pier
Mixed Bag on the bottom. A few Spots. No kings or cobia.

Surf City Pier
Mixed Bag on the bottom.
2 Kings and some 5 lb Spanish. Afew Specks and a few Flounder

Jolly Roger Pier
Mixed bag on the Bottom.

Conclusion
Nights for Spots

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Surf Report
North Topsail-Surf City
Mixed Bag

Surf City-Topsail Beach
Mixed bag

Lee Island
Ladyfish are in the Surf there

Conclusion
Hit them ladyfish and reds at lea island.




Inshore Report
Lots of reds everywhere. Most docks are holding them on the mainland side. The inlet is great the last 2 hours of the outgoing Tide.

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20 Miles-200 Fathoms Report
All the Dolphin you want at Cripple rock or just about anywhere elso.

Average Temp Offshore 80.6 deg

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0-20 Miles Report
Mixed Bag but some SailFish at the sea bouys.

Average Temp Inshore 80.6 deg





0-20 Miles Inshore Marine Forecast
THU S WINDS 5 TO 10 KT...INCREASING TO 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 8 SECONDS.

FRI SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND TSTMS IN THE AFTERNOON.

SAT W WINDS 5 TO 10 KT...BECOMING SW IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 TO3 FT.

SUN SW WINDS 5 TO 10 KT...INCREASING TO 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 FT.

MON SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 2 TO4 FT. WINDS AND SEAS HIGHER IN AND NEAR TSTMS.




Offshore Forecast
THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 5 FT...HIGHEST SE. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND TSTMS.

THU S TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND TSTMS.

FRI THROUGH SUN SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT.

FansEdge.com:


New Topsail Tides

2007-07-04 05:53 EDT -0.04 feet Low

2007-07-04 06:03 EDT Sunrise

2007-07-04 10:05 EDT Moonset

2007-07-04 11:09 EDT 2.68 feet High

2007-07-04 20:26 EDT Sunset

2007-07-04 23:26 EDT Moonrise

2007-07-04 23:27 EDT 3.44 feet High

2007-07-05 06:03 EDT Sunrise

2007-07-05 06:35 EDT -0.08 feet Low

2007-07-05 11:11 EDT Moonset

2007-07-05 12:01 EDT 2.83 feet High

2007-07-05 18:39 EDT 0.11 feet Low

2007-07-05 20:26 EDT Sunset

2007-07-05 23:54 EDT Moonrise




New River Tides

2007-07-04 05:10 EDT -0.04 feet Low

2007-07-04 06:01 EDT Sunrise

2007-07-04 10:04 EDT Moonset

2007-07-04 11:05 EDT 2.68 feet High

2007-07-04 17:00 EDT 0.03 feet Low

2007-07-04 20:25 EDT Sunset

2007-07-04 23:23 EDT 3.44 feet High

2007-07-04 23:25 EDT Moonrise

2007-07-05 05:52 EDT -0.08 feet Low

2007-07-05 06:01 EDT Sunrise

2007-07-05 11:10 EDT Moonset

2007-07-05 11:57 EDT 2.83 feet High

2007-07-05 17:56 EDT 0.11 feet Low

2007-07-05 20:25 EDT Sunset

2007-07-05 23:53 EDT Moonrise



I have the PDF to the inlet Survey. But it has not been analyzed yet.

Check Out my Online Boating Store At www.eastcoastsports.com

If you wish to receive this fishing report Via e-mail just reply VIA E_MAIL and say add me to the list.

Do not reply on the message Board.

Dredge Report

The dredge Schedule is no longer available.



All waypoints are listed from 1-8 or 1-2. #1 waypoint will

Be the closest to the ocean. East Coast Sports, its affiliates or

Employees cannot be held responsible for damages occurred

while using the information contained in this document. This Document

Is for informative use only and dose not indicate safe passage in or

Out of any inlet. These coordinates are supplied by the USACE and can

Be found at http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/nav/.



New River Report
Wpt #1 34.31.3134793 N X 77.19.9337782 W

Wpt #2 34.31.5614012 N X 77.20.1589142 W

Wpt#3 34.31.6866685 N X 77.20.5447830 W

Wpt #4 34.31.8224444 N X 77.20.6252057 W

Wpt #5 34.31.9989005 N X 77.20.6986765W

Wpt#6 34.32.0948822 N X 77.20.6484843 W

Wpt #7 34.32.3259432 N X 77.20.4147775 W

Wpt #8 34.30.8254340 N X 77.20.4289533 W

Wpt#9 34.32.8747942 N X 77.20.7957326 W

Wpt#10 34.33.1820901 N X 77.21.0635152 W

New Topsail Report

Wpt #1 34.20.2022548 N X 77.39.1147861W

Wpt #2 34.20.3754449 N X 77.39.7010194 W

Wpt #3 34.20.3742463 N X 77.40.0471929 W

Wpt #4 34.20.4721659 N X 77.40.1848676 W

Wpt #5 34.20.6154545 N X 77.40.2124089 W

Wpt #6 34.20.7668840 N X 77.40.1624340 W

Wpt #7 34.20.9010695 N X 77.39.9616752 W



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Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"




Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.

Reds in Surf at Topsail Beach!

Hello from Surf City! Got a report today that there have been some reds, or puppy drum, caught in the surf near the New Topsail Inlet. Report says finger mullets were the bait, fished on a fish finder rig. Spanish and small blues have been caught on the area piers recently, most in the early morning. Haven't heard about any kings this week. Small sea mullets in the surf and piers, with a few spots and croakers from the piers. The flounder bite is picking up with several keepers being caught from the piers. The flounder bite in the inside waters continues to improve. No specks to report anywhere this week. I have seen several large schools of pogies int he surf this week. This is always a welcome sight. Finger mullets are showing up in the creeks and waterways, as is pogies.

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Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"


Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.


FansEdge.com:

Fishing Report from Al at NC Pier Fishing Society

Hello from Surf City! Thanks to Al for this report.

Here are the highlights:
* 53 Pound Cobia at Yaupon Pier
* 28 pound, 6 oz Kind at Yaupon
* 33 Pound Cobia at Nags Head
* 4.5 Pound Flounder in the surf at Pine Knoll Shores

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Nags Head - Blues and Croaker from the surf with Blues, Croaker and
Spanish from the piers. Croaker, flounder spot and trout in the sound

Oregon Inlet - Lots of Dolphin along with Bigeye, yellow fin, kings
and Wahoo offshore.




Hatteras Island Piers - BLues, Pompano whiting and croaker. Offshore
at Hatteras -King, Dolphin, Sailfish and Wahoo.

Kings Pompano and whiting at piers in Morehead City. Bill King and
Spanish offshore.

Topsail - Spots, flounder spanish and some kings

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Kings, Cobia, Flounder, Spots, Pompano from Wilmington south from
piers





Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"


Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.

Topsail Angler Report; Thanks Mike

Hello from Surf City!
King mackerel anglers have enjoyed a great start to the season this year. The king bite has been very hot, especially near shore with plenty being caught from both pier and boats.

One of the big reasons is the abundance of menhaden schools near the beaches this year. Often referred to as pogies or bunker by local anglers, they are tops on the menu for king mackerel. I have seen school after school of pogies this year. Some of the schools are as big as a football field. They often are so thick they form a big dark blotch in the water when seen from above.

While some of the largest schools are in the ocean, many smaller schools have moved into the waterway and the salty portions of the creeks. It is easy to spot a pogy, especially in the early mornings or late evenings they like to flip just at the surface. Not a fully exposed out of the water jump like a mullet. Rather a popping like action right at the surface. In the dark just before dawn, you can often find the sc ...More Read More

Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"

Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.





48315

HOT! HOT! HOT!

Hello from Surf City!
HOT! That's the weather, not the fishing! It's almost too hot to fish. Fishing is SLOW! Anglers are picking up a flounder here and there, and a stray spanish once in a while. At night there are a few spots, sea mullets, and sharks. The king anglers have pulled a couple of nice ones over the rail this week. Haven't heard anything better from the inside. SLOW!

Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"

Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.

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Flounder

Hello from Surf City!
It seems that the flounder bite is picking up. My Dad caught a nice 16 inch flattie from the Surf City Pier, on a tube lure and jig. Fishin' Bud Tommy, caught a couple of nice ones in the surf on Wednesday fishing a gulp jerkshad in newpenny color. Does this mean the flounder bite which has been slow this season, is going to pick up? Only time will tell.

Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"

Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.

Larry the Cable Guy Cap! "Git-R-Done!
Click below.

Awesome Fishing-Current Adventure Charters

The Dolphin bite off of Topsail, Wrightsville and Carolina Beaches continues to be fantastic. Early morning and late afternoon seems to be doing the best, but the bite has been steady throughout the day. Plenty of King Mackerel are around as well to bend your rods and make your reels scream.

In addition, the Sailfish bite continues to get better everyday. Monday, Chris S. of Wilmington boated and released a Sail just 4 miles off of the beach in his 18 foot jonboat. Congratulations Chris.

Nearshore, there are plenty of big Spanish Mackerel and King Mackerel as well. The flounder bite is starting to pick up on the nearshore wrecks, ledges and reefs. Sunday found us with a nice mixed bag of bottom dwellers including Flounder, Croakers, Pigfish, Gray Trout and a few bait stealers as well.

Inshore, the Flounder bite in the creeks continue to get better day by day. There are still a lot of small fish, but I did have fish up to 3lbs this past Friday. The Redfish bite seemed to have slowed down a little this past weekend, but it should pick back up any day.

Inshore, nearshore and offshore, it's all good. Call today and book your trip!!!

Tight lines!!

Capt. Brent

Current Adventure Charters

910.200.9959

Surf City Pier Report June 25, Monday NIght

Hello from Surf City!
Dad, Donna, and I went fishing this evening at Surf City Pier. We didn't set any records, but we did OK, or I should say Donna did OK. She caught most of the fish. We had spots, sea mullets, and a croaker for the freezer, and released several sharks. A fun night. We saw our friends Ken and Karen, and Andreaus and Karen, and had a wonderful time visiting. Pier fishing isn't just about fishing, it's a time for catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. There were kings caught today, I think there were three. Not sure about the sizes, I saw only one, probably about 15 to 17 lbs. Early in the morning, there were some spanish caught, and lots of blues. I hear my friend Mr. Nick caught a bucket full of blues this morning. But he didn't catch spanish. Now thats strange, as spanish tend to migrate towards Mr. Nick's gotcha plug. Pluggers were still catching blues when we got there this evening. There were lots, LOTS, of sharks, most about a foot to 18 inches long caught and released. Sharks are fun to catch at first, but quickly get irritating when that's all you can catch.

Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"


Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.




47884

Surf Fishing Report-Surf City

Hello from Surf City!
Sea mullets are still in the surf, though not in huge numbers. They are average size, all caught on sand fleas, right in the breakers. If I threw behind the breakers, I got no bites. The one pictured was caught at Bogue Inlet Pier, (I think). Al from North Carolina Fishing Pier Society, said a while ago that he was going to give cane poles a try from his favorite pier. Well, you could have fished with one in the surf today, the fish were that close. Just a little underhand or sidearm pitch is all it took to reach the fish.

Let me give Al and the folks at the North Carolina Fishing Pier Society a plug today. They are doing good work, trying to inform people about the disappearing piers on the North and South Carolina Coast. Just a few years ago, Topsail Island boasted at least 6 fishing piers that I can think of. Now there are only three. HIGH TAXES and increasing real estate values are making it harder for these owners to stay in business. Check out the site, and drop Al an email to find out what you can do to help preserve this quickly vanishing resource before it's too late.
Ok off the soap box!

Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"


Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.

Don't miss this "Fish Story"!

Hello from Surf City!
Thanks to Al at North Carolina Fishing Pier Society for this story!

It is Saturday afternoon and I am wishing I was fishing but since I
ain't let me share you a story I heard from last week.

Angelo DePaola shared this with the group at the pier during his award
at the urging of his wife Janie. Angleo's first big fish was a red drum
that he had sent to a taxidermist in Florida to have mounted. Angelo
and Janie had a disagreement on where the fish would be displayed after
it was returned. When the drum came back it was hung in the living room
where Angelo wanted and a couple weeks past. One day Angelo returned
from the pier and entered the house went to the bedroom where the drum
was in bed, dressed in pink night gown and a note on the fish that
said " since you love the fish so much you might as well sleep with
it. "
Priceless

Thanks Al, good read.

Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"


Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.

Surf Fishing

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Hello from Surf City!

Donna and I went surf fishing Thursday. the weather was beautiful! Besides a good sunburn, we caught two sea mullets and a baby black tip shark. Sand fleas were our primary bait, and they were plentiful. I caught all we used in one dip of my flea rake. The mullets were nice, about a pound and a half each, and were fun to catch. Ready to get back out there!



Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"


Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.




47472

Rod-Man Report

Rod-Man Report Wed, 20 Jun 2007 10:30:23 -0400


Hi everyone. What a week of fishing we have had. We have had good catches of reds and good catches of spanish mackerel. Most importantly for the fishing is we have had a solid week of really nice weather. That is about to change a bit with t-storms forecast for today and tonight and a change in the wind from the south to the north. It will be interesting to see if the fishing changes…bet it does, but maybe for the good?

Now here’s my report:

Inshore: Reds have been biting Gulp SW, topwater lures like Frenzy, live menhaden and menhaden chunks. We have caught them in the waterway and the creeks. Flounder fishing is still inexplicably slow, but hopefully we blast off soon. A few trout are being caught in the river.

Near shore: The spanish bite has finally taken off with double digit catches fairly common. We had one day with a catch right at 30. King mackerel are right on the beach and eating live menhaden. Fish in the 15 to 30 pound range are being caught. A few cobia in the 50-60 pound range are being caught as well.

Offshore: The big mahi are still biting from 15 to 25 miles. King mackerel, cobia and amberjack are also being caught. The 23 mile rock and WR4 are very hot. Live menhaden, ballyhoo and cigar minnows are your best baits.

Gulfstream: The tuna bite is still very early in the morning. Mahi are plentiful and wahoo are biting down deep. Some billfish are starting to move in as well.

We will be posting lots of new pics this week on the website so please drop by and check out our photo gallery for the latest.

The weather is getting hot and so is the fishing so…..

Let’s Go Fishing!!!
Capt. Rick Bennett
Rod-Man Charters
910-799-6120





Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"


Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.

47157

Good Morning at Surf City Pier

Hello from Surf City!
I didn't fish today. Had another migraine. But friends Ben and Doris from Mebane, NC, had a good morning fishing from Surf City Pier. Doris caught a couple of black drum that weighed over 4 lbs each, along with several flounder, one of which was a keeper of 17 inches, (I think that's right). Ben had good luck also, with several really nice pin fish! haha

Black drum wasn't the only fish biting on the pier today. Blues and Spanish were hitting gotchas and diamond jigs.

go gettum!

Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"


Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.

Hello from Surf City!
I talked to fishing bud Tommy this afternoon, and the spanish and blues were still biting from Surf City Pier this morning. Still on the small side, but lots of keepers with a few bigger ones mixed in. Vinita says that the spanish and blues are coming in just before dark also. There were three kings caught Tuesday, one caught by Jim Sly. The flounder bite is still slow, but picking up a bit. On the inside, a few flounder and some nice reds on carolina rigs. Go gettum!


Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"


Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.

46257

Rod-Man Report

Hi Folks,
I know it has been a while since I last posted. To make a long story short I have had computer problems, plus I have had some back problems from the big ray I caught up at Cape Lookout. It was a mean fish. (To my email subscribers, server requirements are limiting me to less than 1000 emails a day. I have many more of you than that on my list. Going forward I will be sending half of you reports on Wednesdays and half on Thursdays. Hopefully this will work for all.) But we have been back in action strong this past week and I have an exciting fishing report to give you. Here it goes:

Inshore: The flounder bite is slowly developing. We are definitely behind in this area. The redfish bite is full throttle. We are catching some very nice fish on the falling tide on chunk menhaden fished on a carolina rig.

Near shore: Very nice bluefish (some over 5 pounds) and spanish mackerel are biting near the inlets. You can catch them trolling and sometimes sight casting jigging spoons. Try the new Boone Needlefish jigging spoon available at Bug-Em Bait…910-452-9955. I know it sounds like a commercial, but they are for real and Bug-Em is the only place I know that has them. A few nice kings are being caught near the inlets on live poagies and very light tackle.

Offshore: The best action is mahi and good size too. Mahi in the 15-25 pound range are being caught at the 23 and WR4. King mackerel are biting in the 5 to 25 mile range.

Gulfstream: BIG mahi are being caught. Catch tuna at daybreak for about an hour and wahoo all day, but very deep.

I have too many great pics to show here right now, but will get more out on the sight www.rodmancharters.com as soon as possible. For now you can see some nice reds at http://www.rodmancharters.com/fishingreports/

Let’s Go Fishing!!!

Captain Rick Bennett
Rod-Man Charters
910-799-6120





Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"


Everyone has to be somewhere ..... I'll be fishing!
Freedom isn't free! Someone has paid, for you and for me.