I spent most of yesterday taking apart my offshore rods roller guides and cleaning/greasing them. While I was at work on them, our offshore rigs were sitting in their bucket looking at me as if to say "when are we going?"

The New Year always reminds me- April 1 and the breakers in Hatteras Inlet are not so far off.

On another note - anyone looking for a good read on the history of what we do and its origins at Hatteras Inlet should pick up a copy of "Hatteras Blues-a story from the edge of America" by Tom Carlson. My wife gave it to me for Christmas and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves offshore fishing --particularly at Hatteras.

Kent

Kent,

It won't be long!! I was just settling into striper fishing, then I watched ESPN's Saltwater Sunday...April in Hatteras can't get here fast enough!!

Mike(Rockin Robin) got that book for Christmas as well, and said the same thing...great read. It sounds like I need to get a copy myself.

I hear ya man....My offshore buckets sit right next to my striper buckets. They're always looking accusingly at me when I don't pick them up and play with em !!...lol....I think I'm gonna keep Still Think'n down there during April and May...makes it alot easier than towing when we wanna hit it out of Hatteras !.....Bob

Man, I 'm glad to hear that you are going down there - we can work together down there on the fish. We had a hell of a great Spring last year, down there. Remember --you owe me one (ie Cape Charles stripers Ha Ha). I'm going to do a new plan this year, which you may be interested in. We are going to Hatteras for April, but last year that bite went north in May big time--remember when we were catching those nice gaffers? After April, we going to move up to Pirates Cove until mid-June. That way we can hit the Point, Tuna Hole and North Rocks out of there and get at that north bite more easily.Also much shorter ride to Manteo. There was a big May (06) tuna bite -- 700 line and below. I tried to reach it from Va Beach, but it was just too too far. Not going to happen in 2007. Wired Up is going down too, I think.

You guys got it real BAD!!! I'd be laughing at you, except I spent New Years Day rerigging my favorite sea witches and building a new spreader bar. And I don''t even have a boat anymore! Is that pathetic or what? These are the burdens we must bear.....

I have a boat you can always throw those spreader bars and sea witches on. I'm still trying to rig my boat for offshore... Until that happens I'm just gonna have to be someones HO

This year Im going to do some trailering, George and mark you are welcome anytime.

Eric

I might get a slip down there for the Spring .How is it getting Parts down there?

What kind of engines?
I know Gregory Poole/Caterpillar has a very large presence on the Outer Banks. A lot of Hatteras charterboats use Cummins, so there must be some level of support there.
My personal experience in Hatteras, although I have not been mistreated, is that if you are from Virginia you had better be as self-sufficent as possible. If you are not local - expect to find the hind tit often and a slooooow response on any repair work. I think the order is; 1) Commercial boats 2) Charter Boats and a very distant 3) You, if they have nothing else to do.

I am talking about parts like Hoses ,Clamps,Starters,Racor Filters,Belts ,impellers.I guess I will bring my own bag of expendable parts.

Oh sorry, I think you will be in pretty good shape on those things. If not in Hatteras, (but people at the marina can help you find things there usually, but you will have to do the work yourself -labor is a problem) or if need be, you can make a run up to Wanchese. I think you can get most anything there.
The thing I worry about is getting into a serious engine problem. I am not good at fixing something that complex, so I have to have some technical help. Tough to manage from long distance. If you are in a real jam give me a call. I can fly a part in to you pretty quick and drop it off at the Frisco airport.

Thanks

There is a NAPA in Buxton that can pretty much get you anything. We order all of our filters, hoses, and clamps thru them. It's a little small store on the left if you're going down. More complicated things you might have to get from Chesapeake/Suffolk area. It's a real bitch though if you can't get it down there. NEDOs is decent w/ fittings and such

[quote=gradyman,Jan 2 2007, 05:18 PM]
[quote=bobdu11,Jan 2 2007, 11:36 AM]I hear ya man....My offshore buckets sit Man, I 'm glad to hear that you are going down there - we can work together down there on the fish. We had a hell of a great Spring last year, down there. Remember --you owe me one (ie Cape Charles stripers Ha Ha). I'm going to do a new plan this year, which you may be interested in. We are going to Hatteras for April, but last year that bite went north in May big time--remember when we were catching those nice gaffers? After April, we going to move up to Pirates Cove until mid-June. That way we can hit the Point, Tuna Hole and North Rocks out of there and get at that north bite more easily.Also much shorter ride to Manteo. There was a big May (06) tuna bite -- 700 line and below. I tried to reach it from Va Beach, but it was just too too far. Not going to happen in 2007. Wired Up is going down too, I think.

[/quote]

Kent....Otter and I were talking about the same thing....moving the boat up along with the bite...we'll see how it goes.....Bob

Bob,

Good deal.
It would really be fun if you and Otter, Mega Bite, Wired Up and Water Dog are all down there. My MO is to put a vehicle at the Manteo airport. I fly in and go down from there. Of course, if we are based at Pirate's Cove it's about 5 min to the airport. If anybody in our group needs quick help on a part or something else thst requires an airlift call me (cell 757 407-3308) and I'll try to help out. I can get into Billy Mitchell Field at Frisco, if there is a real problem, although I don't leave my aircraft there due to weather exposure. I know leaving your boat 150 miles away and trying to keep it fishable sometimes gets complicated.

Kent

Talk to don. I'm off the week of apr9th. We need to all get a big ass house and fish our brains ou t !!! TTTTTTOOOONNNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

If the weather is right Ill trailer down, we can make it a party

Eric

I highly recommend this book also, its not hard to place yourself in the story if you've been to Hatteras. I now want to charter the Albatross.

I'm down for makin the trip this spring, how about Neal?

-Mike

I agree, great book. I am still new to this site, but I bet we could get enough people to book all of their boats and make a game of it...... Any takers?

Neil and I discussed it a couple of weeks ago and
I think he's going to be in there.

Yeh Neal booked his slip the other day from mid April through mid June...can't freakin' wait!!!

Great minds think alike! I got that book for Christmas for the boys, too!

Mike, Don, Neal, Trey.............if you guys are going to "bum-rush" HI this Spring let me know. I'd love to get in on the action. If there are too many "peeps" let me know anyway - I can trailer down our boat and add to the flotilla.

BK

Blake,
We'll be doing that as soon as we get done with Florida!! The troops leave this Wednesday in search of sails, mahi, kings, or whatever wants to play...can't wait!!

Spring in Hatteras will be great!!

Knot Wish'n is booked at Odens Dock April 10th-14th... pray for light winds!
Todd