So I made it out to my favorite hole on this past Saturday morning. Boy the water and air temperature are sure rising, and none too soon if you ask me. I headed out at about 10:30 in the morning, and the water seemed a lot warmer than the last time I was out.
Came across a buoy that looks a bit out of place.
The north wind and outgoing tide carried me and the kayak effortlessly to the point on Emerald Isle. While I went by the Coast Guard station it appeared as though they were setting up for a little cookout. And what a perfect place they have for a cookout, and what nice weather we all shared.
I threw some different curly tailed grubs and wasn’t getting any action. So i headed over to an island that has a little pool usually filled with some baits. But the way the wind was blowing I guess it just emptied that pool out. Last time I was here it was full of mud minnows and such. But last time I didn’t have a cast net, and of course when i have it there’s no bait to be found.
Luckily I always bring some dead natural baits with me, whether they be shrimp, or frozen finger mullet. Saturday I brought finger mullet. So I pitched one of them out and in a couple minutes I saw the end of my rod do that familiar “tap, tap, tap.” I knew then that i had something, and was going to get the skunk off me.
As i reeled the fish in I noticed it was a puffer fish. I unhooked him, and thought about keeping it , because I’ve never eaten them, and have always heard they are the real chicken of the sea. But i figured I would need 5 or 6 of them to feed myself, so I let him go.
After re-baiting and catching another puffer, I started keeping them. I ended up with 7 of them at about 12 inches. After finding a video online on how to clean them, and cooking them up, I tell you, I will never throw them away again.
Ugly little things, but dang if they aren’t tasty little devils.
