[piano intro] - Alright he just saw the boat and took off.

But about the same size as the one you had.

- Well we'll take him that's a good eating fish I'll tell ya - That's a mighty good eating fish he's still fresh too, he ain't ready to come in.

- Well when that drag set so light like we've had 'em - He's a head shaker.

- Sun's right in my eye - See if we can get him Naw he ain't ready yet.

- I can probably get him right there turned the wrong way give him head first to me.

- [male announcer]: The Carolina Outdoor Journal is brought to you by: - [female announcer]: "Wildlife in North Carolina" magazine has been delivering stunning photography and informative articles for more than 80 years.

- [male announcer]: And by EZ Bait & Tackle.

Family owned and operated.

We fish from fresh to saltwater.

We provide fishing supplies and advice to every type of angler.

For all your fishing needs, EZ Bait & Tackle.

- And by contributions from PBS North Carolina viewers like you.

[light instrumental music] ♪ ♪ ♪ - Hello welcome to the Carolina Outdoor Journal well the Spanish who are just about ready to leave it's October and we've got some work to do.

- That's right we were, when we did this show we were pushing the limit on the fish leaving any cold front if it were to happen would've pushed those fish on out plus the bait becomes scarcer as you move into the fall and that time of year you can find bait but you just tend to have to look for it a little harder.

But we, that morning we found bait we had good, fresh bait and the fish were still there and we caught a nice glassy Spanish mackerel.

- Joe we'll talk about it more in gear time but what about the equipment we use.

- Right we're live baiting fish bait, bait fish and need a light tackle, fairly light leaders and they'll go over how they rigged up these fish are anywhere from three to five pounds so you gotta have something with some backbone to it and some good conditions we were fishing over Liberty Ship right off Atlantic Beach in a relatively nice day and caught some fish.

- And Donna's got a salad today using fish nuggets that's going to be tasty.

- Something different from her day.

- Well we got a lot going on, let's get to work right here on the Carolina Outdoor Journal - Alan, the perfect conditions out here today.

First October, right off the Crystal Coast we've got a live well full of bait, good pogeys, I'm ready to catch Spanish mackerel.

- We've seen a couple jump, I think we should go ahead and get a few.

- Have your drag set loose because I think they're going to take it.

- I like that talk, let's put on a bait and try, alright?

These pogeys is just the right size, a hair on the lower size but big fish, big bait.

We're gonna hook 'em right behind the head or I am, just so that wire hangs right past him so if it makes a hit, he can't see it.

Get your drag set right.

- I don't know if he's on it yet, let's see if he comes back to get the piece.

- He's working it.

- Yeah we didn't have to strike much tote There it goes - Got it that time.

I don't know if this is Spanish.

- It doesn't feel like a Spanish he's down mighty deep.

Maybe he'll get up and run.

I don't know what it is, frankly.

He hadn't taken that good run I think I'm just pulling in a cut bait right now.

Yup That was a strike of some kind there.

- We've had a couple this morning.

- Look how that bait's cut up a groupa or something had it down there at the bottom a Spanish would have cut him right in half.

We use him for chum then.

- Good job Kurt I believe you got one on here.

- Well he hit it on the run, he's not really smoking any line off this, I really can't say what it is.

Usually this is like mini king mackerel fishing.

If it's a Spanish it's not the one we're looking, you know what I mean?

Maybe he'll surprise us up here.

- Haven't seen him yet.

- He sure hasn't taken a run for the money there.

- I believe you've got a Spanish on though.

- There he goes, there he goes.

- He saw the boat.

- You know what they might just be a little leader shy Alan this is straight fluorocarbon with no wire.

- That might be the ticket.

- Who knows I mean we had the other ones cut off - I believe you got him here close to where we can get something on him.

- It's gonna take a couple times I think He's too deep Alan, he's gonna come around here.

- Yeah he's going around the boat, around the motor.

- I'm looking at him now though - Think you can get him right here?

- Give it just a minute there.

- He ain't quite ready.

- He's not a trout he's got some RPM's Alan.

- I believe he saw the net what do you think?

- I'm not the net man.

- He was coming to it, naw he still isn't quite there.

- That head's gotta be up.

- I know.

- Man you just got cut off.

- No you didn't he's on I'll get him.

[mumbles] - Naw let's stick with him, stick with him.

- He's coming in this time.

[splashing] - Man.

We get one on like we're looking for.

This is why you use a gaff sometimes, these fish is too small for them.

- There you go.

- That's a pretty fish though isn't it, Alan?

- That's a beautiful fish.

- I just hope I don't get any In the line here.

- That black place on his dorsal fin.

- Man that's beautiful - That's a right nice fish.

- Walk forward - Alright he just saw the boat and took off.

But about the same size as the one you had.

- Well we'll take him that's a good eatin' fish, I'll tell you - That's a mighty good eatin' fish He's still fresh too, he ain't ready to come in.

Well when that drag sets a light like we've had 'em.

- He's a head shaker - The sun's right in my eye - See if we can get him Naw he ain't ready yet.

- I can probably get him right there - I think you can get that can't you?

- Turning the wrong way get him head first to me.

- There you go.

That's not a bad Spanish Kurt.

- How much you reckon that thing weighs?

- Little shy of three would be my guess.

- Well he came out, the hooks in the net so you can just grab him.

Watch out for that hook tough.

He's showing you his teeth, isn't he?

- They got him, hadn't they?

- Don't stick your hand down there.

- The curiousity.

I can't see, Alan, how much does he weigh?

Three pounds,three and a half?

- Looks like three pounds Little over three is what it looked like to me.

- Three and a half.

- Yeah he's a pretty fish.

- He run like a Spanish.

Alan ain't have nothing to do with that wire baby We're not gonna need that net anytime soon.

- Well you have had three of 'em with fluorocarbon leader and no wire and I've only had one on with the wire so you about got me convinced to switch over.

- I mean they're out there they're just not taking the wire.

The good thing about fishing that fluorocarbon, Alan.

I got about five feet of it on there.

When they bite you off - you just retie another hook - Another hook.

No wire to mess with.

- That's great, cause you spend a lot of time out here on tackle once the fish are biting.

- Half the hooks.

- No fun at all- he's going toward the anchor rope.

He just saw the boat and headed back out that's a good thing - I can hear him - He's got some shoulders on him I believe.

- It could be five hooks you never know but, he's taking a run like the other fish did.

- Gotta be careful.

- See if we can get him in - If you hit that line - I know it's all over with then.

He's not quite ready - He ain't right there yet.

Might be this time.

- Good job.

Nice fish - Pretty fish.

I believe he is a little bit bigger.

And you're right you caught him right in the corner of the mouth that's a good job.

See if we can get his teeth off of this net, there you go.

- I don't know how somebody actually tails a fish.

They got stronger hands than I have.

Look at that black dorsal fin up there, that's the positive I.D.

of a Spanish over a king if you ever catch a little king.

The Spanish is black right there.

- And the line, you notice that line.

- That's right, the lateral line doesn't have as much of a dip on it on a Spanish.

- Not at all.

Let's see if we can get that out for you.

- Be gentle so I'm not tying on, I'm fishing when you're tying your bait back on.

- There you go.

- Thank you sir.

Let me see.

- What we got there?

- He's just an inch longer than those other fish we caught but it was a good fight.

- That was a good fight.

That was pretty job he took some, he took some line.

That was a good job Kurt.

[soft guitar music] Kurt do we have a double hook up?

- I'm not sure, mum- this isn't a- - I got something we just crossed over line.

- Oh I got something that's running.

- I don't know what I've got Alan.

- I got a Spanish I do believe.

- Mine doesn't feel quite right.

- Mine just took off a real nice run there and is still running to the tops I'm thinking.

Oh he just cut me off.

- Well that's a good thing.

- I'm getting the net coming to you big guy.

- He passed the anchor rope he's going back around on the, - Alright.

- Going around the boat.

- We doing a little dance here, aren't we?

[groans] He's just circling and circling.

- Look like a little more length on this fish but he really the way he hitting everything.

I saw him hit the bait and he just kind of hung there, you know what I mean?

- I think he just doesn't really know he's hooked too much, he probably got another run or two left in him.

- Have to take at least one more lap, Alan.

They have beautiful fish down there in the water that go - Yep you see all the specs - Dolphins the only thing compared to him.

It's rocking a little bit more here.

- That's a nice size Spanish, Kurt.

Let's see if we can get him in.

See if I can head you off this way.

He still isn't ready.

- He's a Spanish I saw that dorsal fin up, it's good and black.

- He's a little bigger.

- I got his turned right there.

- He's turning a little bit.

Yep there's his dorsal fin.

- Think it's gonna be a minute - He ain't quite ready.

Tell you what that reel you're using is really smooth and working well - That's what takes in one of these.

When you use a line as thin as we got here.

- Gotta get him head first - Make him turn his head first to me and I think we got him.

- That's all I can do, Alan.

- I know I'm getting him this time - Good job.

Yeah that's it.

- You just had to wait for the right time to stick that bait that net in the water.

- We almost don't have enough net there, do we?

- That's a nice size Spanish.

- Yeah he's thick.

- He's probably - He's gonna be hard to hold by that tail too.

- Yes he is.

- Let's get him with that boga grip.

- Wow that's looking like Six pounds, what did I say.

- Ugh five and a half.

Look how broad he gets this way as they get older.

See his lateral lines almost straight like that Straight right on down that pretty dorsal fin right there.

Nice and black and pretty.

Man that's a pretty Spanish there.

- Yeah he is a nice Spanish.

- Alright good job, Kurt.

Well we see what we got here - Coming to you - Running by the boat there he goes.

- Did you get a look at him?

- I just saw a silver streak couldn't tell whether it was king or Spanish but he's definitely down under the boat gotta work him around He's fresh too - He's green isn't he?

- He's green, this is gonna be trouble.

- You wanna try to get him on the other side of the boat - This is gonna be trouble - If you can.

- I know.

He's going towards the - The back or the front?

- He's going towards the back If I don't get him on the - If you don't have him on the motor.

- I think I got him.

- You good there baby, good job.

- He was headed that way.

- I seen you when you didn't do so good on that.

- I know I've done real bad on that before, haven't I?

- That was a big fish you lost that day.

- A trout at that.

He's down low, don't wanna come up.

I'm trying to get him to run out away from the boat.

- If you push that button right there that'll happen.

- I don't believe that button's on my don't want to do that.

There he is.

It looks like another Spanish I think.

- He must be a nice fish, he's nicer than those - I can't tell if he's as nice as those or not I don't.

Not for sure but.

- I see some good length there.

Are we getting close enough that I need to get ready?

- You might want to be starting thinking about it he's still a little green.

He's still running, taking a little bit of drag.

Did you seem try to spit that - I did I looked right down his throat.

- He was coming right at us.

He ain't quite ready but he's getting there.

- He's pretty fit.

- Yeah we've got such light tackle on him.

Wait a minute, not yet.

- I'll judge him.

- Let's try this time I think that'll work, come get him.

Good job.

- That's the way to present one to the net there - He's not quite as big as the others - Holy moly look at this.

- Well look at you well that was pretty good timing.

I'll get this one, you get that one.

Is he still on?

- Yeah he's still on man.

- You work with what you need to work with.

- Look how that line runs right across his teeth there.

Yeah I looked right at that reel and my face was about a foot in front of him and it was just peeling.

Can you lift him up?

- I gotta get him instead of just the net.

He's a decent size fish.

- That he is that's a pretty Spanish.

Hold him right up there let me get a look at him.

That's just a beautiful fish he's just starting to get good and girthy.

- Really is.

You sure can't horse 'em in once you get 'em on.

There's no doubt about that.

- This is some light tackle fishing.

- Is he getting closer, you need me yet?

- No I'll call you when you do you just get straight from that last fish.

I'm looking at him here.

- Alright I think I'm ready for you if you ready for me.

He's doing that under the boat thing again, every one of them.

- That's a mackerel thing, when you get that king up even after there's right you generally have to bring him around two times under the boat like that.

- That's why I like to see 'em go away from the boat on that first run so when you work 'em back in they're a little tired because when you get 'em fresh around the boat it makes it for a big struggle.

- He's got a little bit of an advantage on you there.

- He does.

But, smart, veteran fisherman such as yourself, Kurt, I know you got it covered - You trying to put the whammy on me.

- Wish you had a net guy that knew how to net that would help out a little bit wouldn't it?

- I tell you what I hadn't netted with so many oh look at him on but - Look there's one right beside him.

- He's got a buddy.

- He does.

Man that's pretty.

Two of 'em!

That's when you throw your other bait out there and catch that one.

See I'm thinking about abandoning you and giving you this net and I'm gonna go get another - These would be hard fish to catch if you had to net them yourself.

- Oh good lord, I don't know how you'd do it.

- You'd really have to wear him down.

- I don't know how you'd do it.

- As light as this tack was if your drag was half way set half way - You got him this time, don't you?

Good job.

- If your drag was set too tight at all when he takes that speed run it'd pop it right off.

- There you go if you can reach down or you need me to reach down?

Well Kurt, you are the king my man.

You have caught another one.

- They a fun fish.

Beautiful too.

- I tell you what, great fight in the water on that light tackle and just you couldn't ask for a better day.

- Beautiful table fare too.

- Oh man you talking about something good to eat, there ain't no doubt about that.

- Let's put him in the box and let me net one for you.

- Well you did a minute ago.

- Joe that was a good day, let's just kind of qualify that as fisherman's luck that day - Well luck in the sense that we positioned ourself over the Liberty ship in such a way that we hit the fish just right.

We did it relatively in a short amount of time, a couple hours we had a good little bite and guys that were out there trolling were noticing what we were doing trolled pretty close by a couple times but we were live baiting right over the stern of the boat anchored over the Liberty ship and yeah we just hit it right and caught some fish.

- Well let's find out exactly the equipment we used let's go to gear time.

[soft guitar music] - Well Alan, how'd you like that?

- Well Kurt, I'll tell you that was a lot of fun one of the things that I really liked about it though was how light we went today.

- We did, we used mighty light tackle.

Started out this morning, it was calm.

Slick, we were cool.

I was sweating it a little bit because we didn't have any bites to start with.

The wind picked up and got a little bit rougher, blowing out of the South and my standard this tackle we using, ten pound test, super smooth drag on these Shimano reels.

This is just, this is our favorite trout rods for to check the plugs.

Ten pound test line that's the diameter of eight.

So we're really light for these fish.

My standard mackerel for Spanish is just surf line 20 pound test tied directly to the ten with a surgeon's knot with a light number six travel hook.

Now that's just surf line, American wire it'll tie directly to light ten pound test line.

But today they weren't falling for that.

That little bit of wire there was too much even when just that much was behind the bait when he was swimming.

We switched over and just used straight 40 pound test fluorocarbon.

Good thing about that rig, you can tie on about five or six feet of it and when he cuts it off which he's invariably gonna do all you gotta do is tie on another hook and go back to fishing.

I use this rig a lot with a circle hook and it'll hook 'em up pretty doggone good.

Today, we switched to a travel just, just cause we did, you know what I mean?

We lost a couple on a circle hook and switched to a travel you can see how scuffed up that line is no problem.

40 pound test, half the fish we caught.

Every one that we hooked up on we landed.

And it was just a good trip.

One thing I do have to say when you got that Spanish, just like a king if he hits that bait and kills that thing if you free throw it right there and let that thing float down in the water he's coming back.

He may cut you off, but he's coming back if he kills that bait.

And once we got a handle on that it was just a good, caught some pretty fish and I enjoyed it and hope we can do it again but I bet it won't be until next year cause this is about the end of the string for them.

- They're pretty much getting ready to leave out, the water temperature is getting down in the low 70's, once it hits about 68 they're out of here so it's gonna be quick.

- Well it was a good trip and I enjoyed you coming.

I hope we can do it again.

- I had a great time this is the first time I've caught 'em on that light line and you really feel the fish.

- Spanish mackerel we hope you can use that information they're good on the table and outstanding fun fish to catch.

Use the number there on your screen if you want more information or you can go to our website we hope that we can help you when you do visit us.

Now let's catch up with Donna, she's in the kitchen she's got a recipe today using a salad and adding fish nuggets.

[soft guitar music] - Hi today in the kitchen we're making a summer salad with some fish nuggets to top it off with so it's a great recipe, quick and easy and let's go ahead and get started.

So I have my fish and it's already cut into strips because it's a little bit easier to eat that way and then we're just going to place some chicken breader on top or you can use seafood breader if you like, whatever you might have.

And we're just going to toss that to coat our fish and then in the meantime I have my skillet with my oil and it's heating and you want to make sure it's at about 375 you don't want it to be too hot because then it'll burn the outside and the inside of your fish won't get cooked or if it's not hot enough then your fish will absorb all the oil and become kind of oily and you don't want that.

So you have to let's make sure it's ready, oh I think it's perfect!

Okay here we go so we're going to drop in our our fish strips here and while those are cooking, they won't take very long so kind of keep an eye on 'em.

We're going to go ahead and make our salad and the salad is great it's gonna be something you can go ahead and make before if you want keep in your fridge so it's nice and crispy.

Nothing worse than a wilted salad.

You don't want to fill it too full or it just won't cook very well.

And then make sure that when you add your second batch that your oil has come back up to temperature so that it will go ahead and cook the proper way.

So we're going to add our summer salad is going to be some romaine lettuce that we just cut straight across we're going to add some red pepper strips we're gonna have some grape tomatoes that I've just kind of cut into wedges we're gonna have some great cucumbers and some red onion it's similar to a Greek salad you can put black olives on this if you want or the Calamata Olives which are really tasty and would add a lot of flavor to your salad and then we're going to top it with some some feta cheese which I think is fabulous and then you're going to toss it all with a Greek vinegarette or you can use a vinegarette that you like.

You can also if you want you can just squeeze some fresh lemon on it and put some black pepper and that would be great as well.

So our fish is cooking here let's go ahead and check back in on here and we're just gonna give it a turn when it's nice and golden brown this probably needs to cook a little bit longer but let me show you what your salad looks like when you put it all together and you're ready to serve it and I like to serve my salads if I'm going to make it for an entree on a big platter and then people can just portion off what they want because I feel like if it's in a bowl sometimes all the good stuff gets to the bottom so this way everything stays where it needs to be and everybody gets a little bit of something so you'll see I've got the romaine here and I've got my cucumbers and tomatoes and my peppers and the onions and then I've just put my great fish nuggets on the top.

So it's a great presentation, it's great when it's nice and hot outside you're gonna get that nice crunchy fish and those great cool and crisp vegetables so I hope you enjoyed this summer salad and I look forward to seeing you here next time here on Simple Cooking.

- Thank you Donna, another outstanding recipe Joe let's go back and talk about the Spanish they were just about ready to leave.

- Yeah I think within about a week it may have been a week or ten days after we did this show they vacated I mean it's quick.

I mean when they hits, when the water temperature gets to a certain level they're gone and again like I said the bait's still you can still catch bait but it's harder and harder to find it and but our timing was good, we positioned ourself over the ship the Liberty ship that morning I think perfect.

Cause I mean within 15 minutes of having the baits out we had fish on and it was pretty hot and heavy for a little awhile and we had a lot of fun.

- Right equipment and a little fisherman's luck we had a good day.

- Absolutely - For Joe Albea, I'm John Moore thanks for joining us today on the Carolina Outdoor Journal.

- [male announcer]: Make sure to visit our website for more information.

- The Carolina Outdoor Journal is brought to you by: - [female announcer]: "Wildlife in North Carolina" magazine has been delivering stunning photography and informative articles for more than 80 years.

- [male announcer]: And by EZ Bait & Tackle.

Family owned and operated.

We fish from fresh to saltwater.

We provide fishing supplies and advice to every type of angler.

For all your fishing needs, EZ Bait & Tackle.

- And by contributions from PBS North Carolina viewers like you.

[light instrumental music] ♪ ♪ ♪