Carolina Outdoor Journal – Season 3

In this season 3 premiere episode of Carolina Outdoor Journal, Kurt Hinchman joins Offshore Charters for a sport fishing session in the Gulf Stream off the Carolina Coast. The rich ecosystem of the gulf stream is filled with big predators, so trawling big lures through shoals of bait fish can bring all sorts of species to the boat. Deckhand Jonathan Oglesby and Captain Rom Whitaker discuss the different bait/lure combinations used to pick out different species, teaser rigs and even how to use a kite to drift a bait. The crew spot a floating bed of grass, the perfect ambush spot for aggressive hunters, and the reels quickly start screaming wit Tuna, Dorado and Amberjack. Donna closes the show with a delicious recipe for seared scallops in an orange sauce.

Carolina Outdoor Journal visits a country farm pond in this episode to fly fish on the surface for feisty Largemouth Bass. Old school anglers Mark Dupree and Joe Jenkins patrol the margins casting surface flies called popping bugs. These noisy and colourful topwater lures induce very aggressive takes from these big Bass. Casting amongst the fallen trees and underwater snags where the fish like to hunt, both men encounter fish over 2 pounds, a tough fight on such light tackle. In gear time they discuss the different colours and styles that did the business, and John and Joe look at the popping bugs on the market back in the studio. As always, Donna closes the show with a simple recipe for Shrimp and Cornbread Casserole.

In this episode of Carolina Outdoor Journal, Steve Henson and Roger Lowe take the country roads to the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Carolina to fish for wild Brook Trout on the fly. With the fall colours in full effect, these tiny streams are in idyllic place to fish. Steve and Roger walk the banks of a tiny mountain stream looking for Trout spawning in the pockets of slow water. Casting dry fly and nymph combinations with ultralight rods is a delicate and difficult way to fish, but the rewards are perfectly conditioned Appalachian brookies. In gear time they discuss the tiny parachute patterns that did the job, and Donna shows a unique method of cooking Mahi Mahi with Cedarwood.

Chuck Laughridge break out his fly rod on the coast of Carolina in this episode of the Journal, as he looks for Albacore Tuna and Spanish Mackerel on lures. It’s September, so the bait fish are congregating around the inlets of the river as the water cools. Captain Jake Jordan knows the predator like to hunt here, so they strip small flies through across the shallow sounds to induce an aggressive feeding response. In gear time, they discuss the lightweight rods and tackle that made their session so enjoyable as countless fish pulled their line into the backing. Donna closes the episode serving stuffed clams on seashells.

Chris Jensen enjoys a surprise session in this episode of Carolina Outdoor Journal as he finds himself fishing the estuary for trophy Red Drum. Shortly into a shark fishing trip with captain Joe Shute, a big school of Drum move into the shallow inlet to feed on the cut bait offerings drifting down the current. Scaling down the tackle gives some great sporting action as the fish get bigger and bigger, so Chris and Joe discuss the bottom rigs that did the trick in gear time before Donna cooks up a classic Trout dish in the kitchen.

In this instalment of Carolina Outdoor Journal, Bill Powell and Tom Earnhardt fish for early season Shad on light tackle. It’s march, and as the first fish to appear in the spring, these Rose and Hickory Shad are a popular target for eager anglers as they migrate upriver to spawn. The Shad in this river have grown substantially in recent years, so Bill and Tom enjoy great battles with some of the biggest specimens they’ve ever caught on their light spinning tackle. In gear talk they take a look at the jigs, spoons and lures that did the business, while Donna cooks up some Italian style white wine Grouper.

Dean Philips comes across some great Speckled Trout fishing in a small a creek in this episode of Carolina Outdoor Journal. As a cold front moves in from the Atlantic, Captain Ricky Kellum decides to head inland to find shelter. As they make their way upstream casting in tight snags, each corner reveals another shoal of big Trout ready to feed, and the light spinning tackle makes for great sport. In gear time our anglers take a look at the unlikely lure that the fish seem to love, and Donna shares a recipe for easy crab quiche.

Husband and wife team Joe and Taina Dorman work through tough conditions Bass fishing in the Carolina backwaters in this episode of the Journal. Its October but the weather is close to one hundred degrees, so the fishing is difficult. The duo has to look for Bass sheltering close to the snags, so casting the tiny lures is difficult, but the fish soon come on the feed. Joe looks at the array of crankbaits and soft plastics that did the job in gear time, and Donna shows off a strange recipe for cornbread stuffed apples.

Brothers Steve and Wayne Hensen return to the Pidgeon River in North Carolina to spin lures for Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass. The Pidgeon wasn’t always the rich, clear water bass habitat it is today. It’s only in recent years that the fish populations have returned after years of terrible pollution, so Steve and Wayne are overjoyed to pull these small, fin perfect bass from their childhood river. They discuss the little plugs that they used to fish the shallow ripples, and Donna shares a fancy quail recipe in the kitchen.

This instalment of Carolina Outdoor Journal tags along with some scientific research fishing for Blacktip Sharks in a Carolina Inlet. Captain Joe Shute and Chris Jensen are passionate Shark anglers, so they’re invested in the health and future of the Blacktip population. Shortly into their session at the mouth of the Beaufort inlet, they realise their tackle may be a little light as a big shark immediately runs off with the line. In gear time the pair discuss the tagging technology being used by the program, and Donna prepares spicy mango shrimp in the studio.

Carolina Outdoor Journal covers something new in this episode, as Captain Paul Rose and Robert Fulton try targeting Carp on the fly. Carp are historically considered a nuisance species in America, but a new wave of sport fisherman have begun targeting these heavy bottom feeders with great success, particularly on the fly. Nicknamed the Carolina bonefish for their similar behaviour to the saltwater sportfish, Paul and Rob work the shallow margins of the Charlotte lake looking to target individual fish as they feed on the bottom, making for some powerful fights. In gear time, Paul details the small bug patterns being developed in this new sport, and Donna fries up an oyster salad.

Captains Stu Calder and Jerry Dilsaver try live baiting for big Red Drum in the backwaters of Carolina for this episode of the Journal. It’s a foggy July morning and the fish are proving hard to catch, so it’s the perfect time to try the live baits. It certainly pays off, as shortly after casting out both men find themselves hooked into big Drum. After discussing the special rig they use to catch these aggressive feeders safely, Donna heads to the kitchen to stir fry some shrimp.

The Carolina Outdoor Journal crew overcome difficult conditions as they try their hand fly fishing for deep water Striped Bass. It’s a hot day in July and the Inlet of the Roanoke River seems devoid of Life. Captain Mitch Blake instructs Chuck Laughridge and Tommy Bennet to fish deep down with sinking lines to find the fish, saving the day. They discuss the big lures and lines needed in gear time, while Donna cooks a recipe for Venison sausage sandwiches in the kitchen.

In this episode of the Carolina Outdoor Journal, Ted Mosely and Ron Bennet hit the Alligator River for their annual Yellow Perch fishing trip. This little species is growing in popularity across the US and they’re great fun to catch on such light tackle. Using jigging poles and plastic micro jigs the pair cast amongst the snags in the cold, deep water and have great sport. Gear time looks at the specialised poles they used, while Donna’s in the kitchen cooking her Turkey Pot Pie.

Captains Charles Brown and Joe Dorman enjoy explosive sport in this episode of the Carolina Outdoor Journal, as they go chasing shallow water Bluefish on the Cape Coast with topwater baits. Bluefish like cold water, so our anglers patrol the river inlets in the summer. Fishing topwater plugs on light tackle, Charles and Joe chase the fish in barely three feet of water as they hunt bait fish across the sands, which makes for incredibly fun fishing. In gear time they look at the small plugs that caught the best blues while Donna shares her recipe for honey mustard salmon.

Carolina Outdoor Journal gets stuck into some Bass fishing with Jamie Olive and Joe Dorman at Falls Lake. It’s a hot summers day at the beautiful Falls Lake, so it takes a lot of work for Jamie and Joe to locate the fish. They soon realise the Bass are sitting tight to the underwater structures in the deepest parts of the lake to escape the heat permeating the shallows. They look over the tackle needed to get to the bottom and quickly get into some trophy sized largemouth, while Donna shows a recipe for a venison meatloaf sandwich.

This episode of the Carolina Outdoor Journal samples the best of Trout fishing on the fly across the mountain streams of North Carolina. The Boone area has over 4000 miles of Trout streams on offer to anglers, so it’s the perfect place for Ollie Smith to introduce Hunter Albea to the sport. Whilst exploring basic principles like how to use the bobber, how to play fish in tight conditions, and how to approach a pool, the duo try their luck on stocked stream, a wild stream, and a private water. Quick to learn the craft, hunter ends the session with a huge wild Brown Trout, and Donna caps it off with a simple bacon wrapped Trout recipe.

Speckled Trout are the target species in this episode of the Carolina Outdoor Journal as Captain Ricky Kellum’s joined by Bert Owens in the backwaters of Carolina. The anglers arrive to some cold November water and the fish are holding deep. They switch to soft plastics to get the where the fish are feeding, and the action comes fast. In gear time they discuss the plastics imitative shrimp patterns they used, and Donna prepares crab and ricotta fritters.

Hunter Albea and Captain Mitchell Blake head for the Cashie River in this episode of the Carolina Outdoor Journal to fly fish for Bluegill. Recent storms have risen the water levels and the bluegill have been ushed into the swamps that surround the river. Hunter and Mitchel work to pull up close to the weed beds and snags, so they discuss the light tackle and popping bugs needed to pull the fish from their hiding places. In the kitchen, Donna’s cooking an easy shrimp and tomato salad.

The Carolina Outdoor Journal crew join Captain Rom Whitaker for an action-packed day of sport fishing in the Gulf. The waters near the Hattoris inlet are full of life, and you never know what you’re going to catch trolling big lures behind the boat. After setting up the teaser rigs the crew get slammed by an array of predators from Dorado to tuna to some massive Amberjack. Rom details how to book a professional charter for a day on the water and Donna shares a recipe for shrimp stuffed filets.

In this instalment of the Carolina Outdoor Journal, Paul Rose joins local legend Jerry Neeley on Lake Norman to jig fish for big springtime Crappie. This time of year, the fish are moving through the shallows to feed, so the anglers circle the lake fishing tight to the little treelined coves and docks that line the shore, which produces some beautiful big, dark fish. In gear time, Jerry runs Paul through the different types of jigs he likes to use, and Donna cooks up a luxurious baked pheasant recipe in the kitchen.

The Carolina Outdoor Journal’s back in the mountains on Boone County fishing for river Smallmouth Bass on topwater flies. Judson Conway returns to drift the river with his 12-year-old son Colter Conway after a successful session in season two. But the sun’s burning hard are the fish won’t feed. After Colter suggests switching from popping bugs to a small grasshopper imitation, the fish finally cooperate, and he ends he day with a smile on his face as he lands his biggest bass ever. In gear time they look at the tackle that did the job and Donna shows off a shrimp recipe in the kitchen.

Captain Rob Hall takes Kurt Hinchman for a late season Flounder fishing session in the North Carolina Marshes in this episode of the Journal. It’s cooling down and most anglers have moved onto different species, but Rob’s confident there’s still big fish willing to feed on their way out to sea for the winter. Chasing the tide in the shallow water both men get hooked into some good table-sized flounder, so Donna cooks up a firecracker style flounder in the kitchen while they go over the simple gear and big soft bait shrimp lures they used.

Veteran anglers Mack Dupree and Joe Jenkins try out some cold winter fly fishing for Bluegill and more in this episode of Carolina Outdoor Journal. Most anglers wouldn’t think to cast a fly in February, but Joe and Mack have developed a system of fishing sinking bugs that produces great sport when the fish are sitting deep in the lake. Crawling the bugs along the bottom produces some good-sized Bluegill, Bream and even a massive unexpected Largemouth Bass. Joe and Mack discuss the flies and bite indicator setup they used, and Donna cooks up a hot firecracker crab BLT in the kitchen.

In this episode of the Carolina Outdoor Journal, Walker Golder and Stu Caulder fish for big Barracuda on the surface off the Carolina coast. As one of the fastest species on the planet, these big, aggressive predators need to be respected to be caught. While Stu fishes topwater plugs, Walker throws a specialised tube lure he’s developed to great effect, as both men get into some huge fish. They take a look at the heavy duty gear they needed, and Donna shares a recipe for baked Flounder and vegetables.

Joe Dorman joins Phil Cable on Jordan Lake to fish deep water lures for a variety of species in this episode of Carolina Outdoor Journal. It’s a freezing cold December in North Carolina so the fish are feeding deep, stacked over the structure ready to ambush prey. Phil Cable knows this lake better than anyone, so he employs his bottom spoons system, and the pair catch an array of good-sized fish from Striped Bass to Crappie and White Perch. After talking through their methods, Donna demonstrates a special almond crusted oyster recipe.

This episode of the Carolina Outdoor Journal’s all about Speckled Trout fishing with shrimp lures near the coast of North Carolina. Big shrimp are perhaps the favourite food item for Speckled Trout, and the natural imitation imposter shrimp lure has become the hot bait in these coastal areas. Captain Ricky Kellum and Dean Phillips hit some quality fish in the deep water and discuss the different colours and when to use them. Donna Reynolds closes the show with a recipe for Crunchy Flounder.

Captain Mitchell Blake and Scooter Lilley make for the Pamlico Sounds of North Carolina in this episode of the Journal to fish for trophy sized Red Drum on rattle baits. It’s late summer on the lagoon, and Blake’s found a long underwater shelf on the fish finder, the kind of structure Drum typically use to hunt. The boys throw a special lure called a rattletrap; a relatively new method developed by Blake in recent years that quickly does the job with some monster fish to over 50 pounds. They discuss the heavy tackle needed in gear time while Donna prepares a tasty recipe for Oysters with Bacon.