Magic Monday

By Capt. Dave Lear August 10, 2020; Manteo, North Carolina: Capt. Dave Grubbs and his second ladies team aboard Grand Slam 2 are happy about a fishing pause. Ecstatic might be a better description. With split fishing days due to some local boats competing in the delayed White Marlin Open, the majority of the 2020 […]

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Sizzling Sunday

Manteo, North Carolina: By Capt. Dave Lear It’s extremely difficult to conduct a highly social event like the Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Billfish Tournament in a necessary social-distancing environment. Yet even with health restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 31st annual Alice Kelly is once again underway and making a difference. […]

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Right On Point

Point Runner was on point all week long. The 60-foot Guthrie charter boat based at the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center led the 2017 Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament from start to finish with 20 white marlin releases and the top tuna prize. Captain and owner Chris Kubik, Capt. Lucas Jolly, mate Scotty Simpson and the experienced […]

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Clock Watchers

Friday afternoon won’t get here soon enough for a handful of boats entered in the 2017 PCBT. That’s when lines will officially come out of the water and several with chewed fingernails are hoping their scores won’t be toppled in the interim. Chief among them is Capt. Chris Kubik and the crew aboard Point Runner, […]

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Home Field Advantage?

Professional sports teams always appreciate being on their home fields. The players are familiar with the nuances of the stadium or park, plus there’s extra motivation having the fans cheering every move, too. Better home records are the typical result. Teams competing on the big-game tournament circuit are no different. Captains with local knowledge can […]

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Hello Gert!

Along the stretch of barrier islands that comprise the Outer Banks, rarely will you hear praise for a hurricane. Yet that was the case today as the 45 boats fishing (34 opted to lay) rode the big swells offshore, finding plenty of cooperative white and blue marlin, plus sailfish along the way. A total of […]

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Rolling the Dice

There’s not a casino within 20 miles of Manteo, but that’s not stopping 79 boats from rolling the dice tonight. On the eve of the inaugural day fishing in the 2017 Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament, crews are pouring over satellite charts and chatting quietly among inner circles, trying to come up with game plans on […]

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