Tidelines – December 2025
Even with North Carolina recreational anglers unable to keep a gag grouper this year other than May and June, the crew of this year’s Fish Post Day on the Vonda Kay found a way to turn those lemons into lemonade.
Dave Gardner, captain/owner of the Vonda Kay, tried to get the Fish Post crew out this spring while gags were open, but like so many offshore days throughout the spring, summer, and fall, the seemingly constant forecast of high winds and waves thwarted that attempt, so we looked to the traditional fall season.
This trip, now in something like its 16th year, has always had a strong focus on gag grouper, so targeting stringer fish and not gags didn’t feel natural. However, camaraderie and tradition have been bigger hallmarks of this trip, so we set our date for the Friday before Thanksgiving, looked at the tides to predict the state of the Carolina Beach Inlet both heading out and coming back, and then paused on the Big Fish Pot.
The payout of the Big Fish Pot, a voluntary buy in ranging from $5-$10, has always gone to a grouper. Dave had been on a strong black sea bass bite throughout all of November, so a “knot head” was likely to win it all this year. A big sea bass is a beautiful sight, but a sea bass winning the pot didn’t seem quite right.
In addition, my overall approach to bottom fishing has been formed in large part by Max Gaspeny (who, luckily enough, was up from Islamorada and in Wilmington that day, so he hopped on board to join us), with whom I share the perspective that we don’t go bottom fishing—we go grouper fishing.
I was torn. My heart wanted to target gags for the thrill and excitement, but my more responsible side kept telling me that sea bass are open (and delicious).
The crew of the 2025 Fish Post Day on the Vonda Kay pose on the way in with some of the stringers they put together while fishing 80-feet of water out of Carolina Beach Inlet with Capt. Dave Gardner. The catch was largely black sea bass but also included scamps, triggers, grunts, cobia, and kings, as well as (released) gags, flounder, and American reds.
Making our way out to the first drop, I was still questioning my decision to target sea bass and other stringer fish, and the doubts continued when my wife Leslie, who was on board and would be fishing next to me, easily and quickly announced she was going with big hooks and big baits for big fish.
Then the horn blew. I put my reel in free spool and dropped two pieces of cut cigar minnows down about 80-feet.
Instantly, as in the very moment my baits touched bottom, I pulled tight and came up with two black sea bass that were well over the 14-inch minimum. While re-baiting to drop back down, I looked around and saw many others doing the same—bringing up keeper fish, unhooking them, tossing them into buckets, and then rushing to drop down more baits for more fish.
On the Vonda Kay, the excitement builds all morning as you approach that first drop, and it’s a wonderful thing when that excitement of anticipation is realized almost immediately. Everyone on board, no matter the skill or experience level, was catching fish (mostly sea bass), and that contagious energy from bow to stern made my previous concerns about no gag fishing affecting the success of the trip seem silly.
Aside from stringers filling up, there were other highlights. Leslie brought up a couple of sea bass on her single big hook, but about 30 minutes in, the deep bend in her rod, followed by the sights and sounds of her engaged in a big-time struggle, ended with her first gag grouper coming over the rails.
Others caught gags, such as Vann and Zakk. Then a 20+ lb. king hit the light line, Casey landed a triggerfish and a scamp grouper, Meredith found an undersized cobia, numerous others (too many to count) brought up quality American reds, and a handful of anglers reeled in 2-3 lb. flounder.
Those that have read anything I’ve ever written about the Vonda Kay won’t be surprised at the other highlights from the day. Tim was generous in cutting up pieces of albacore for people to mix up their bait offerings, and the tough chunks were especially helpful for those having issues with fish stealing baits before a hook could be set. Tim and Aaron (the other mate) efficiently worked the entire boat, whether it was dehooking fish, measuring fish, untangling a line, or offering advice and encouragement.
Allison followed up early morning breakfast sandwiches with mid-morning venison chili, and then lunch was mostly dominated by fish tacos and burgers. She has also improved Vonda Kay’s social media game—numerous photos from our day were posted on the Vonda Kay Facebook page by the next morning, making it easy and fun for everyone on board to relive those moments (and share the photos).
Late in the day, Harris brought up an almaco that won the Big Fish Pot, but perhaps the biggest winners of the trip were Russell and Max. Russell learned that until you see the fish, you don’t say, “This is the biggest fish I’ve ever caught in my life.” And when Max told me he had a patch on and ginger chews and acupressure bands in his pocket, I would have bet a $1000 on him getting seasick—but Max beat the Vegas odds.
While it would have been nice to bring home a couple of gags, and while it would have also been nice to bring some American reds and keeper flounder to the docks, the focus wasn’t on what we couldn’t bring back. Everyone’s spirits were high, memories were made, and most on board agreed that this year’s trip was one of the best we’ve ever had.
If you already know that one of your New Year’s resolutions will be to make more fishing memories in 2026, then look up the Vonda Kay on their Facebook page or online at www.cbheadboats.com.
Once on board, you can decide to go either way—go for big fish glory, as little compares to fighting a grouper out of the rocks, or go for a stringer of delicious black sea bass, as it’s easily one of the best eating fish in the ocean.
I’m still hoping for the powers that be to get a better understanding of gags, American reds, and flounder regulations, but in the meantime, Capt. Dave Gardner and the Vonda Kay crew will be doing their absolute best to serve you lemonade.
