...We are flashing forward 20 years from my last fishing story. (The one where I got bit by a shark) . This one is just as true as my last one.
It is the exact same place, and again, I swear this story is true.
It's about 7 am. I am standing in line at a 7-11, in Carolina Beach, NC. I have not been there in 20 years, but one of my jarhead buddies has convinced me to spend the weekend there, pier fishing.
"Why do you got the silver hooks?"
I turn around. It's a Carolina Beach (Or county- I forget) cop asking me a question.
I make an instant decision to start lying to the law. I had a sense that I needed to. I was right, but failed in my attempt to hide the facts from law enforcement.
In my hand, I had about 5 or 6 of these simple little lures. They have a white body with a red nose, with two treble hooks underneath. Think of the cheap version of a Rapala here, about 4 inches long.
I say, "Eh, I don't know, I heard that this is a good lure here."
I turn back around, awaiting to pay for my stuff.
[ccccchhh-my poor imitation of a cop on his portable radio]
Cop: " Spanish are running on the pier "
Cop: "No. I am at the 7-11."
Cop: "He might be a touron, but he looks like a Marine to me."
Cop: "No, he didn't say anything, but he smells like a frigging tuna, and he bought silver hooks."
Friggin' asshole cop.
3 minutes later I am back at the end of the one pier in Carolina Beach. I am there with my one buddy, we have been there for well over 24 hours, but about 2 hours preceding my one sentence conversation with the police officer, the Spanish Mackerel had shown up on the end of the pier. My buddy had taught me in that time how to cast and jerk the lure...unique to pier fishing in it's methodology. He also showed me the difference between the gold hooked version and the silver hooked version of the lure we were using, per his instructions and tackle box.
The gold hook version doesn't catch the Spanish as well, but more importantly, it attracts the bluefish like mad, that apparently "run" with the Spanish Mackerel. Anyone on the east coast will tell you that the bluefish are for the tourons. (You don't want to be called that in NC, lol--only thing worse is "Captain"- If you recall visiting there and recall being called that by the guide...well, I hope your tip sucked, lol lol lol)
Some might recall that there is a store at the end of this pier. (Previous story) They were chock-full of the gold hooked version of the lure, but no silver-hooked ones, hence the trip to the 7-11.
That cop might not be able to catch a robber doing his dirty deed right in front of his donut-stuffed face, but he was a regular Dick friggin' Tracy when it came to the friggin' fishing.
Literally within 5 minutes of my reappearance on that pier, here was that cop, along with the chief and I would bet 99% of the police force, plus all the firemen, plus all the locals.
After the frenzy (lasted until about dark that same day, what an incredibly lucky fishing day) I was cleaning my fish across from the cop. I said to him--really--by then we were "friends"--" You f##king A$$hole, how did you get all that from that one question??!!"
He said, "You smelled like fish. I saw your car. You bought the silver hooks.
You wouldn't be buying lures if you were guided, plus you wouldn't be buying them at the 7-11 if they were available at this pier, and the only thing they ever run out of here is the lure you were buying, and the only reason they run out of it is that the spanish tear it up and the fishermen need it to catch 'em."
I laughed and called him an asshole again. If you ever are lucky enough to hit the eastern shore when the spanish run through, you are a blessed man. It does not suck when the bluefish run, either.