Spanish mackerel have extremely sharp teeth, but are very leader-shy. Trolling and casting anglers usually use hard monofilament leaders of about 30 pounds for catching Spanish. When a fish is boated, the best idea is to swing it directly into a cooler to keep your hands safe. The fish also have tiny scales that stick like glue to everything and eject stomach contents when boated. Hooks should be removed with pliers once a fish is safely inside the cooler.

WEAKFISH
Weakfish, also referred to by anglers as gray trout, are a management success story. Returned to abundance, they were once considered a cold-weather fish. However, anglers report catching them during spring and fall, sometimes even during the summer.

Most weakfish are caught at artificial reefs and ledges. However, occasionally they are also caught from the surf, from piers and in the sounds and bays.

When the fish are schooling in 20 to 50 feet of water at a hard structure area, they are easy to spot with an electronic depthfinder. They can also hug submerged structure where a big school of baitfish is seen on the depthfinder screen. The weakfish themselves will be hard to spot on the depthfinder under those circumstances, but fishing around a big school of baitfish is never a bad idea.

Most anglers use natural baits like fish or shrimp to catch weakfish, or they jig with heavy metal spoons. But jerkbaits and jigs also work well if they are heavy enough to sink quickly.

Cut fish or shrimp fished on a standard, two-hook bottom rig works just fine for catching weakfish. Live mullet fished on flounder rigs also work well. But most anglers prefer using jigging spoons because they don't have to fool with baiting the hook and the fish are aggressive strikers.

AN ANGLING GUIDE TO OUR FAVORITE SALTWATER GAME FISH
SPECIES	PRIMARY RANGE	BEST FISHING	BEST TACTICS	BACKGROUND
RED DRUM	Red drum range from shallow backwaters to ocean waters. Juvenile fish up to 10 pounds remain in estuaries until reaching sub-adulthood at about 30 inches in length and then head to the ocean.	Red drum are caught at every time of year. Best fishing occurs in spring, summer and fall when water temperatures are above 60 degrees.	Lures, flies, live baits and natural baits all catch red drum. Fishing with bottom rigs baited with minnows or cut fish account for more red drum than any other fishing method.	Anglers are allowed to keep one red drum per day, between 18 and 27 inches fork length. Tops in game fish qualities, redfish are strong fighters on any tackle with lots of power and endurance.
FLOUNDER	They can be found in inshore bays, rivers, sounds along boat docks, in grassbeds, oyster beds, navigation channels, offshore ledges, inlets and artificial reefs.	While flounder begin biting in May, the best bet for catching lots of fish is June. The biggest fish of the season are caught in late summer and early fall and the bite can go into November.	Drifting or trolling live baits on sandy bottoms is a tried-and-true method. However, fishing live baits vertically over offshore structure is increasing catches of flounder for many anglers.	Summer flounder have recovered from overfishing abuses of the past, while southern flounder may see some increased restriction due to declining populations. Top eating game fish.
YELLOWFIN TUNA	Yellowfin tuna are caught far offshore at the Gulf Stream. Anglers at the upper and central coast have shorter trips than anglers along the southern coast to reach the warm waters that hold tuna.	Best fishing for yellowfin tuna occurs during spring and fall when they form large schools. But they can be caught all the way through the summer months.	Lures trolled at high speeds are best for catching yellowfin tuna. Finding temperature eddies along the continental break is the ticket to catching tuna.	Yellowfin tuna are top offshore game fish because of their schooling habits. Several anglers can hook up tuna at the same time. They are strong, fast, and are excellent eating fish.
SPANISH MACKEREL	Spanish mackerel are caught inside inlets, waterways and sounds. But highest concentrations are usually within a few miles of the beach. They gather around structure and baitfish schools.	Spanish show up in late April and these can be some of the season's biggest fish. They stay around until November if the weather remains warm. Best fishing is usually June and September.	Trolling spoons and lures is traditional. Anglers casting jerkbaits and other lures from piers and boats catch lots of fish. Live baits fished at artificial reefs account for the largest Spanish mackerel.	Spanish are great fish for everyone to catch. They are easy to find and aggressive, as well as speedy fighters. Many anglers fill up a cooler with Spanish quickly for a fish fry.
WEAKFISH	Pamlico Sound has a good population of weakfish. Most weakfish are caught from piers or boats. They form large schools at ledges, reefs and channels.	The best time to catch weakfish is during cool-weather periods in early spring or late fall. However, the rebounding population has helped anglers catch weakfish from nearshore waters.	Weakfish are caught by anglers fishing with jigs, jigging spoons, natural baits, such as squid, shrimp and cut fish or live baits, such as small menhaden and mullet.	Weakfish are easy to catch and abundant. Most fish caught in North Carolina waters weigh 1 to 4 pounds, although they routinely top 10 pounds in more northern states. Excellent eating.

The spoon is dropped to the bottom, then reeled up a couple of turns. It is then bounced up and down with the rod tip until a fish strikes. The strike usually occurs as the spoon falls, so keeping the line tight is important.

Weakfish are named for their thin mouth membranes. Lots of them are lost while reeling them in. Anglers should not jerk hard to set the hook on a weakfish. Instead, they should just start reeling steadily at the strike. A limber rod and light drag also help prevent the hook from pulling free.

Landing a weakfish without a net invites the fish to slip the hook. Anglers use rubber or coated nets to minimize hooks tangling in the mesh. Another tactic is replacing the treble hooks at the end of the spoon with a single hook. This also allows easier release of undersized weakfish and gives them a better chance of survival.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
For saltwater fishing regulations, visit N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Web site at www.ncfisheries.net

Carl and Shane Snow specialize in offshore fishing for gray trout and yellowfin tuna. Call Fish Witch II charters at (910) 458-5855.

Wayne Freeman fishes for flounder offshore. Call Flatfish Charters at (910) 523-0309.

(Editor's Note: Mike Marsh's new book, Offshore Angler -- Carolina's Mackerel Boat Fishing Guide compliments the top-selling Inshore Angler -- Coastal Carolina's Small Boat Fishing Guide. Both have tips and tactics from fishing professionals and hotspots for catching many species of game fish. Cost of either book is $20, check or MO, sent to Mike Marsh, 1502 Ebb Drive, Wilmington, NC 28409.)