V "There Is No Normal Anymore" review

Here's my review of last night's episode of V, a bit of a letdown after the strong pilot.

Second Episode of ABC Sci-Fi Drama V Heavy On Paranoia, Light On Plot

Black drum recipes

Some more recipes for one of my favorite saltwater fish, the unappreciated black drum.

Black Drum Recipes for Saltwater Anglers

Smallville "Kandor" review

Check out my review of "Kandor", the latest episode of Smallville, in which Clark finally comes face to face with his father Jor-El.

Epic Smallville Reveals Universal Truths About Superman

Fringe "Earthling" review

Here's my review of the newest Fringe episode "Earthling" which is a bit of a disappointment, but still features a standout performance by Lance Reddick.

Fringe "Earthling" Grounded but Lance Reddick Soars

Brunswick County sheepsead!

Check out this great 12 lb sheepshead caught earlier this week by Susie Browder. She was fishing with Derek Edwards who sent me the pic, and let me know they were using fiddler crabs for bait. Susie will get her first NC citation for this one.

Sheepshead are a wonderful but incredibly crafty and hard to catch fish. The only ones I have ever caught have been by accident. I've helped some folks land some real giants, however. They are great eating, that's for sure.

Congrats Susie!

New Fringe tonight!

We finally get a new Fringe tonight, I think it will be a good one: it focuses on one of Broyles' old cases and it is about time Lance Reddick got a spotlight episode.

Fringe fans might want to check out my blog just for the show, with all my Fringe links and articles:

On the Fringe

Easy king mackerel recipes

King mackerel tournaments are upon us! Check out these great recipes for this terrific gamefish.

Easy King Mackerel Recipes

The pic is a king caught last month on the Ocean Crest Pier.

V "Pilot" review

Here's my review of tonight's pilot episode of V, which is off to a rousing and satisfyingly creepy start.

ABC Sci-fi Drama V Lands with Power and Style

Simple but delicious shrimp recipes

Check out these easy but flavorful recipes for everyone's favorite shellfish!

Simple but Delicious Shrimp Recipes

Smallville "Crossfire" review

Check out my review of the latest Smallville "Crossfire" below, another good episode that's a little too packed with plotlines. Oh, and there's that long awaited kiss at the end...

Lois and Clark Finally Kiss In Loaded Smallville "Crossfire"

NEW Fishing Report, Nov 1

Warmer than usual temperatures have anglers hoping for a late fall, and it looks like that is what might happen. October was a bit more streaky than usual, but there are a lot of fish being caught right now and the cold front currently moving through may really stir things up after the rain is done.

Inshore pretty much everything that should be hitting is doing so, with the speckled trout being the top catch. Trout are around all their usual spots and live bait is still the top way to go, with trout feeding on the shrimp and mullet flowing out of the creeks. Early morning is a great time for going after specks, especially if you can get a lowering tide. There have also been a lot of red drum caught, from the smaller redfish of the creeks to the big bull reds out at the inlets and jetties.

Flounder fishing has slowed, but there are still plenty of flounder around inshore and up on the piers. A lot of them are throwbacks but some nice ones are being caught as well.

The spot runs have continued in their hit and miss style on the piers. There have also been some nice catches of sea mullet, black drum, and gray trout. Black drum prefer shrimp while gray trout will hit cut bait well. There are blues in the surf and still some pompano.

The top pic is a speck caught by Captain Mark Dickson at Sunset Beach (with the new bridge right there in the background) and the bottom on is a flounder caught last night on the Ocean Crest Pier.

Fringe in danger? What!?!

TV Guide has listed Fringe among its shows that are in danger due to the ratings so far this year. True, it is in a more competitive night and much tougher time slot, but...really?

Do those guys want me to come down there?

Here is the TV Guide list. No surprise about Dollhouse, it was pulled from November sweeps and apparently isn't going to get a second miracle rebirth.

Is Your Favorite Show in Danger?

First images of Jor-El

The first images of Julian Sands as Jor-El on Smallville are up and you can find them at ComicsContinuum.

We finally get to meet Jor-El in the flesh in the Nov 6 episode "Kandor". Should be interesting, seeing as how Clark has always had "dad issues" and Jor-El has previously only been a disembodied voice (although a good one, voiced by Terence Stamp).

More importantly, I think this is the episode that really kicks the Zod storyline into place.

At least is will be cool to see Sands playing something other than a warlock or a terrorist. Unless Jor-El is either of those things, which is entirely possible...

Time to catch and eat black drum!

Although I usually focus on our local southeastern NC fishing, I have to mention the big black drum being landed up at Emerald Isle on the Bogue Inlet Pier. They have some great pics up on their catch board (one is at left).

Anyone who knows me know how much I love the unappreciated black drum, the Rodney Dangerfield of saltwater fish. You can take a look at the other BIP pics and current report in the first link. After that is my own article on catching black drum and one of my favorite black drum recipes.

My own black drum fishing usually peaks in December, when most anglers have quit and don’t even know they’re out there. What a great fish!

Bogue Inlet Pier Fishing Reports Page

Black Drum: An Unappreciated but Tasty Fish

Recipe for Black Drum Chowder

Smallville "Roulette" review

Check out my review of last night's "Roulette" which may be one of my favorite Smallville episodes ever:

Justin Hartley Plays A Dangerous Game on Smallville

NEW Fishing Report, Oct 21

There are still a lot of folks spot fishing, but the spot runs are very hit and miss. Hopefully there is still more to come.

There is great action inshore, though. Speckled trout in particular are being caught in the usual places. They are gorging on the big (and I mean big) finger mullet now, but can be caught not just with mullet but with artificial lures now as well. Of course, if you can find live shrimp that always works. Remember the new speck size limit of 14 inches.

Flounder are hitting too, from the piers and inshore around structure. Finger mullet or mud minnows are good for them, but they'll also hit the slowly bounced lures. Tipping a jig head with a mud minnow is an old, neat way to catch them and I caught several throwbacks about 13-inches on my last trip this way-- it is a fun way to fish. But the big ones will hit those huge juicy live finger mullet.

There are also apparently very large red drum around-- if you see them let me know. I do know the piers are getting the smaller redfish and some black drum now, as is to be expected. Black drum "season" isn't far away, for the few of us who get into it.

I've heard the flounder giggers are tearing it up. I'll bet the waterway looks like Christmas at night.

The photo is a flounder recently caught up at BIP in Emerald Isle. If you're still out after the spot good luck! And remember to save some for Salty!

Smallville "Echo" review

Here's my review of the latest Smallville episode "Echo" which continues the series' good run this year:

Clark Plays the Hero, but the Women Rule On Smallville

Fringe "Dream Logic" review

Check out my latest Fringe review on my new On the Fringe blog here:

Dreams and Reality Haunt the Fringe Team

Sunset Beach bridge construction...

Here are some pics I took this weekend of the work on the new bridge at Sunset Beach.

Yes, I still hold to my plan to chain myself to the old bridge when they come to tear it down...

Simple and easy pompano recipes

Pompano are a fun, feisty saltwater fish caught by surf and pier anglers from the Carolinas to Florida and in the Gulf.

They are delicious, but many people fry them and that's the worst way to prepare pompano. Here are some other easy suggestions for pompano recipes:

Simple and Easy Pompano Recipes

Smallville "Echo" preview

Check out the short trailer for the Friday episode of Smallville called "Echo" featuring the return of Toyman and a new power for Clark.

No, the episode is not a crossover with Dollhouse. Oliver (Justin Hartley) preview pic is to the left.

Smallville "Echo" trailer

Simple speckled trout recipes

The name says it all:

Simple Speckled Trout Recipes

NEW Fishing Report, Oct 11

Well, my trip to find the spot didn't work out the way I planned, but I did catch some great tasting fish. Over three days I fished at the Carolina Beach Pier, the Sunset Beach Pier, and in the ICW at Sunset Beach.

I never got into many spot. On the piers I did catch an assortment of pompano and sea mullet, with a few nice spot mixed in. In the ICW I caught quite a few speckled trout about 16 inches and a lot of catch-and-release puppy drum around the same size.

I ended up with plenty of fish to freeze and some fresh speckled trout I fried and ate yesterday. YUMMY! But the big spot runs escaped me. Hopefully folks will have better luck on the spot this coming week.

Smallville "Rabid" review

Here's my review of the latest Smallville "Rabid" which continues the early season run of strong episodes:

Lois and Clark Romance Even Beats Rabid Zombies on Smallville

NEW state record!

The big tripletail I reported on from the Ocean Crest Pier has now been certified as a new NC state record.

Thomas Cutler (16) of Oak Island caught the 27lb, 7 oz fish on September 4. We didn't even have a tripletail on the record books so it's quite a notable catch.

Congrats Thomas!

Calabash sharks

Here a couple of sharks recently caught on a charter my buddy Geoff Gibson of Fayetteville took out of Calabash. I was going to get these up before I left for the beach but it didn't happen (odd).

Geoff was on the Hurricane II and went about 8-10 miles offshore, south of Calabash. In addition to the sharks they caught sea bass, trigger fish, ladyfish and sheepshead. Thanks for the report Geoff!

My own report for the week should be coming soon. I'll be cooking my fresh speckled trout today.

Fringe "Momentum Deferred" review

Here's my review of the latest Fringe episode "Momentum Deferred" featuring really stand-out performances from John Noble and Joshua Jackson as the Bishop Boys.

Nimoy Disappoints on Fringe, but John Noble and Joshua Jackson Save the Day

Gone fishing...

I'll be gone fishing and then spending time with the girls through Sunday. I'll see you all when I return!!

Jeffrey

Smallville "Metallo" review

Here's my review of Brian Austin Green's star turn as Metallo on the latest episode of Smallville:

Brian Austin Green Highlights Powerful Smallville

Flounder and Southern Seafood recipes...

Here are my two latest recipes articles, featuring flounder and southern seafood cooking. The pic at left is a recent one from the Ocean Crest Pier in Oak Island.

Elegant but Simple Flounder Recipes for Holiday Dinners

Southern Fish & Seafood Recipes

Spot watch continues...

Still trying to keep a watch on the spot fishing for you all.

Reports are sporadic but it is clear some piers and beaches are experiencing nice runs. The size appears to be down so far this year, but there is still time to correct that.

Reports are strongest from the central coast, so the action down in Brunswick County might really heat up this week.

The pic is from BIP up in Emerald Isle. If you are going, good luck!

Fringe "Fracture" review

Check out my review of the explosive Fringe season 2, episode 3 "Fracture" right here:

Explosive Fringe Focuses on Peter, Olivia

Spot fishing update...

Reports continue to come in from all the various central and southern NC beaches about the spot run. Spot are being caught here, there, and (sometimes) everywhere.

The pic on the left is from Bogue Inlet Pier up in Emerald Island, but you can give it a try at any NC pier right now and have a decent shot at some spot! There are also good reports from the boaters and surf anglers.

The baits are the usual: bloodworms, artificial bloodworms (my choice), or cut shrimp. The fall weather has really got them hitting. If you're going, have fun!! If you need any tips check out the article below:

Fall Carolina Spot Fishing a Fun Saltwater Tradition

Smallville Metallo clip

Check out Brian Austin Green in this clip from Friday's upcoming Smallville. We get to see him realize that he's become Metallo, complete with that cool kryptonite heart.

Smallville "Metallo" Clip