With billfish season in full swing along the mid-Atlantic, area offshore fishing vessels and crews are gearing up to get ready for the beloved ladies only billfish tournament – the Alice Kelly Memorial – which gets underway this weekend.

According to the event’s website, it was 30 years ago when a group of Alice Kelly’s friends came together to honor her memory and financially assist the Outer Banks Cancer Support Group.

Now, the Alice Kelly is one of the most popular lady angler events on the East Coast and organizers invite everyone to come out: “Join us for incredible fun and some serious fishing!”

Registration and Cookout for a Cure Kick Off Party took place Saturday, Aug. 10, with fishing and an awards dinner and dance with Cheap Thrills happening Sunday, Aug. 11. Good luck to all the anglers!

Along the northern beaches, fishing has been fair. On Tuesday morning, Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head was reporting 77 degrees ocean water and catches of sea mullet, triggerfish, croaker, spot, pigfish, northern puffer and one nice, pretty 19 inch flounder.

On Monday, they reported more flounder, sheepshead, sea mullet, triggerfish, spot, puffer, pigfish, bar jacks and pinfish.

Up at Nags Head Pier Tuesday morning, the pier’s recorded message said they were catching blues, speckled trout, sea mullet, spot, flounder and sheepshead.

At Avalon Pier Tuesday morning, Troy Byrum said it was slow and that the live-bait anglers had missed both a cobia and a king on Monday. Late last week and over the weekend, however, plenty of catches were reported their Facebook page.

Last Friday, Aug. 2, a little rainy weather didn’t stop Griffin, age 13. He reeled a whopping 41.1 pound king mackerel off the end of the pier.

On a side note, later that night, the trio Government Cheese played a great mix of cover songs inside the pier house at the Stonefish Beachbar. “They were great,” said visitor Barry Clark of Charlottesville, Va.

Editor’s Note: We are always looking for great fishing stories, so please send yours with any photos to obxfishnews@gmail.com.

READ MORE IN OUR ON THE WATER SECTION HERE.

RECENT HEADLINES:

Coast Guard medevacs Uruguayan naval cadet 46 miles off North Carolina coast

Results announced for One Design Regatta