Fishing Sept. 21 from 40 to 60 miles northwest of the inlet, a group of visiting anglers from Greer Supply Company caught and released 23 white marlins.

“That’s the most I’ve caught in one day,” said Archer, whose twin brother, Pat, is the first mate aboard the Pelican (www.fishthepelican.com, 252-441-3197).

However, the catch wasn’t unusual for this year, Bracher said.

“We’d caught 16 (white marlin) four days earlier, 12 the next day, then six, then we caught 23, then we had four, then we went yellowfin tuna fishing and had a great day, then we came back and caught nine white marlins Sept. 24," he said.

Bracher said the lack of hurricanes during September, normally a month for the big storms off the N.C. coast, contributed to the fantastic bite.

“Every year for the last 10 we’ve had a September hurricane and it shut down the (white marlin) bite,” he said. “It flips the water over and ends the season. Hasn’t happened this year.”

The Pelican is a 56-foot Paul Mann sport fisherman built at Manns Harbor that Bracher purchased in 2000. He has won numerous billfish tournaments as captain of the Pelican.

Bracher said the white marlin will continue as long as the water remains from 73 degrees to 79 degrees and hurricanes don't blow through the area.

“We troll ballyhoos, but use stand-up tackle with 20- to 30-pound-test line,” he said, “so it’s a lot of fun for the anglers. These fish weigh from 40 to 60 pounds. But we’ve also been getting into a good yellowfin bite and some of those have run up to 85 pounds.”

A 40-mile trip offshore is the normal run for Bracher to reach white marlin fishing grounds, but he follows Gulf Stream eddies that push the current around. On Sept. 24, he had to travel 77 miles to the Norfolk Canyon to find the best bite.

Pat Bracher operates Overtime Flats Fishing Charters (www.fishovertime.com, 305-745-3408) during the winter out of Big Pine, Fla., and takes clients for tarpon, bonefish, permit and barracuda. His brother, Arch, and Pat's father-in-law, Frank Folb Sr. of Frank&Frans Tackle Shop of Avon, often visit and assist anglers each winter.