Sea lion sighting at the jetties.

Saltwater Offshore Reports
1

I fished the jetties yesterday morning. After getting skunked on sheeps, I decided to head inshore about noon. I cranked up and was getting suited up for a wet ride in when I looked up and saw the head of a seal or seas lion about 20 yards from boat! He didn’t seem alarmed and was just looking around. I started scrambling to get my cell phone out and set to camera mode but he submerged. I watched for a while but didn’t see him again.

I stopped a DNR officer on the way back in and asked if he had ever heard of a sea lion sighting. He said he had not.

Before it starts, it wasn’t an otter, manatee, crap pot float or anything else. I’ve seen all of those before. This was definitely a seal or sea lion and it was only 20 yards away in bright daylight and calm water. I reported it to the folks at the Aquarium and they said it might have been a harbor seal but it looked like a sea lion to me. A friend is going to check with the Navy EOD folks to see if they have one loose in the area.

I’ve seen a lot of interesting stuff while fishing but this was certainly a first for me.

2

sea lions are west coast. Could have been a harbor seal

.

NMFS = No More Fishing Season

“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”

3

The Aquarium folks suggested it might be a harbor seal but after looking at pictures, I still think it was a sea lion. That makes me even more convinced it is an escapee.

4

sea lions have external ears. seals do not

escapee?? from where?

.

NMFS = No More Fishing Season

“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”

5

“escapee?? from where?”…that’s classified.

6

A confirmed harbor seal sighting was documented last year off the north end of Hilton Head. Apparently they occasionaly make their way as far south as Savannah.

7

I hear they make great Great White bait.

8
quote:
Originally posted by mummichog

I hear they make great Great White bait.

can we still fish for great whites? let’s get a film crew and see if we can get them to “sky”…

The Morris Island Lighthouse www.savethelight.org

9

River otter.

…because everything is a conspiracy!!!

10

Can we fish for Harbor Seals? :smiley:

11
quote:
Originally posted by THE PLUM

Can we fish for Harbor Seals? :smiley:

Sorry that season has been closed.

17’ Mckeecraft
115 Suzuki 4
www.RiversTurkeyCalls.net

“Thar She blows”

12

Plum, currently SC does not have any creel, catch size or possesion limits of any of the variety seal. However, it is highly suggested by the common sense group known as Sportsmen that if you would like to recreate doing the aforementioned, better do it quick before the idiotic group known as the SAMFC find out there is a species that needs “protecting”.

Just saying…

13

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/laws/mmpa/

just sayin’… unless you’re an eskimo.

14

10-4! I’ve just about run out of fish to catch. Well bring home anyway.

Plum Crazy

26 Regulator/250’s

15

I also have seen many cool things while fishing inshore and offshore but that is a good one. Keep on fishing!!!

Excuses satisfy only those who make them.

16

A live Harbor Seal came on Debidue beach after a big NorthEastern back in 1991. I believe the storm was eventually part of the “Perfect Storm”

17

So, “Seal Rock” out there now has a whole new meaning. good get, NaClH20

18

Maybe I can catch it and make a wet suit like Bear Grylls !

19

There are a couple of harbor seal spotted every year along SC. There use to be a colony of them on Waites Island (north of Georgetown??) some years ago.

Sea Hunt 207CC,Yam 150
www.abfishcharters.com

20

in 2000 i saw one in murrells inlet, a harbor seal that is. and it wasn’t a otter. the thing was on the sand bar at the entrance to charlie cut sunning. then went into the water.

green grass and high tides forever
jhp----- Murrells Inlet