If this is in the wrong place to post, please forgive me. :-)

I've been bass fishing for a few years and love it. I want to try bigger game fish from time to time. I posted a few months ago of terrible sea sickness I had two years ago from not heeding my dad's warning of small dinner the night before, take Dramamine, and no breakfast. Since then, I've been worrisome about going again. I've been watching rivermonsters a whole lot and really want to catch some giants! I am buying a Penn combo this Friday (rollers on the rod and a big casting reel for bottom fish). Guy at BPS said it is perfect for King Mac, grouper, etc. Question is can I find a "less rough" deep sea trip in NC? When we went out it was 60 miles off shore and it was a terribly windy day. Even the mates said it was bad. The charter we went on also offers a half day trip only 30 miles out. Should I try that? Or just go out and find a low wind day for the full trip. Either way, I'm eating an early and small dinner the night before and no breakfast. Also taking Dramamine. What do you all suggest?

Skip the Dramamine.  Go to your doctor and ask for the sea sick patch.  it is a small patch that goes right behind your ear.  Put it on some period of time( 24hrs maybe) before going out, and they say they work miracles.  Dramamine makes most people extremely drowsy.  Also, Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

 

Jeff

I saw people with that patch. I don't mind the drowsy. Surely beats puking for 8 hours. Lol.

I was a lot like you. I'd get on a chartered boat and stare at the horizon for an hour telling myself "don't get sick, don't get sick, don't get sick." Of course, I got sick.

After many tries of this, I figured it out. Kind of. Drinking lots of water and eating salty snacks (like saltines or potato chips) really put me at ease. And instead of just staring at the horizon, I would try to keep a conversation going (as best you can on a fast moving boat) to keep myself from focusing on "don't barf."

It also helps to avoid acidic foods & drinks before you go out. There is a ginger regime that you can try to help with seasickness. Taking ginger capsules several days before & during your trip. It does help.

I don't get sea sick, but my wife does. Ginger pills night before. Dramamine when you wake up. Sea sick parches. Try the whole bag. Only thing that helps her is if she's having fun and keeping her mind off of it (wine, cheese & crackers, her gal pals being on the trip). Bring lots of snacks (just no bananas), you can't get sick if you're eating. 

Thanks guys! I appreciate the tips. :-)

I will use good judgement this time. Small dinner night before, early bedtime, Dramamine night before and morning of, water, saltine crackers, and top deck of boat when trolling out and in while keeping eyes out with horizon.

More people get sea sick from rolling rather than being under power, my wife gets sea sick at the dock before we leave.  I fish with a guy on his boat and he gets sea sick, we troll a lot and he is fine.  Never being sea sick myself I don't have an opinion any medications.  I personally would not go fishing without a good breakfeast, I want my energy level high.  I also will not take any food or drink high in salt or sugar, that promotes thirst., IMO nothing better than water.

I'm not sure what the association is between river monsters and offshore ocean fishing is.  I don't know what kind of Penn combo you have in mind, I would be using the charters gear, they will have the right equipment.  I wouldn't buy anything until I knew exactly what I needed.  That Penn rod with the rollers may be fine for deep water grouper, but not for King Mackerel.  Kings can be almost any where in the water column and they are constantly moving, groupers are the opposite.  My set up would be different for those 2 species, that far offshore a grouper rig is going to have a considerable amount of lead, maybe 8 oz or more, kings would be less lead.