Ryan, of Hatteras Jack, reports that the shorebound red drum action in the sound between Avon and Rodanthe remains solid, with anglers hooking good numbers of slot (some over-slot) reds on cut baits and finger mullet.
The speckled trout bite remains solid in the sound as well, and anglers are also picking up some puppy drum while casting soft plastics and live baits in areas like Green Island Slough and Old House Channel.
Black drum and sheepshead have shown up in force around the Bonner Bridge, and anglers can hook both on sand fleas, fiddler crabs, and mussels fished tight to the structure.
June also usually presents opportunities to hook some stout striped bass around the pilings of the bridge, with live baits like spot as anglers’ best option.
Surf fishing has been a bit slow due to the southwest winds, but anglers are hooking some croaker, sea mullet, and small blacktip sharks on bottom rigs cast into the breakers.
Chris, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that bottomfish have been the primary action recently, with anglers hooking spot, croaker, sea mullet, and black drum (including a 14.8 lb. fish last week) on double-drop rigs baited with shrimp, bloodworms, and sand fleas.
Tammy, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that anglers are connecting with some sea mullet (including some citation fish), pompano, and black drum while bottom fishing in the surf locally. Most are falling for shrimp, sand fleas, and bloodworms.
Some bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding along the beachfront and biting metal lures that anglers are working from the surf and pier.
Back in the sound, a few speckled trout, gray trout, and flounder are falling for soft plastics and live baits.
Cameron, of Frisco Tackle, reports that pompano, sea mullet, spot, and croaker are all taking an interest in baited bottom rigs in the Frisco surf.
A few bluefish are around as well, and they’re biting the bottom rigs and metal lures when the water’s clean.
Puppy drum and gray and speckled trout are feeding in the sound, where anglers are tempting them to bite Gulps and other soft plastics.
Kyle, of Frisco Rod and Gun, reports that surf casters are connecting with sea mullet, pompano, and bluefish from Hatteras Island’s southern beaches. Shrimp, sand fleas, and cut baits are all prime offerings when fishing from the sand.
Anglers have also been connecting with a few citation-class red drum while fishing from the beach at Hatteras Inlet in the evening hours. Large cut baits on fish finder rigs are fooling the big reds.
Inshore boats are connecting with speckled and gray trout, flounder, and red drum while fishing the Pamlico Sound.
Offshore trollers are still finding solid dolphin and yellowfin tuna action while dragging ballyhoo and skirted lures off Hatteras Inlet.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that the dolphin and yellowfin tuna action remains hot to the east of Hatteras, where anglers found limit catches of yellowfins and some solid bailer and gaffer dolphin action in recent days.
The dolphin bite has also been good straight off Hatteras, and some billfish have been mixed in recently as well.
Both naked and skirted ballyhoo are tempting bites from the blue water predators.
Cody, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking some puppy drum from the beaches again as the water has calmed a bit since Tropical Storm Andrea passed. Sea mullet, pompano, and other bottom feeders should be around as well.
Cobia are still feeding off the island’s beaches and around the inlets, and the fish have begun to move inshore to Blair Channel as well.