Morehead City August 29, 2013
Bryan Williams with a 26 lb. red snapper that bit a dead cigar minnow in 120′ of water off Morehead City while he was fishing with Nick Maraveyias on the “Seabiscuit.”
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been solid all week, with the best action for anglers trolling Clarkspoons around Cape Lookout recently.
Larger spaniards (4-7+ lbs.) are feeding around AR-315 and other nearshore structure, where anglers are fooling them while free-lining or drifting live finger mullet.
Flounder fishing around the nearshore reefs has improved, and anglers are hooking solid numbers on bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp baits.
Inshore flounder fishing has also heated up this week (with some 5-7 lb. fish weighed in). Anglers are hooking most of the larger flatfish around the port wall and other heavy structure on live mud minnows and finger mullet.
Sheepshead are feeding around the same structure as the flatfish and biting sea urchins and fiddler crabs.
Sea mullet are showing up in the Beaufort shipping channel, along with some gray trout. Both are taking an interest in spec rigs tipped with shrimp and bloodworms.
Anglers are reporting an improved speckled trout bite after the recent cool spell, with fish coming from the Haystacks and creeks. Live baits and soft plastics are both solid choices for the specks.
Philip Moran and Michael Whitlatch, of Morehead City, with 4.5 and 7.8 lb. flounder they hooked on live minnows in a creek near Morehead City. Weighed in at Chasin’ Tails Outdoors.
Surf casters are hooking some red drum around the Fort Macon jetty, where shrimp and cut mullet are tempting them to bite. Anglers are also picking up some sea mullet, spot, pigfish, croaker, black drum, and more while soaking shrimp in the surf zone.
Offshore trollers are reporting excellent wahoo action from the 14 Buoy on offshore. A few are falling for live baits east of Cape Lookout as well. Most of the offshore fish are taking an interest in ballyhoo paired with dark-colored skirted lures. A few dolphin are mixed in, but wahoo have been the main attraction offshore lately.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with solid catches of triggerfish, sea bass, snapper, and grouper. Squid, cigar minnows, sardines, and menhaden are fooling most of the fish, but some are also falling for vertical jigs.
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the recent north wind pushed big numbers of mullet out of the inlets and to the beachfront. Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding on the mullet, and anglers are hooking them from the surf and from boats. Live mullet, trolled Clarkspoons, and casting lures like Stingsilvers and Glass Minnows are fooling both.
Ladyfish are feeding inshore, particularly around lit structure in the evening hours, and they will bite just about anything that anglers can cast.
Sea mullet have shown up in the turning basin and the Dead Tree Hole, and spec and bottom rigs baited with shrimp, squid, and bloodworms will get their attention.
Liza Hernandex, of Johnson City, TN, with a 4′ bonnethead shark that bit cut shrimp in the Fort Macon surf.
Surf casters have found a fairly solid red drum bite recently (fish ranging from under to over-slot), with most of the fish falling for cut shrimp and mullet.
Inshore, the puppy drum and speckled trout bite is turning on in the marshes, as big numbers of shrimp and mullet are on the move. Live baits, soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and other artificials are fooling the pups and specks.
Thomas, of Dancin’ Outlaw Charters, reports that the wahoo bite remains excellent when boats can make the run to blue water. Most are falling for ballyhoo rigged under skirted trolling lures. There’s been solid action with the ‘hoos up and down the break, but the best bite has been in 40-50 fathoms. Some blackfin tuna and an occasional sailfish are mixed in with the wahoo and also biting ballyhoo.
Closer to the beach, spanish mackerel fishing has been going strong around Cape Lookout (with plenty of 2-3 lb. fish). Trolled Clarkspoons are fooling the mackerel.
Caroline, of Oceanana Pier, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish are biting Gotcha plugs and other lures that anglers are casting from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are hooking some spot on shrimp and bloodworms.
