Northern Beaches June 2, 2011
Julian Swart and Brett Lanier with a bull dolphin they landed after it ate a blue/white Black Bart lure while they were trolling the Gulf Stream off Wrightsville Beach with Robert McNeill on the "Safari."
Kyle, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the cobia fishing has been excellent out of Oregon Inlet over the past week. The best action has been down towards Rodanthe, with a few fish still coming from Hatteras, so they should be in for a while. Sight-casting bucktail jigs and live eels has been producing most of the action with the cobes.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding around Oregon Inlet and along the beaches, and boaters are connecting with them while trolling Clarkspoons and other lures.
Sheepshead have shown up around the Bonner Bridge, and anglers are catching them from the catwalk on fiddler crabs and other baits.
Flounder are moving into Oregon Inlet, and anglers are connecting with them while casting soft plastics and live minnows.
Speckled trout fishing remains solid in the sound. The specks will fall for a variety of lures.
Surf fishing has been somewhat slow lately due to cool water temperatures, but northeast winds this week should push some warmer water back on to the beach and improve the bite.
Offshore boats are finding excellent gaffer dolphin fishing (with fish to nearly 50 lbs. recently). A few yellowfin tuna and blue and white marlin are joining the dolphin, and skirted ballyhoo will fool all the Gulf Stream predators.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are putting together some nice catches of croaker and sea mullet while fishing bottom rigs baited with squid and bloodworms in the sound.
Surf anglers are also connecting with the croaker and mullet, along with some big bluefish (to 9 lbs.). The blues will take an interest in large cut baits or metal casting lures.
Trolling around Oregon Inlet has been productive with spanish mackerel and bluefish lately. Clarkspoons are producing most of the action with both. Anglers may also cast metal lures like Kastmasters and Hopkins spoons to the fish when they’re feeding on the surface.
The cobia bite south of Oregon Inlet has been excellent lately. Most of the fish are falling for sight-cast bucktails with large soft plastic trailers.
Offshore, boats are finding a solid gaffer dolphin bite around the Point and further south. Some blue and white marlin have been mixed in with the ‘phins, and skirted ballyhoo are fooling them.
Boats traveling northeast from the inlet have been greeted with some good yellowfin tuna fishing lately, and skirted ballyhoo are appealing to them as well.
Geoffory Johnson, of Virginia Beach, with 38 lb. dolphin that fell for a skirted ballyhoo in the Gulf Stream off Hatteras Inlet while he was trolling aboard the "Top Cat." Photo courtesy of Jam at Teach's Lair Marina.
Korin, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that the cobia fishing has been excellent for inshore charter boats lately (with many citation fish, some to 90 lbs.). Sight-casting with bucktails is producing most of the cobes.
Trolling spoons in the inlet and along the beach is producing fast action with taylor bluefish and some spanish mackerel.
Bottom fishing inshore has been producing plenty of croakers and smaller bluefish lately.
Some blacktip sharks have been providing catch and release fun for anglers just off the beaches.
Offshore, the gaffer dolphin bite remains excellent. Boats are also encountering some decent numbers of yellowfin tuna many days, and blue and white marlin are becoming more common as well. Skirted ballyhoo are the most effective weapons on the blue water gamefish.
Charlie, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are decking some sea mullet and hake.
The water is a chilly 53 degrees, but as northeast winds warm it up, anglers can expect the bluefish bite to take off.
