Swansboro August 4, 2011
Rob Armstrong, of Swansboro, with a gag grouper that bit a live menhaden at some bottom structure in 70' of water off Bogue Inlet while he was fishing with Capt. Chesson O'Briant of CXC Fishing Charters.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that the hot, dry weather has made inshore fishing a little tough over the past week, but anglers are still finding some decent action.
The red drum bite has been best in the feeder creeks and marshes with plenty of tidal flow lately, as the water temperature in the bays and upper creeks has crept up into the 90’s. ICW points have also been producing some drum action, and anglers are hooking most of the fish on live and Gulp shrimp. Some black drum are mixed in with the reds.
Anglers are connecting with flounder around the ICW docks and other inshore structure, and live baits or bucktail/Gulp combinations will tempt them to bite.
Outside Bogue Inlet, the flounder bite is still strong on the nearshore reefs and live bottoms, and anglers are putting together good catches on 2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits.
Dirty water along the beaches has slowed the nearshore spanish mackerel bite, and anglers are finding large schools of bait and some king mackerel (feeding on the bait) in the 5-10 mile range.
Further offshore, bottom fishing in the 20-30 mile range has been producing plenty of action with black sea bass, triggerfish, and other bottom feeders.
A good wahoo bite has been happening along the break lately, and skirted ballyhoo will tempt bites from the ‘hoos.
James Crouch, of Raleigh, with a near-citation flounder that struck a Gulp bait in the backwaters near Swansboro while he was fishing with Capt. Rob Koraly of Sandbar Safari Charters.
Chesson, of CXC Fishing, reports that nearshore flounder fishing is still solid, and anglers are hooking the fish on small live baits and Gulp-tipped bucktails at structure within a few miles of shore.
Large spanish mackerel are feeding in the same areas. Smaller live baits on scaled-down king rigs will tempt them to bite.
Further off, grouper and black sea bass are feeding at structure in the 10-15 mile range. Both will also take an interest in live baits or bucktails.
Amberjacks are feeding at higher-relief structure in the same areas, and live menhaden or other baits are tough for them to turn down.
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that wahoo and sailfish are feeding out along the break. Both will take an interest in skirted and naked ballyhoo.
Bottom fishing at offshore structure has been producing solid catches of grouper, beeliners, black sea bass, and other bottom feeders.
Closer to the beaches, large spanish mackerel are feeding around structure within five miles of shore. Small live baits will tempt bites from the big spanish. A few king mackerel are in the same areas, and they will also fall for live baits.
Smaller spanish are chasing bait along the beaches and around the inlet, and trolled Clarkspoons are tough for them to turn down.
Surf casters are hooking some flounder on Gulps and small live baits. Pompano and other bottomfish are falling for sand fleas and shrimp in the breakers.
Some spanish are feeding within range of surf and pier anglers, and Gotcha plugs or other small metal lures will tempt them to bite.
Inshore, the flounder bite is still on around the docks on the ICW and near the inlet. Gulp baits on bucktails or small live baits will tempt bites from the flatfish inshore.
Camden Driver with a 21" red drum that fell for a 3" Gulp shrimp in the marsh near Emerald Isle Bridge while he was fishing from his kayak.
Joanne, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that plug casters are hooking up with some bluefish and spanish mackerel on Gotchas.
Sea mullet, spadefish, and other bottom feeders are taking an interest in shrimp and bloodworms on two-hook rigs.
