Added on Thursday, August 21, 2008  Gary Hurley

Morehead City August 21, 2008

Tim, of Chasin Tails Outdoors, reports that red drum and speckled trout are feeding in the Haystack marshes, where anglers can hook them on live shrimp, mud minnows, Gulp baits, topwater plugs, and other lures.

There’s also been an excellent speck bite around lit docks in Core Creek and on the Atlantic Beach side of the bridge at night, with anglers hooking most of their fish on float-rigged live shrimp and mud minnows.

Red drum and trout are also feeding in Back Creek and Adams Creek, with some especially big reds holding just outside the mouth of Adams Creek. Live finger mullet drifted through the area should get attention from the larger reds.

Gray trout are biting around the railroad tracks with a few still feeding on the Morehead side of the bridge. Stingsilvers, Tsunami Glass Minnows, and green grubs will draw bites from the grays as well as ladyfish and big blues feeding in the same areas.

Flounder fishing remains good inshore around the port wall (where a 10 lb. flounder was landed this week) and docks around Morehead, as well as at the Radio Island jetty. The flounder bite is still strong at AR-315, too, with fish also coming from AR-320. Finger mullet and other live baits fished on Carolina rigs are the ticket to flatfish strikes.

Bluefish and spanish mackerel are chasing bait near the inlet and just offshore. Trolled Clarkspoons are fooling both fish. Larger spanish (up to 5 lbs.) and small kings are holding on AR-315 and AR-320, and they’re feeding in the very early mornings. Small live baits like finger mullet and peanut pogies offer the best chance of hooking up with the larger fish.

Larger tournament-class kings are feeding in the shipping channel on the east side of the shoals at areas like the 1700 Rock and Atlas Tanker. Large live pogies are the best baits for the big kings.

Bottom fishing is still strong around the 1700 Rock, with anglers landing triggerfish and gag grouper on cigar minnows and squid. The bottom bite has also been good around the 210 and 240 Rocks and at the Big 10/Little 10, where sea bass and grouper are feeding.

 

Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that whiting are showing up in the inlet and along the surf. Bloodworms are outproducing shrimp, especially in the surf.

In the inlet, gray trout are feeding alongside the whiting, and anglers are hooking both while bouncing spec rigs tipped with shrimp off the bottom.

Some large flounder are laid up back in the rivers. Carolina-rigged live baits, like finger mullet, will get their attention. And good numbers of somewhat smaller flounder are feeding along the Radio Island jetty.

Anglers are finding a good speckled trout bite around Morehead City’s lighted docks at night. Gulp baits and other soft plastics are doing a good job of fooling the specks.

Plenty of spanish mackerel are still feeding in clean water within a few miles of the beaches. Trolled Clarkspoons and bird/squid rigs will tempt them to bite.

Boaters are hooking king mackerel (with some solid 20+ lb. fish) in the Beaufort shipping channel and around wrecks and other structure on the east side of Lookout Shoals. Live pogies will get attention from the kings.

Bottom fishermen are hooking good numbers of triggerfish around the D Wreck, with pieces of squid on small hooks producing the best results.

The offshore bite has picked up a quite a bit, and boaters have hooked decent numbers of dolphin, some wahoo (up to 40 lbs.), and sailfish between the 90′ Drop and the Big Rock.

 

Shane, of Fight N Lady, reports that the blue water fishing has finally improved. Around 30 miles off Beaufort Inlet, the boat found good numbers of dolphin last week, with most falling for green/crystal Blue Water Candy Mini Jags and Witches with small ballyhoo. The bite was best in around 15 fathoms, and some sailfish are working the same areas.

Further offshore, the wahoo bite has picked up (with a lot of quality 40+ lb. fish). The fish have also shown a preference for top baits lately instead of the planers, rewarding anglers with exciting visual strikes. The wahoo action has been near the Big Rock in 38-40 fathoms.

Inshore there are still plenty of bluefish, Spanish, and small king mackerel feeding within a few miles of the beaches. Trolled Clarkspoons are fooling the mackerel.

 

Susan, of Oceanana Pier, reports that spanish mackerel have been biting well in the mornings. Gotcha plugs are fooling the spanish, and plenty of bluefish as well.

Bottom fishermen are hooking up with whiting on shrimp and bloodworms.

There have been large numbers of big sharks around the pier over the past few weeks.