Morehead City August 28, 2008
Parker Michael, from Newport, NC, caught this 10 lb. flounder at the port wall on a Carolina-rigged live bait. Photo courtesy of Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Tim, of Chasin Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are hooking up with some nice speckled trout on the Atlantic Beach side of the bridge at night, along with some bluefish and ladyfish. Live shrimp fished under float rigs are producing action with all three fish.
The trout bite has also been solid day and night at the docks near the Core Creek Bridge, where live mud minnows and shrimp under floats are working well.
Specks, red drum, and some flounder are still feeding in the Haystacks and other marshes. Anglers can hook the specks and reds on topwater plugs early and late in the day. Gulp baits and live shrimp, finger mullet, and mud minnows on Carolina or float rigs are even more effective than the artificials.
The Morehead side of the bridge is producing some action with gray trout for anglers jigging Stingsilvers, Tsunami Glass Minnows, and green grubs. Better numbers of grays are feeding around the railroad tracks.
Boats drifting the channel on the Morehead side of the bridge are catching good numbers of keeper flounder on mud minnows, finger mullet, and small pogies on Carolina rigs.
The flatfish bite has also been good at the port wall, the Cape Lookout rock jetty, and AR-315 and AR-320, where finger mullet seem to be outproducing other baits.
Boats are catching plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish early in the day while trolling Clark and Drone spoons in clean water just off the beaches, with a particularly good bite lately around the Cape Lookout jetty.
Larger spanish (some over 5 lbs.) are feeding around the AR’s early in the day, and they will fall for live mullet free-lined near the structure while anglers are fishing the bottom for flounder and other species.
The king mackerel bite is still pretty good in the Beaufort shipping channel and at the Big 10/Little 10, and it’s even better on the east side of Lookout Shoals at spots like the 1700 Rock and Atlas Tanker. Live pogies are the top baits for the biggest kings.
Bottom fishing remains good around the 1700 Rock and west of the shoals at the 210 and 240 rocks and nearby structure. Anglers dropping cigar minnows to the bottom are hooking decent numbers of gag grouper, and squid baits are attracting attention from triggerfish, sea bass, and other bottom dwellers.
The bluewater bite is improving, and boats have reported decent dolphin and wahoo action between the 90′ Drop and the Big Rock lately. Some sailfish have been reported in that area as well. Ballyhoo trolled under pink skirts are deadly on the dolphin, and the wahoo should take more of an interest in black/red and black/purple-skirted baits.
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Capts. Jeremiah Hieronymus and Jot Owens with a 47" red drum Jot hooked on fresh cut menhaden in the Pamlico Sound while aboard the "Jot It Down."
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are starting to hook up with a mixed bag of bottomfish including spot, whiting, croaker, and pigfish. They’re coming from the surf and piers, in the inlet, and in the turning basin. Shrimp, bloodworms, and sand fleas will get attention from the bottom feeders.
Gray trout are beginning to show up in the turning basin, and jigging with metal lures like Shore Lure Glass Minnows is the way to put them in the boat.
Speckled trout and red drum are feeding in the marshes, and they will fall for Gulp and live baits, with the potential for some topwater action as well.
The spanish mackerel bite has stayed solid when boats can find clean water (with most fish 16-22″). Trolling Clarkspoons, bird/squid rigs, and mackerel trees will get their attention.
Some smaller king mackerel are mixed in with the spanish (undersized up to 5-8 lbs.), and they will fall for the same lures.
Boats are hooking up with larger kings at the Big 10/Little 10, the NW Places, and the Atlas Tanker and 1700 Rock east of the shoals. Live baits, dead cigar minnows, and Drone Spoons will get attention from the bigger kings.
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Danny Edens, from Holly Ridge NC, with a monster red grouper caught by his father, Billy Edens, 48 miles off Topsail. They were fishing with Curtis Edens aboard the "Luckyman."
Shane, of Fight N Lady, reports that anglers are finally catching good numbers of dolphin and wahoo again when they can make it out to the blue water. The action has been spread out along the break lately between the Swansboro Hole and Big Rock, with the best bite in 38-40 fathoms. Ballyhoo trolled under Blue Water Candy Witches and Mini Jags are drawing them to strike.
There have been a few white marlin and sailfish feeding in the same areas as the dolphin and wahoo.
Inshore, the spanish mackerel bite has been phenomenal just off the beaches lately. Clarkspoons trolled behind trolling weights and planers will fool the spanish in big numbers when boats find the schools.
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Cathy, of Oceanana Pier, reports that plug casters have been hooking some spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Bottom fishermen are catching some whiting on bloodworms and puppy drum and croakers on shrimp.
Some small flounder are also coming over the rails.
The water temperature is 83 degrees.
