Morehead City July 5, 2007
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that king mackerel are feeding in the inlet and on out. Kings up to 30 lbs. have been caught in the shipping channel over the past week.
Dolphin are mixed in with the kings four miles and further offshore. Most are peanut sized, but a few larger dolphin are in the mix. Live pogies and dead cigar minnows will get bites from the kings and dolphin, with the larger kings showing more interest in live baits. Boats exclusively targeting dolphin are trolling faster with ballyhoo baits to cover more water.
Between the 14 Buoy and the 90’ Drop, boats are hooking up with dolphin, a few wahoo, sailfish, and white marlin. Skirted ballyhoo will fool all these blue water predators.
Inshore, anglers are hooking up with flounder around AR315, the Haystacks, the Port Wall, and behind Shackleford. Carolina-rigged mud minnows are the ticket to flounder bites.
Boats are also putting together nice flounder catches by drifting Bardens Inlet and the nearby areas around the Cape.
Red drum and a few speckled trout are feeding throughout area marshes. The Haystack and North River marshes have been holding particularly good numbers of fish.
Target the drum and trout with mud minnows or Gulp baits fished under popping corks, or by casting topwater plugs.
Sheepshead are feeding along the port wall and around the pilings of the high rise bridges. Anglers are catching sheepshead (up to 7 lbs.) by baiting up with fiddler crabs and sea urchins.
In the turning basin, bottom fishermen are catching a few whiting, spot, and croaker on cut shrimp and artificial bloodworms.
Surf anglers are hooking up with whiting, spot, croaker, black and red drum, and bluefish. Fresh shrimp, artificial bloodworms, and cut baits will get plenty of attention when fished in the surf.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports a solid flounder bite inshore. Most of the fish are keepers but on the smaller side. Successful anglers are drifting with live baits on Carolina rigs. The largest flounder have been hitting live shrimp.
Red drum and speckled trout are still feeding heavily in the marshes. Gulp Baits, live shrimp, and mud minnows will get plenty of attention from the reds and specks.
Spanish mackerel are cruising along the beaches. They’ll hit trolled Clarkspoons and diving plugs.
King mackerel are feeding from just outside the inlet east to the Cape.
Dolphin (up to 18 lbs.) are as close inshore as the sea buoy, and good dolphin fishing has taken place at the NW Places and the Big 10/Little 10 along with the area near the sea buoy. Hook up with kings and dolphin by trolling cigar minnows on Hank Brown rigs.
A few snake kings are coming from the AR’s, but most boats are targeting the dolphin when they can get out.
In the Gulf Stream, boats are hooking up with larger dolphin, a few wahoo, and sailfish, blue marlin, and white marlin. All of these species will fall for skirted ballyhoo in a variety of colors. The billfish bite has been best north of the Big Rock.
Ken, of Swell Rider Charters, reports catching good numbers of kings (from 8-15 lbs.) around the AR’s. Dolphin are feeding around 8 miles out of the inlet. Slow trolled live baits and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers are putting the kings and dolphin in the boat.
Shane, of Second to None Charters, reports that sailfish and dolphin are chasing bait around weed lines in 23-40 fathoms of water.
Wahoo, with most in the 20-30 lb. class, are feeding right on the break.
Blue and white marlin are a little further offshore. The marlin bite has been best in 70-100 fathoms over the past week.
All the blue water gamefish will fall for medium ballyhoo trolled under Blue Water Candy skirts in blue/white, black/red, and black/purple.
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching whiting and sand sharks on cut shrimp.
Plug casters are hooking up with bluefish and a few spanish mackerel.
Anglers are catching plenty of flounder on small live baits, but most are small.
A few speckled trout are hitting shrimp fished on the bottom and Gotcha plugs.
