Morehead City August 2, 2007
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that red drum are feeding in area marshes, especially the Haystack and marshes of the North River. Some of the fish are rats around 16”, but most are within the slot limit. And oyster bars are holding the majority of the fish.
The drum are hitting a variety of baits and lures, including Redfish Magic spinnerbaits, Gulp Shrimp and Jerkshads, topwaters, and live mud minnows fished beneath popping corks.
Flounder are mixed in with the drum in the marshes, but anglers are landing larger flounder (up to 5 lbs.) against the port wall. The flounder bite has also been good around AR315. Live mud minnows and Gulp baits are producing the best results with the flatfish.
The Haystack is still holding a few trout, and most of the trout that are still around are larger ones. Fish a mud minnow beneath a float to target the remaining trout.
Jigging around the railroad trestle is still producing some gray trout.
Anglers are catching sheepshead along the port wall and at bridge pilings, especially those of the High Rise Bridge. Fiddler crabs and sea urchins are the sheepshead’s favorite baits.
Surf fishermen are catching a summertime mix of spot, croaker, whiting, black drum, and other bottom feeders. Cut shrimp will attract attention from all these fish.
Big spanish mackerel (4-7 lbs.) are feeding around the AR’s. Live menhaden are the best baits for these bigger spanish.
Boats are finding king mackerel from the inlet out to spots such as the Northwest Places and Big 10/Little 10. Live pogies will produce the best results with the kings, but anglers should also be able to hook some fish on cigar minnows.
There are still some dolphin between the Northwest Places and the 90’ Drop, but many are small peanuts. Some sailfish and a few wahoo are mixed in with the dolphin, and all three species will fall for rigged ballyhoo.
Anglers are landing grouper at ledges around the 90’ Drop and offshore. Cigar minnows and Boston mackerel should tempt them to bite.
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that inshore anglers are catching red drum around the Core Creek Bridge. Live mud minnows should produce good results with the drum.
Flounder are feeding behind Shackleford Banks. Live baits fished on Carolina rigs are top flounder producers.
Surf and pier fishermen are catching hogfish, croaker, a few flounder, bluefish, and spanish mackerel. Anglers are also encountering some large sharks from the beach.
Boats are finding kings around the Northwest Places and the Big 10/Little10, as well as east of the shoals at the Atlas Tanker. Cigar minnows and live pogies will attract attention from the kings.
Dolphin fishing has slowed down, but boats are still finding some scattered dolphin while offshore trolling near weedlines.
The sailfish bite has been good inshore of the Big Rock. The 14 Buoy has been a particularly good place to look for them over the past week. The sails are traveling in pods, so boats are likely to find multiple fish feeding in the same area.
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching spot, whiting, and pompano on shrimp.
Live minnows and shrimp are producing good numbers of flounder.
Anglers casting Gotcha plugs are hooking up with bluefish and an occasional spanish mackerel.
The water temperature is 83 degrees.
