Morehead City September 27, 2007
Tim, of Chasin Tails Outdoors, reports that speckled trout and red drum are feeding well in the Haystacks marsh. Both species will eagerly eat a mud minnow or live shrimp fished under a popping cork, along with Gulp baits, topwater plugs and a variety of other lures.
As the water cools off over the next month, the specks will move from the marshes towards the inlets and begin feeding heavily around the rock jetty.
Flounder are also feeding in the marsh, as well as along the port wall, the railroad tracks, and AR 315. Carolina-rigged mud minnows or other live baits are the top flounder producers.
Gray trout are feeding beneath the high rise bridges, the railroad tracks, the turning basin, and the Coast Guard Station. The grays will fall for a vertically-jigged Stingsilver, spec rig, Tsunami Glass Minnow, or green grub.
Schools of spot are feeding beneath the Beaufort drawbridge. Shrimp, bloodworms, and Fish Bites on bottom rigs will draw bites from the spot.
Some large red drum (30-40”) are also around the Coast Guard Station, and they will pounce on a live finger mullet fished on the bottom.
Sheepshead are hugging the structure at the railroad tracks and the port wall. Fiddler crabs and sea urchins dangled next to the structure will get plenty of attention from the sheepshead.
Plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding in the inlet and nearby, both inside and outside. Trolled Clarkspoons will fool both into striking.
Surf anglers are catching croaker, spot, whiting, and pompano on shrimp. Red drum are feeding in the surf at Fort Macon, and they will fall for live or cut mullet baits.
The grouper bite is still hot at ledges and other structure between the 90’ Drop and the Big Rock. Cigar minnows and Boston mackerel are excellent grouper baits.
Wahoo are feeding near the surface in the same area. Boats looking for wahoo should troll rigged ballyhoo underneath skirts featuring dark colors.
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that bluefish (some up to 6 lbs.) are blitzing the huge mullet schools along the beaches. Live mullet are hard to beat, but the blues will take a variety of lures as well. If anglers can get a bait or lure past the blues, there are some spanish mackerel mixed in.
Red drum are cruising the surf zone around Emerald Isle, and they will strike live mullet or cut baits.
Surf bottom fishermen are hooking up with pompano and whiting on shrimp.
Whiting are also schooling in the turning basin and behind the Coast Guard Station.
Speckled trout have moved out of the marshes, and some are now hanging around the Coast Guard Station. Live baits, Gulp, and Mirrolures will all get the trout’s attention.
Some flounder are feeding near the Coast Guard Station, and anglers are also weighing in some large flatfish from “The Hole” in the Neuse River. Flounder will eagerly take a Carolina-rigged finger mullet or other live bait.
The wahoo and sailfish bite remains good for boats trolling ballyhoo near the Big Rock.
Shane, of Second to None Charters, reports that the wahoo and sailfish bite remains excellent along the break. Most of the wahoo are running 20-50+ lbs., and a few gaffer dolphin and blackfin tuna are mixed in.
The bite has been best around the Swansboro Hole recently, with the most action coming in around 40 fathoms. Medium ballyhoo trolled under Blue Water Candy Mini Jags, in pink and purple/black, have been the best baits over the past weeks.
Terri, of Oceanana Pier, reports that the pier has seen some of the first good spot runs of the year. Bottom rigs baited with bloodworms will fill a cooler full of the spot in a hurry when the runs are on.
Anglers bottom fishing with shrimp are landing pompano.
Those fishing live baits on the bottom are landing a few flounder.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs, and a few are also hitting the bloodworm and shrimp-baited bottom rigs.
