Southport September 27, 2007
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that the huge schools of finger mullet running the beaches are attracting plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish, and both will fall for Clarkspoons trolled behind cigar weights and small planers.
King mackerel have begun their inshore migration, and anglers have hooked a good number off Oak Island piers over the past week. The Yaupon Reef is hosting a hot king bite as well, with some boats reporting double digit numbers of kings. Since most of the pogies are still up in the river, anglers should net some mullet to use for live baits.
Gray trout should be schooled up tightly on nearshore structure soon. Vertically jigged spoons and metal lures will fool the grays, and also some large red drum that are holding on the same structure.
Anglers are still catching a few flounder, although the flatfish bite has slowed down somewhat.
The cooling water temperatures should get the Gulf Stream bite going for fall, and boats can expect to find yellowfin tuna and wahoo feeding well in the blue water soon.
Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are hooking up with spot, whiting, and pompano. The bottom bite should only get better as falling water temperatures trigger the fall migrations of the fish. Shrimp, sand fleas, and bloodworms (for the spot) are the top bottom baits.
Anglers are catching some flounder by fishing live finger mullet on the bottom.
Those fishing live shrimp and mullet on float and bottom rigs are finding a few speckled trout.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding on the huge amount of bait near the pier, and they will fall for live baits or Gotcha plugs.
Live baiters landed several king mackerel over the past week (with several over 20 lbs.). Bluefish are the hottest king baits.
Jimmy, of Wreck Hunter Guide Service, reports that flounder are feeding well around the Southport waterfront, Oak Island Bridge, and other nearby areas. The fall flatfish can be large ones, with some weighing into the double digits. Live finger mullet or peanut pogies on Carolina rigs will tempt the flounder to bite, and anglers can also hook up by bouncing bucktails tipped with soft plastic baits off the bottom.
Some flounder are still coming from the nearshore reefs as well, but they’ll be moving inshore as the water cools.
Last week’s strong northeast winds shut down the trout bite, but the specks should be feeding well again soon with the return of calm weather. Look for the trout to be holding around grass islands and bays in the Cape Fear, Elizabeth River, and at the Oak Island Bridge.
Soft plastic baits, such as Trout Killers, curly tail grubs, and shrimp imitations, are top trout producers. Anglers should carry a wide variety of colors and experiment to see which the trout prefer on a given day. Topwater plugs will also tempt the trout to bite.
Schools of puppy drum are feeding in Dutchman’s Creek, and they will fall for the same types of soft plastics as the trout.
Sheepshead are holding tight to the structure at the ADM dock and Southport waterfront. A fiddler crab or sand flea dangled next to the pilings will tempt the sheeps to bite.
Jon, of Haag and Sons Seafood, reports that the weather kept many boats at the dock last week, but those that did venture out caught good numbers of beeliners and triggerfish.
The grouper bite should improve as the weather calms down.
Billie, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that bluefish, spanish mackerel, and kings are all feeding on the abundant bait along the beaches. The piers have seen good catches of all three species over the past week.
In the backwaters, anglers are hooking up with trout on Gulp Baits and flounder on live finger mullet.
