Little River October 11, 2007
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that area inshore fishing has been hot over the past week despite the persistent winds. When the winds are at their worst, anglers have still been able to find some action in the lee of stands of trees off the Calabash River and the ICW.
Around the Little River jetties, bluefish, red drum, and spanish mackerel are feeding on the abundant schools of mullet rolling through the inlet. Some of the reds are well over 30”. Anglers are hooking up with all three species while casting XPS mullet imitations and Gulp baits on jigheads towards the rocks.
Speckled trout, smaller red drum, and some flounder are also looking for meals in the creeks and around the Crossroads. Live shrimp or Gulp baits will entice these fish to bite.
The Calabash River is holding trout, drum, flounder, and plenty of ladyfish. Gulp baits and shrimp will also attract plenty of attention from these species.
Larry, of Voyager Charters, reports that Gulf Stream party boat anglers are filling their coolers with big beeliners (up to 4 lbs.), scamp and strawberry groupers, jolthead porgies, grunts, rudderfish, and triggerfish.
Inshore of the stream, the fall gag grouper bite is going well, and boats are landing good numbers of the large gags 25-35 miles offshore. Boston mackerel and spanish sardines should both prove irresistible to the gags.
The trolling boats are finding an excellent wahoo bite out in the blue water, along with some large kings and a few yellowfin tuna. The Blackjack Hole hosted a particularly hot bite last week.
Like the gags, king mackerel are making a fall move inshore, and boats are finding good catches of 15-20 lb. fish within 10 miles of the beach. Live baits are top choices for the kings.
Drew, of North Myrtle Beach Offshore Adventures, reports that although it’s been rough, the kings are feeding right on the beach, so anglers haven’t had to go far to get into the action. The bite has been best along the Brunswick County beaches and around the Cape Fear River channel. Live pogies are the top king baits, but they’ll strike many different live and dead baits.
It has been too windy for most boats to get out bottom fishing, but gag grouper and other bottom fish should be moving onto structure in 70-80’ of water. Bottom anglers should leave the docks prepared with a variety of different baits in order to offer which ones the bottom fish prefer that day.
Some sabiki rigs and 3-4 oz. sinkers will allow boats to jig up the most prevalent baitfish on the structure they are fishing.
The wahoo bite was hot last week before it got windy, and it should be just as good when boats can make it back out to the Stream.
Brendan, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching whiting while waiting for the main body of spots to show up.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs and mackerel trees.
King fishing has been excellent over the past week (with over 40 kings hitting the decks). A 33.5 lb. king was the heaviest weighed last week, and most of the fish are falling for live mullet and pogies.
The water temperature is 77 degrees.
