Ocean Isle October 11, 2007
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the fall king mackerel bite on the beach is on fire. The kings are feeding in 20-30’ of water just off Brunswick County beaches, and good numbers are also coming from nearshore structure as well.
Pogies have been fairly plentiful along the Ocean Isle and Holden Beach beachfronts, allowing anglers to load up the livewell without too much difficulty.
Spanish mackerel are also feeding on the abundant pogies and mullet along the beaches, and they will fall for live baits or trolled Clarkspoons.
Offshore, when the wind lays down enough to get out, boats are finding good fishing for grouper and other bottom fish in 70-80’ of water. Live baits, such as pogies, will tempt the largest grouper to bite, and the smaller fish will fall for squid and dead or cut baits.
In the Gulf Stream, wahoo fishing was red hot when boats made the run to blue water last week, and the striped predators should still be around and hungry when the seas calm down.
Kyle, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the fall red drum bite at Little River Inlet is cranking into high gear. Most of the fish are falling for Carolina-rigged finger mullet fished close to the rock jetties. The fish range from puppy drum within South Carolina’s 15-23” slot limit on up to citation-sized 40”+ bulls.
Bluefish and some big 5+ lb. spanish mackerel are also feeding on the abundant mullet schools traveling through the inlet.
Speckled trout are feeding in the creeks, the Calabash River, and at structure in the ICW such as the Sunset Beach Bridge. Trout fishing should improve as the water temperatures fall, and the fish will get both larger and more numerous. Right now, most of the specks are 1.5-2 lbs. Live shrimp fished on a float rig are the top trout baits.
Flounder action continues to be good at the nearshore reefs, and anglers are also hooking up with some nice flatfish while fishing Tubbs and Little River Inlets. Like the reds, flounder will have a tough time resisting a Carolina-rigged finger mullet.
Brad, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are landing some nice bluefish and spanish mackerel while free-lining live baits, such as finger mullet, from the planks.
Those fishing finger mullet near the bottom on Carolina rigs are also picking up good numbers of flounder.
