Morehead City December 6, 2007
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that speckled trout are feeding throughout the Morehead inshore waters right now. Anglers are landing nice catches of specks around the Haystacks, South River, North River, Core Creek Bridge, Radio Island jetty, Fort Macon, and the Cape Lookout jetty. Gulp baits will tempt the trout to bite, but most anglers are hooking up with the specks by fishing live shrimp and mud minnows on float rigs.
Anglers have weighed in a number of citation trout lately, with some up to 8+ lbs., and now is the time for anglers to catch not only the biggest but the most trout of the year.
As the water gets cooler and the fish move toward the ocean, action at the inshore spots will begin to slow down, but the Cape Lookout jetty should stay hot well into January.
Gray trout are feeding in the inlet, around the railroad tracks, close to the Atlantic Beach Bridge, and at the Lookout Jetty. Stingsilvers and spec rigs tipped with shrimp should attract plenty of attention from the grays.
Anglers are still landing a few flounder at the Lookout jetty.
The inlet and Dead Tree Hole are holding good numbers of whiting (up to 2 lbs.).
December usually means that nice black drum (8-10+ lbs.) are looking for meals around the jetties and the port wall. Live shrimp should attract their attention, but crab baits are the top choices.
Surf anglers are connecting with red and black drum along with plenty of specks. The action has been particularly good off Shackleford.
King mackerel have pushed offshore, and are holding at least 25 miles off the beach. Not much acvtivity has been reported from the east side of the shoals.
A few bluefin tuna have already been caught, and more should show up in the next few weeks. Boats find the bluefins around bait concentrations and bottom structure 1-10 miles offshore, and hook up with them by trolling Ilander/horse ballyhoo rigs.
If the water temperatures sink into the 40’s this winter, anglers can anticipate schools of striped bass feeding on Lookout Shoals.
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that a few bluefins have already been hooked, and more should be on the way. The fish could be anywhere there is bait, from spots 10+ miles offshore in to the Dead Tree Hole, less than one mile off the beach. Horse ballyhoo underneath Ilander lures should get attention from the bluefins when boats can find them.
Surf fishermen are landing decent numbers of whiting and some huge black drum (to 60+ lbs.). Double hook bottom rigs baited with shrimp are attracting bites from the whiting and drum.
Speckled trout are feeding throughout the area, especially around the Cape Lookout jetty. The action at the jetty should continue until late January/February unless the temperatures get seriously cold.
Anglers are hooking trout on Mirrolures and Gulp bait/leadhead combos, but the largest fish are falling for live baits, mostly shrimp and mud minnows.
A few whiting and gray trout are still hanging around the Turning Basin, and anglers can hook up with both by jigging a spec rig tipped with shrimp just off the bottom.
Anglers are anxiously waiting to see if striped bass make an appearance around Lookout Shoals this winter. If water temperatures fall to 54 degrees or cooler, the big stripers should show up. They’ll be feeding wherever there is bait. They could be on the shoals themselves, on the east side, or around the Dead Tree Hole. When anglers find the stripers, a variety of techniques will put them in the boat. Trolling large diving plugs and Mojo rigs and slow-trolling dead eels are effective strategies, and anglers can also cast live eels or a variety of lures to feeding schools.
Shane, of Second to None Charters, reports that some bluefin tuna have arrived, and hopefully they will remain in the area. The bite thus far has been fairly close to the beach, and bluefin boats in the right spots are averaging around one bite per day. Horse ballyhoo under Blue Water Candy Jags in pink/white and blue/white are top bluefin producers.
Offshore, Gulf Stream trolling has been slow over the past week, although bottom fishing has been good, producing catches of groupers, red snapper, triggerfish, and beeliners.
The trolling action should improve when yellowfin tuna show up in January or February.
