Morehead City – June 5, 2014
Michael and Borrok Bundy, Kevin Riggs, Brandon Braxton, and Emily and Mike Woolard landed this 78 lb. after it struck a ballyhoo while they were trolling near the Big Rock. Weighed in at Chasin’ Tails Outdoors.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are still connecting with good numbers of cobia in the area. Bait fishing around the inlets and behind Shackleford Banks has been the most consistent method of hooking up, but some days have also been producing good sight-casting conditions along the beachfront. Live and dead menhaden and live eels have been producing action for the bait fishermen. Bucktails and live baits are fooling the fish when anglers can spot them cruising on top or find them feeding on bait balls.
Spanish mackerel action is getting better, and boats made some large catches last week on both sides of Beaufort Inlet and around Cape Lookout. Clarkspoons trolled behind planers and cigar weights are producing most of the spaniards, but anglers may also get some opportunities to work casting jigs around fish feeding on the surface.
Plenty of bluefish are mixed in with the spaniards.
Caroline Smith and Nick Nichols, of Morehead City, with a dolphin that struck a skirted ballyhoo while they were trolling at the Big Rock with Capt. Casey Fiorini on the “Beagle.”
Red drum action finally seems to be going strong in the marshes, and anglers hooked reds all over the area last week on topwater plugs, soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and a variety of cut and live baits.
Sheepshead have shown up along the bridge pilings in decent numbers. Live fiddler crabs and sea urchins fished tight to the structure are the way to connect with the sheeps.
Flounder fishing continues to improve inshore (with another citation fish weighed last week). Fishing deeper water near the port and Coast Guard station has been producing the larger flatfish, but anglers are also hooking a few while drifting the channels inshore. Live mud minnows and Gulp baits are fooling most of the flatfish.
The flounder bite remains good at nearshore structure like AR-315, 320, and 330, with most of the flatfish falling for 2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits.
Bottom fishing further offshore has been producing plenty of action with black sea bass, triggerfish, grunts, grouper, and more. Cigar minnows, squid, mackerel, and menhaden are producing results on the bottom dwellers.
Boats trolling the blue water are still hooking solid numbers of gaffer dolphin around offshore temperature breaks and weedlines. Some wahoo and billfish have also been in the mix, and all the pelagic predators are taking an interest in skirted ballyhoo.
Paul, of Freemans Bait and Tackle, reports that surf casters are still hooking a mixed bag of sea mullet, spot, pigfish, bluefish, croaker, a few pompano, and red and black drum. Bottom fishing with shrimp, bloodworms, and cut baits is producing action with all the species in the surf.
A few speckled trout and red drum are feeding in the marshes, and they are falling for topwater plugs and soft plastic baits.
The spanish mackerel bite is still going strong for anglers both trolling Clarkspoons from boats and working casting lures from the pier.
Cobia are still being caught daily, but primarily by anglers soaking baits on the bottom instead of sight-casting. Most of the action has been around the inlets and behind Shackleford and Atlantic Beach for anglers fishing live and dead menhaden.
The offshore fleet is still finding good dolphin action when they can get out to spots like the Big Rock. Scattered billfish and some wahoo are also feeding in the blue water, and all are falling for skirted ballyhoo.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that anglers are hooking big numbers of spanish mackerel while casting metal jigs at fish feeding on the surface along the beachfront and at nearshore structure. Surprisingly, a few Atlantic bonito have still been mixed in as well.
Cobia are still in the area, and anglers are hooking decent numbers while bait-fishing around the inlets and inshore, primarily on menhaden.
The flounder bite at nearshore structure in the ocean is turning on. Bouncing bucktails tipped with Gulp baits off the bottom has been producing some good catches of flatfish for anglers recently.
Amberjacks are schooled up at structure a bit further off the beaches, where anglers can tempt them to bite live baits.
Thomas, of Dancin’ Outlaw Charters, reports that anglers are still seeing good numbers of gaffer dolphin along the break off Beaufort Inlet, and they’re fooling them with trolled ballyhoo. Some blackfin tuna and wahoo are mixed in and falling for the same baits, and boats are still having decent numbers of billfish encounters.
Anthony, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers have been catching spanish mackerel and bluefish from the pier early and late in the day while working Gotcha plugs and other casting lures.
Some spot, bluefish, croaker, and flounder are biting bottom rigs.
Several cobia were caught by anglers casting lures and bottom fishing from the pier last week.
