Morehead City – July 3, 2014
Taylor Burke with a 45 lb. dolphin that he hooked near the Big Rock. Weighed in at Freeman’s Bait and Tackle.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are connecting with good numbers of flatfish at nearshore structure like the local AR’s. Mud minnows on Carolina rigs and Gulp-tipped bucktail jigs are fooling most of the flatfish. Some are also biting around the port wall and Atlantic Beach Bridge inshore.
Sheepshead are feeding around the port and local bridges as well. Live sea urchins and fiddler crabs are tempting bites from the sheeps.
Speckled trout are feeding in the creeks and marshes inshore, and anglers have been hooking some on topwater plugs recently. Soft plastics and live baits will fool the specks when the topwaters won’t.
Red drum are feeding along grass banks and oyster bars in the marshes, and anglers have had good results in the Middle Marsh, Core Creek, and Newport River Marsh last week. Topwater plugs, Gulp baits, spinnerbaits, and live and cut baits will all fool the reds.
Spanish mackerel action is still solid on both sides of Beaufort Inlet, where boats are hooking the spaniards while trolling Clarkspoons, squid rigs, and other flashy lures. Baits trolled deep behind planers are producing most of the fish.
Some king mackerel have moved into the shipping channel and inlet (most smaller school fish), and anglers can tempt them to bite cigar minnows on dead bait rigs or Pirate Plugs.
Sharks are feeding around Beaufort and Bardens inlets and will bite a variety of dead and cut baits.
Offshore, anglers are still seeing some solid dolphin action in the blue water (though many are now smaller bailers). Trolled ballyhoo and skirted lures are fooling the dolphin. Anglers are also hooking some stray wahoo and blackfin and yellowfin tuna while trolling the Gulf Stream.
Some dolphin have moved inshore to spots like the NW Places where they’re biting the same baits.
Bottom fishermen are finding grouper, sea bass, triggerfish, amberjacks, and more at offshore structure. Vertical jigs and bottom rigs baited with menhaden, cigar minnows, mackerel, and squid are getting attention from the bottomfish.
Cody, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are finally seeing a bit of king mackerel action in the area, with multiple fish reported from the Big 10/Little 10 recently. Most are falling for live menhaden, but anglers can also hook up on cigar minnows pinned to dead bait rigs. As the kings spread out, the shipping channel and sea buoy areas will be good places to search for them.
Large spanish mackerel are still feeding around nearshore structure in the area and biting smaller live menhaden. Anglers are hooking big numbers of smaller spaniards while trolling Clarkspoons and other lures just off the beachfront.
Stephanie Milich, Wayne Garrell, Winston Bland, David Paul Edwards with a 65 lb. wahoo that struck a trolled ballyhoo near the Big Rock. Weighed in at Chasin’ Tails Outdoors.
Inshore, the flounder bite continues to improve. Anglers are hooking solid numbers of flatfish while drifting the channel edges behind Atlantic Beach and Shackleford. Smaller numbers of large fish are coming off boat docks and around structure like the Atlantic Beach Bridge and Morehead port wall. Live baits pinned to Carolina rigs or Gulp baits on jigheads and bucktails will get attention from the flatfish.
Sheepshead are looking for meals in the same areas as the big flatties. Dangling live fiddler crabs near structure is the way to connect with the sheeps.
Red drum are feeding in the shallows of local marshes and bays. Topwater plugs have been fooling the reds in good numbers lately, with Gulp baits and live shrimp and mud minnows getting the job done when they don’t want to bite on top.
Surf and pier anglers are seeing a mixed bag of spot, pigfish, sea mullet, pompano, flounder, and more while bottom fishing with shrimp, bloodworms, and cut baits.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that anglers are seeing some solid bottom fishing action at spots off Beaufort Inlet and Cape Lookout in 60-90’ of water. Gag grouper, triggerfish, black sea bass, and plenty of other bottom dwellers are feeding in those areas. Anglers can target the gags with live baits like menhaden or use cut baits and squid for the smaller fish.
Dolphin have moved inshore of the 90’ curve, and anglers have hooked up with gaffers at spots like the NW Places and SE Bottoms lately. The ‘phins will bite a variety of live or dead baits along with artificials like bucktail jigs and topwater poppers.
Flounder are looking for meals at bottom structure a bit closer to the beaches and pounding on 1-2 oz. bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp baits.
Thomas, of Dancin’ Outlaw Charters, reports that anglers are seeing some excellent spanish mackerel action within a few miles of the beachfront while trolling Clarkspoons behind planers.
The offshore bite is still going strong as well, with big numbers of gaffer and bailer dolphin feeding along weedlines and rips in the blue water. Billfish like sailfish and white marlin are feeding in the same areas, and all the blue water predators are biting skirted ballyhoo.
