Morehead City – September 11, 2014
Thad and Seth Moye with a pair of triggerfish they hooked on cut baits while bottom fishing off Beaufort Inlet.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are seeing the beginning of fall fishing action in the area, and it should only get better over the coming weeks.
Sheepshead fishing has been excellent (with several fish over 9 lbs. last week), and the fish will get more concentrated as the temperatures start to fall. The port wall and bridge and dock pilings in the area are the best places to look for the sheeps, and anglers can tempt them to bite live fiddler crabs or sea urchins.
Puppy drum are still feeding in the local marshes, and anglers are hooking them and a few early speckled trout while working topwater plugs and soft plastic baits.
Flounder action has also been solid (with fish to 7 lbs.), and the same inshore structure is producing the best action with the larger fish. Marshy creeks and the channels behind Atlantic Beach and Shackleford are also good flatfish spots. Live baits fished on the bottom are fooling most of the flounder, but anglers are also hooking up on Gulps.
Anglers are also finding strong flounder action around AR-315, AR-285, and other nearshore structure in the ocean. Large bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp baits are fooling the offshore flounder.
Some large spanish mackerel are feeding around the same areas in the ocean and biting live finger mullet and peanut menhaden. Plenty of smaller spanish are feeding along the beachfront and biting trolled Clarkspoons and daisy chains. Anglers have also found the fish schooled up enough to hook on metal casting lures near the inlet a few times over the last week, and the casting action will get better as the weather cools.
There was an excellent king mackerel bite last week, with most of the fish coming from spots on the east side of Lookout Shoals but a few around the sea buoy and shipping channel as well. Most are falling for live baits, but anglers are also hooking up on frozen cigar minnows pinned to dead bait rigs.
Rachel Morgan, of Beaufort, NC, with a 7.23 lb. flounder that bit a live fiddler crab near the Morehead port wall. Weighed in at Chasin’ Tails Outdoors.
Offshore trollers are reporting that the wahoo bite keeps getting better and better (with fish over 70 lbs. weighed in last week). Anglers are finding most of the ‘hoos around blue water hotspots like the Big Rock, but some of the largest fish have been coming from king mackerel spots east of the shoals like the 1700 Rock. A few dolphin are still in the mix, and both are falling for skirted ballyhoo and baitless trolling lures.
Offshore bottom fishing continues to be productive, with plenty of grouper, sea bass, triggerfish, snapper, amberjacks, and more. Squid, cigar minnows, mackerel, and other baits are fooling the bottom feeders.
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that wahoo action has been solid lately, and most boats pursuing the speedy fish brought home at least a few last week. Ballyhoo paired with skirted lures are fooling most of the fish, and the best action’s been out around the Big Rock.
Offshore bottom fishermen have been hooking a usual mixed bag of grouper, snapper, and other fish, and some cobia have been reported recently as well.
Closer to the beaches, the spanish mackerel action has been solid whenever the water’s clean lately, with good catches from the pier and off the beachfront for anglers working Gotcha plugs and casting jigs. Boaters are hooking big numbers on trolled Clarkspoons.
Surf casters are also seeing some bluefish, red and black drum, spot, sea mullet, croaker, and more. Shrimp and cut baits are fooling most of the fish in the breakers.
Beth Lee with her first red drum, a 28″ fish that bit a live finger mullet under a popping cork in a Beaufort-area marsh while she was fishing with her boyfriend, Capt. Chris Kimrey of Mount Maker Charters.
Anglers fishing the marshes inshore are reporting plenty of speckled trout and puppy drum action while casting a variety of baits and lures.
The flounder bite is turning on around the port wall and other inshore structure, with most of the fish falling for live baits.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that anglers are seeing some solid action around nearshore structure in the ocean right now. Bouncing Gulp-tipped bucktail jigs around the structure is producing plenty of action with flounder along with a variety of other fish. Some cobia are still feeding in the same areas and will pounce on bucktails or live baits.
King and spanish mackerel are also looking for snacks nearshore, and live menhaden and mullet fished on light wire leaders will fool both.
Inshore, there’s been some solid red drum action in the marshes lately. Live and Gulp baits under popping corks are fooling most of the reds.
Hailey, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some spanish mackerel and bluefish while working casting lures like Gotcha plugs from the planks.
Bottom fishermen are decking some croaker on shrimp and bloodworms.
