Ocean Isle – May 21, 2015
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that king mackerel were biting well in 50-65’ of water before last week’s storm, but they have yet to turn back on. The action should improve any day, and anglers can hook the kings while trolling live baits or dead cigar minnows.
Spanish mackerel are starting to bite again, with decent action in 25-35’ of water for boats trolling Clarkspoons last week.
Thomas Kriston and Caleb West, of Lumberton, NC, with a 13″ pompano and a 23″ red drum they caught in the Holden Beach surf. The pompano bit shrimp and the red a finger mullet.
Spadefish have shown up at nearshore structure off Ocean Isle. Anglers can lure the spades from the structure to the surface by dropping several cannonball jellyfish on a heavy rod and slowly retrieving it to the top. Once the spades are up top, small pieces of the jellies make excellent hook baits.
Gulf Stream trollers are connecting with big numbers of dolphin and some stout (to 60-70 lbs.) wahoo at the area’s local spots. A few blackfin tuna are mixed in. Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures have been fooling all the blue water fish, but baitless lures pulled faster can also be effective on the tuna and wahoo.
Luke Davis, of Oak Island, and Chris Taylor, of Southport, with an 8 lb., 14 oz. speckled trout that struck a 5″ menhaden while they were fishing from an Oak Island dock.
Kevin, of Rigged and Ready Charters, reports that anglers are hooking some healthy speckled trout while casting topwater plugs around inshore shell banks and grass edges.
Offshore, cobia have been showing up around structure from the beachfront on out, and live pinfish are tempting them to bite.
Deeper structure is playing host to plenty of gag and scamp grouper, and anglers are hooking both while working Blue Water Candy Roscoe jigs along the bottom.
Dolphin fishing has been excellent for boats making the run to the Gulf Stream recently, and ballyhoo behind pink/white sea witches have been the best bets for baits.
Kyle, of Speckulator Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are seeing improved flounder action in the area, with good catches coming from Tubbs Inlet, the Shallotte and Lockwood Folly rivers, and docks along the ICW. Anglers have seen schools of peanut menhaden show up inshore recently, and the menhaden are producing better results with larger flatfish than smaller baits like mud minnows.
Anglers fishing peanut menhaden and live shrimp under floats at the Little River jetties are connecting with some solid speckled trout (to 4 lbs.). There have also been some specks feeding around Sunset Beach and in the Shallotte River, where anglers are hooking them on Vudu Shrimp and Bass Assassin paddletail soft plastics.
Red drum action has slowed in the creeks after the tropical storm, but there are still a few fish around and feeding. Some black drum are mixed in, and both are feeding under ICW docks where they’ll bite shrimp, crab chunks, and live baits.
More reds (most upper and over-slot fish) are feeding around the Little River jetties and biting live shrimp and menhaden.
Spanish mackerel action has slowed a bit since the storm, but it’s improving and should continue to do so as the water settles further. Most have been a bit further from the beach in 35’+ of water recently, and trolling has been outperforming casting.
Spadefish have shown up on the nearshore wrecks and AR’s in the area, and anglers are looking forward to seeing some cobia in the same places. The spades will bite small pieces of jellyfish, while bucktail jigs and live baits are top choices for the cobia.
Tyson, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some bluefish while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
Sea mullet are falling for shrimp on bottom rigs.
