Southport – July 9, 2015
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are seeing a solid flounder bite in the area (with big numbers of 2-3 lb. fish up to some 5-7 lb. citations recently). The fish are feeding around docks, drop-offs, and other structure in the area, and anglers are hooking them on live baits along with Gulps and other soft plastics.
Speckled trout have also been feeding around the structure and in the creeks. Anglers can fool the specks with live shrimp and mud minnows or artificials like topwater plugs, MirrOlures, and soft plastics.
Sheepshead are looking for meals around structure as well, with the Pfizer dock, Southport waterfront, and Oak Island Bridge all prime spots recently. Anglers can fool the sheeps by fishing live fiddler crabs near the pilings.
There’s been a good black drum bite in the Elizabeth River recently, with the fish feeding around oysters and in deeper holes. Cut shrimp and sand fleas are fooling the black drum.
Red drum are looking for meals in the same areas and along the area’s shallow flats. They’re biting topwater plugs in the early mornings along with live and Gulp baits.
The wind has kept many anglers out of the ocean recently, but several found a decent king mackerel and cobia bite around Lighthouse Rocks early in the week. Live menhaden are the top choice for both, but anglers can hook up on a variety of live and dead baits.
Anglers haven’t been chasing many spanish due to the wind either, but they should be able to find some fish whenever they can find clean water within a few miles of the beachfront. Flashy trolling lures like Clarkspoons are top choices for the spaniards.
Lauren Cook, of Chapel Hill, NC, with a red drum that struck a live bait near Bald Head Island while she was fishign with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters.
Annette, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that there’s still a good speckled trout bite in the area early and late in the day. Live shrimp are tough to beat for the trout, but anglers can tempt them to bite a variety of artificials at times as well.
Flounder and drum are feeding in Davis Creek and other backwater spots around Southport and Oak Island. Both will fall for live baits or Gulps. Anglers can also hook the reds on topwater plugs and other lures.
Surf and pier bottom fishermen are connecting with some black drum and pompano on shrimp.
Bluefish are feeding inside and outside the inlets and will bite a wide variety of baits and lures.
Lonnie Stewart, of Clover, SC, with a citation 24″ flounder that bit a live menhaden near Oak Island while he was fishing with Capt. Wayne Freeman.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that the wind has kept many boats out of the ocean over the past week, but anglers who made it out to the Shark Hole recently found some good king mackerel and dolphin action while trolling dead cigar minnows. The action is likely good at other spots in the 60-80’ depths, and anglers also saw some cobia and sailfish in that range before it got rough.
Anglers fishing around Lockwood Folly Inlet and river continue to connect with good numbers of flounder and red and black drum while fishing live shrimp under floats and on bottom rigs.
Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that there’s been good fishing for flounder and red and black drum around Southport and Oak Island recently. Live shrimp are fooling all three, and anglers are also hooking the flounder and reds on a variety of other live baits.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are still seeing excellent speckled trout action in the early morning hours and a slightly slower bite in the late afternoons. Live shrimp are fooling the specks.
The persistent onshore winds have slowed bottom fishing, but anglers are hooking some sea mullet, croaker, and small flounder along with plenty of sharks and skates. Shrimp and squid are fooling most of the bottom feeders.
The water is 84 degrees.
