Southport – July 16, 2015
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers continue to catch solid numbers of flounder around Southport (and fish to 8+ lbs. have been weighed in recently). The fish are feeding around docks, other structure, and in the creeks and marshes. Live baits are producing most of the flatfish action, but anglers can also hook up on Gulps or a variety of other soft lures worked along the bottom.
Neil Hadly, of Indian Trail, NC, with a fat speckled trout that bit a live bait near Oak Island while he was fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters.
The speckled trout bite has been good as well. Anglers are connecting with some big specks early and late in the day on topwater plugs, and they’re catching smaller fish when the sun’s high on live baits, soft plastics, and suspending plugs.
Teresa McCullough, of Rocky Mount, NC, with a 27″ red drum she landed after it struck a white Gulp bait in a Bogue Sound marsh.
Sheepshead and black drum are looking for meals around structure like docks and sea walls. Both of the crustacean-lovers will bite shrimp, fiddler crabs, and sand fleas fished close to the pilings and bulkheads.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding just off the inlets and along the beachfront, and anglers are connecting with both while trolling Clarkspoons and other flashy lures in combination with planers and trolling weights. Casting metal lures on lighter tackle when the fish are feeding on the surface can also be effective.
King mackerel and dolphin are still looking for meals from Lighthouse Rocks to well offshore. Anglers can tempt both fish to bite live baits or dead baits like cigar minnows and ballyhoo.
Aaron Baldwin with a 26 lb. king mackerel that bit a dead cigar minnow near the Shark Hole while he was fishing with Capt. Ryan Jordan of Fugitive Charters.
Angie, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have been landing some king mackerel from Oak Island’s piers, so boaters should also be able to connect with some kings not far from shore. Live baits like bluefish and menhaden are fooling the kings.
Spanish mackerel are also biting from the planks and for local boaters. Anglers are hooking them on Gotcha plugs and other casting lures from the piers and while trolling Clarkspoons from boats.
Speckled trout, flounder, and pompano are all feeding around the piers and in the surf zone. The specks and flounder will bite live shrimp and minnows. Cut shrimp and sand fleas are the way to attract attention from the pompano.
Inshore, anglers continue to find some speckled trout and red and black drum in Davis Creek and other backwater areas. All three will fall for live shrimp, and anglers can also bait up with mud minnows or cast artificials for the trout and reds.
Maddi Burley, of Grove City, OH, with a 32″ red drum she caught and released while fishing the White Oak River with Capt. Rob Koraly of Sandbar Safari Charters. The red fell for a live mullet on a Carolina rig.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that anglers landed some large African pompano while trolling cigar minnows around spots in the 40 mile range last week.
King mackerel, cobia, dolphin, and some sailfish have been looking for meals from the 20 mile areas on offshore. All will take an interest in dead cigar minnows, and anglers can also pull ballyhoo or slow-troll live baits with success.
Tim and Thomas (age 6) Capps, of Raleigh, with an upper-slot red drum that bit a live bait near Bald Head Island while they were fishing with Capt. Mason Ward of Cape Fear Charter Company.
Bottom fishing in the 100’ depths has been very productive for gag and scamp grouper recently. Most are falling for cut baits or dead whole baits like cigar minnows.
Black sea bass are feeding around bottom structure throughout the area. They’ll bite nearly anything anglers can put a hook in that they can fit in their mouths.
Blair and Marshall Kelly, of Raleigh, with 27″ and 23″ red drum that they hooked simultaneously while fishing a Swansboro-area marsh with Capt. Jonathan Garrett of On Point Fishing Charters. The reds fell for chunks of menhaden.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are still seeing an excellent speckled trout bite from the pier, with many anglers limiting out in the early morning hours and a decent evening bite as well. Most of the specks are falling for live shrimp under floats or suspended above the bottom, and the shrimp also produced some big pompano last week.
Flounder are still feeding along the pier’s pilings and biting live finger mullet and mud minnows.
Anglers bottom fishing are hooking sharks, skates, and panfish (like croaker). Shrimp and squid are producing most of the action.
Fred Walker, of Burgaw, NC, with a 33 lb. king mackerel he hooked off Southport. Weighed in at Wildlife Bait and Tackle.
