Southport – July 30, 2015
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are seeing some typical late-summer action, with hot water keeping fishing a bit on the slow side but most people finding some action.
Inshore, flounder are still feeding around the Southport waterfront and in the creeks. They’re biting live finger mullet and menhaden along with Gulps and other soft baits.
Speckled trout are looking for meals in the creeks and around structure like Oak Island Bridge. Anglers can tempt them to bite live baits or soft plastics and suspending plugs like MirrOlures. A few larger trout are taking an interest in topwater plugs early in the day.
Anglers are finding red drum in the creeks and on the flats. Like the specks, they’ll bite live baits or a variety of artificials.
Black drum are also looking for meals in the creeks, particularly around oyster rocks and pilings. Cut shrimp are attracting plenty of attention from the black drum.
Sheepshead fishing remains good at the ADM dock and other inshore structure in the area. Fiddler crabs and sand fleas are tough to beat for the crustacean lovers, and anglers should fish them tight to the structure for the best odds of hooking up.
Spanish mackerel are feeding just off the beaches but the weather hasn’t let many people get out and fish for them recently. Trolled Clarkspoons will fool the spanish and some bluefish when anglers can get to them.
Some king mackerel and a few cobia have been landed by anglers fishing further offshore lately.
Cameron Ellis, of Arlington, VA, with a gator speckled trout that bit a live bait near Bald Head Island while she was fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnnings Charters.
Teresa, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are still connecting with some speckled trout from Oak Island’s piers early and late in the day.
Some pompano have been mixed in and both are biting live shrimp.
Offshore anglers are coming back with some king mackerel and dolphin while trolling around spots like the Horseshoe and Frying Pan Tower.
Inshore, anglers continue to report red and black drum action while fishing in the creeks and backwaters. Live shrimp will fool both fish.
Paul Rudolph with a red drum he caught and released in Walden’s Creek after it struck a white grubon a red jighead.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are seeing some solid spanish mackerel action when clear water is around the pier. Most are falling for Gotcha plugs and straw rigs.
Speckled trout are still biting live shrimp in the early morning hours, but the action isn’t as hot as it was a few weeks ago.
Bottom fishermen are hooking black drum, spadefish, pompano, and sharks and skates. Shrimp and squid are fooling most of the bottom feeders.
The water is 84 degrees.
Tiommy Scheetz and Meaghan Julius with a 4.5 lb. speckled trout that bit a Carolina-rigged finger mullet from a Southport dock.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that there’s been a solid nearshore flounder bite off Oak Island (with some fish 5-10 lbs.). Anglers are hooking the flatfish on live baits like finger mullet.
The spanish mackerel action remains steady along the beachfront, where anglers are hooking the fish on trolled Clarkspoons.
Sharks are feeding in the same areas and will readily bite cut and dead baits.
Offshore, there’s still good king mackerel action at spots 20+ miles out, along with some dolphin. Both are biting dead cigar minnows and ballyhoo.
Bottom fishing in the same range is producing plenty of action with grouper, black sea bass, and triggerfish. All the bottom feeders are taking an interest in squid and cut baits.
Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are hooking good numbers of flounder and red drum while bottom fishing with live finger mullet and menhaden inshore.
Sharks are feeding along the beachfront and biting live, dead, and cut baits.
