Northern Beaches – August 13, 2015
Betty, of TW’s Tackle, reports that surf casters fishing the northern beaches are still primarily encountering bluefish and panfish like spot, sea mullet, and croaker. Bottom rigs baited with shrimp and cut baits are producing most of the action along the beaches.
Anglers fishing the little bridge on the causeway are hooking good numbers of croaker while bottom fishing with the same baits. Anglers casting live baits and working artificial lures like soft plastics have been hooking some flounder, speckled trout (some keepers), striped bass, and puppy drum from the bridge.
Inshore boats are connecting with spot, croaker, tautog, flounder, pufferfish, sea mullet, and more while bottom fishing around the inlet and at deeper spots in the sound.
Cameron Bane (age 15) earned a citation for releasing this 48″ red drum while on an inshore charter out of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.
Red drum (ranging from slot to citation-sized) are feeding near the inlet and in the sound, and anglers are hooking them on a variety of baits and artificial lures like soft plastics and spoons.
Nearshore trollers continue to catch big numbers of ribbonfish on spoons and other shiny lures. Spanish mackerel, false albacore, and bluefish are also falling for the trolling lures.
Amberjacks are feeding around structure further off the beachfront and biting live and dead baits along with artificial lures.
The offshore fleet is still seeing plenty of dolphin action (with many limit catches). Yellowfin and blackfin tuna are mixed in, and some healthy wahoo are also finding their way to the fish boxes.
The billfish action remains solid as well, and boats are flying flags for releasing blue and white marlin and sailfish while returning from many recent trips.
Robin Stewart, of TW’s Tackle, with a ribbonfish she landed near Oregon Inlet.
Gabby, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that dolphin are still taking center stage when it comes to the meatfish offshore, and many boats are returning with limit catches.
Better numbers of yellowfin tuna than anglers saw last month are in the mix, and boats are also hooking decent numbers of wahoo and blackfin tunas.
Boats are seeing solid billfishing offshore as well, with excellent numbers of sailfish and blue and white marlin releases racking up for the fleet.
Closer to the beaches, trollers are hooking plenty of bluefish, spanish mackerel, and ribbonfish while working around Oregon Inlet and along the beachfronts. Clarkspoons and other flashy lures are fooling the nearshore pelagics.
Amberjacks are looking for meals at structure off the beaches, and they’re biting both baits and lures.
Bottom fishing around Oregon Inlet has been producing fast action with flounder, sea mullet, gray trout, bluefish, pigfish, sea bass, and more.
Dave, of Skiligal Sportfishing, reports that anglers found some excellent dolphin fishing offshore of Oregon Inlet over the past weekend (with limit catches). The ‘phins are falling for naked and skirted ballyhoo on the troll along with squid and cut baits that anglers are tossing to schools of fish under weeds and other floating objects.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking sea mullet, croaker, pompano, and a variety of smaller fish on bottom rigs baited with shrimp, squid, and cut baits.
Some bluefish are also falling for casting lures like Gotcha plugs.
The water is 76 degrees.
