Morehead – October 22, 2015
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are seeing the inshore water clear up and fishing improve around Morehead.
Speckled trout have begun to bite in the creeks, around inshore jetties and bridges, and in the surf and off Oceanana Pier. Anglers are connecting with the specks on live baits and a variety of artificial lures. Anglers are also hooking some gray trout alongside the specks around the Atlantic Beach Bridge at night, and they’re biting Stingsilvers and live baits.
Flounder are still feeding around the port wall and high rise bridges before they begin to move out to the ocean as the water cools. Live finger mullet and mud minnows will get attention from the flatfish.
Red drum action is still a bit slow, but anglers are finding a few in the marshes, North River, Core Creek, and around ICW docks. Live baits under popping corks and a variety of artificial lures are the ways to get attention from the specks.
Spot have shown up around Beaufort, Radio Island, and the turning basin, and they are feeding alongside sea mullet, croaker, pigfish, puffers, and other panfish. All will bite bloodworms or Fish Bites baits.
Spanish mackerel are still feeding along the beachfront, but the bite’s in a bit deeper water than it was a few weeks back. Trolling Clarkspoons and mackerel trees is the way to connect with the spaniards and bluefish, and both will respond to metal casting jigs when schools are feeding on the surface.
False albacore have shown up around Cape Lookout, Beaufort Inlet, and AR-315. Anglers can find the fish chasing bait on the surface and cast a variety of small, flashy jigs into the action to hook up.
King mackerel have begun to feed hard on both the east and west side of Lookout Shoals, with good action at the AR’s, rocks, and live bottoms in the area. Live menhaden and bluefish are the best bet for the largest kings, but anglers can also hook up while trolling dead cigar minnows.
Surf casters are connecting with some large red drum while casting cut mullet into the breakers. Smaller puppy drum, black drum, flounder, sea mullet, spot, bluefish, and more are also feeding in the surf and biting shrimp, bloodworms, mud minnows, and mullet.
Offshore, trollers are connecting with solid numbers of wahoo while trolling around blue water hotspots like the Big Rock, Rise, Swansboro Hole, and AR-302. Blackfin tuna, dolphin, and king mackerel are feeding alongside the ‘hoos, and all are biting skirted ballyhoo.
Bottom fishermen are finding plenty of action with grouper, snapper, sea bass, amberjacks, and more at spots in the 20-40 mile range. Squid, menhaden, and cigar minnows are fooling most of the bottom feeders.
Larry Hammond, of Carmel, IN, and Tim Clap, of Apex, NC, with a 34.5 lb. king mackerel that attacked a live bluefish near Cape Lookout while they were fishing with Capt. Chris Kimrey of Mount Maker Charters.
Steve, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that surf casters have been hooking a mixed bag of red drum, spot, bluefish, flounder, and sea mullet. A few speckled trout are mixed in. The surf species are biting cut mullet, shrimp, squid, and sand fleas. Casting lures are also fooling some of the bluefish and trout.
Inshore, spot are showing up in the turning basin and around Beaufort, and they’re biting spec rigs tipped with bloodworms or Fish Bites baits.
Gray trout and flounder are looking for meals along the port wall and will bite live baits or bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp baits.
The speckled trout bite is turning on for fall, with fish reported from most of the area’s known trout spots. A variety of live baits and lures will fool the specks, but the new Z-Man Trout Trick baits have been particularly effective lately.
Offshore, anglers are seeing king mackerel action off the beachfront and along the shipping channel, but the best bite has been east of Lookout Shoals at spots like the 1700 Rock, Atlas Tanker, and AR-285. Live baits like menhaden are the best bets for the biggest kings.
Blue water trollers are connecting with wahoo, blackfin and yellowfin tuna, and a few sailfish. Medium ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures are fooling most of the offshore pelagics.
Offshore bottom fishing has been very good around the Hutton, WR13, Big 10/Little 10, and West Rock recently. Sea bass, beeliners, triggerfish, porgies, grunts, groupers, and more are feeding around structure in those areas, and cut squid have been fooling them all.
Avery Doughty, of Durham, with a 5.00 lb. speckled trout that she hooked on a live bait while fishing inshore near Morehead City. Weighed in at Chasin’ Tails Outdoors.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that anglers are seeing some good live-baiting action for king mackerel around Cape Lookout (with some fish 30-40+ lbs.). Menhaden and bluefish are producing most of the action.
False albacore are feeding around the cape and just off the beaches, and anglers can cast small metal lures or flashy flies to the speedy fish to hook up.
Inshore, there’s been good red drum action in the local marshes with a few flounder as well. Live shrimp, finger mullet, and other baits fished under popping corks will fool the inshore predators.
Thomas, of Dancin’ Outlaw Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with solid numbers of wahoo along with some yellowfin and blackfin tuna while trolling the blue water off Morehead at present. Most of the fish are biting ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures like sea witches.
Michael, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking some spanish mackerel and false albacore while working Gotcha plugs from the pier. Some speckled trout have also been falling for the Gotchas.
Flounder are feeding under the pier and biting live finger mullet.
Bottom fishermen have been hooking good numbers of pufferfish on shrimp.
