Southport – November 12, 2015
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have seen the speckled trout bite around Southport take off over the past few weeks, with excellent fishing at a variety of spots in the area (and some solid fish with plenty of 2-3 pounders and some to 8+). The specks are biting live shrimp along with a variety of soft plastic baits and suspending hard baits like MirrOlures.
Black drum have been feeding in Davis Creek and other backwaters in the area. Anglers can tempt them to bite cut shrimp.
Big numbers of large sea mullet have been looking for meals around Fort Caswell. Anglers are hooking plenty of the mullet on cut shrimp and other baits, along with a few black drum. A few spot are also in the area, but the mullet have been much more prevalent.
Flounder fishing around Southport has been solid recently as well (with fish to 8 lbs. weighed in recently). The flatfish are falling for live baits along with a variety of soft plastics worked slowly along the bottom.
Large, citation-class red drum are still feeding in the area, and anglers have hooked them around Fort Caswell and out in the ocean at Yaupon Reef and other nearshore structure. A variety of live and cut baits will attract attention from the reds. Anglers have also landed some of the big drum from the surf as well.
A few king mackerel are still being caught along the beachfront, and there’s been an excellent bite offshore at spots like the Cabbage Patch recently. Live baits are the best bets for the kings, but anglers can also hook plenty on dead baits like cigar minnows.
Tripp Diaz with a 42″ red drum that inhaled a slow-trolled menhaden while he was fishing off Oak Island with Capt. Christian Wolfe of Seahawk Charters.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with big numbers of king mackerel while fishing 15-25 miles offshore. Some blackfin tuna have been mixed in with the kings within 10 miles of land over the past week as well. Live baits like menhaden are the best bets for the bigger fish, and there are still plenty to be had along the beachfront.
There has also been some excellent action for boaters running out to the 40 mile range, where wahoo and sailfish are mixed in with the kings and blackfins.
Inshore, the speckled trout bite is heating up around Lockwood Folly.
Andrw Imes, of Oak Island with a king mackerel that struck a live menhaden as he was kayak-trolling around Yaupon Reef.
Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that anglers have been finding some solid king mackerel action within the 10 mile range over the past week. Both live and dead baits will attract attention from the kings.
Further offshore, there have been plenty of wahoo feeding in the Gulf Stream and biting ballyhoo and skirted trolling lures.
Bottom fishing at spots in 100’ of water and deeper is producing plenty of action with gag and scamp grouper. Live baits are the best bets for the big grouper.
Josh and Kayla Thomas, of Castle Hayne, with flounder they hooked on live finger mullet in Waldens Creek.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some sea mullet and croaker while bottom fishing with shrimp.
Bluefish are biting bottom rigs and metal casting lures.
Anglers are hooking some flounder on live baits fished near the pilings.
There have also been decent numbers of red drum caught lately on cut baits.
John Hilton, of Oak Island, with a 41″ red drum he caught and released at Yaupon Reef after it attacked a live menhaden.
