Morehead – December 10, 2015
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are seeing some solid speckled trout action throughout the area, but they must weed through big numbers of short fish in order to find keepers to take home. The water’s still warm for December, so it’s likely the season is just getting into gear.
The Haystacks, Radio Island, and Cape Lookout rock jetty are all hosting some of the trout action, and anglers are hooking them on live shrimp, mud minnows, and a variety of artificial lures. As the water cools off, look for the specks around the jetty and in mainland creeks.
Tim Rudder, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, with 5.5 and 6.5 lb. flounder that he hooked on live finger mullet while fishing near the railroad trestle at Radio Island.
Gray trout are feeding inshore in the turning basin and near the bridges, with some larger fish out at AR-315. Anglers can tempt the trout to bite soft plastics, live baits, or jigging lures like Stingsilvers.
Once the trout bite fades, anglers should still be able to target puppy drum, tautog, and sheepshead around the Lookout jetty with fresh shrimp, a bite that often holds up all winter.
The flounder bite has slowed down inshore, but anglers have hooked some decent numbers at AR-315 and 330 over the past week. The flatfish will move offshore to the 100’ depths as the water gets colder, where anglers may be able to catch them all winter (along with plenty of black sea bass). Large bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp baits are the best bets for anglers looking to hook up with the ocean flounder.
Surf anglers are hooking some pufferfish, sea mullet, pigfish, and bluefish while bottom fishing with shrimp and other baits.
John Morrow, of Atlantic Beach, with a 5.65 lb. speckled trout that bit a live shrimp in a local creek. Weighed in at Chasin’ Tails Outdoors.
Some speckled trout have been biting in the surf and taking an interest in MirrOlures and soft plastics.
Offshore, anglers can hook big numbers of black sea bass at spots like the NW Places now and for much of the winter. The bass will bite baited bottom rigs or bucktails and vertical jigs.
King mackerel are moving offshore, and anglers saw a good bite around the Big 10/Little 10 last week. Dead cigar minnows and strip baits are good substitutes if anglers can’t find live baits at this time of year.
Not many anglers have been fishing the Gulf Stream recently, but there have been some decent wahoo catches when boats can make the run. The bite’s been between the Big 10/Little 10 and Big Rock in recent weeks. The ‘hoos are biting ballyhoo under skirted lures like Blue Water Candy JAG’s.
Brad Hasty, of Emerald Isle, with a 23″ flounder he hooked while casting a green grub near the Morehead City port wall.
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are finding some solid pufferfish action along with a few sea mullet while fishing the local surf. Shrimp and Fish Bites baits will fool the bottom feeders.
Big numbers of small speckled trout are also feeding in the surf and biting a host of artificial lures.
Puppy drum are schooled up along the beach at Bear Island, and there are likely plenty of fish feeding along Cape Lookout shoals as well.
Many of the trout inshore have been small as well, but savvy anglers have been putting together some limit catches. Soft plastics and MirrOlures are tempting many of the bites inshore.
Doug Southworth, Patrick Shore, and Brad Kimrey with a 103″ bluefin tuna (core weight 456 lbs.) that they hooked on a ballyhoo under a Joe Shute skirt near Cape Lookout Shoals.
Gray trout are feeding in the turning basin, where anglers can tempt them to bite live and cut baits, soft plastics, or metal jigging lures.
Tautog have shown up along the port wall and at other inshore structure in the area. Fresh shrimp and other crustacean baits will attract attention from the ‘togs.
Flounder fishing has slowed down inshore, but anglers can find gulf flounder feeding around bottom structure in the 60’ depths in the ocean. Live baits or bucktail jigs are the way to go for the flatfish.
False albacore are still stalking big schools of glass minnows within a few miles of shore and Cape Lookout shoals. Anglers can fool them with metal casting jigs or other flashy artificials.
There’s been a decent giant bluefin tuna bite for boats targeting the bruiser fish around the shoals and schools of menhaden off Beaufort Inlet.
Tina Trombetta and Trish Dearing, of Atlantic Beach, with a pair of wahoo that attacked ballyhoo while they were trolling near the Big Rock on the “Diamond Girl.”
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that anglers have been catching big numbers of undersized speckled (with a few keepers mixed in) trout inshore around Beaufort and Morehead. Live mud minnows and soft plastic baits are getting attention from the specks.
Gray trout are feeding at in and nearshore structure off Beaufort Inlet, and anglers can tempt them to bite jigging lures like Stingsilvers.
Further offshore, there’s been plenty of black sea bass action at deeper structure in the ocean, where the fish are falling for jigs and baited bottom rigs. The sea bass and other bottom feeders should be available targets for most of the winter whenever it’s calm enough to get out to the 60’+ depths where anglers should be able to find keepers.
Andrew Nelson with one of a limit of wahoo landed while he was fishing near the Swansboro Hole with Jon Pollock and Tim Nelson on the “Reel Tight.”
Thomas, of Dancin’ Outlaw Sportfishing, reports that boats have been targeting giant bluefin tuna off Beaufort Inlet recently, with a few hitting the docks (out of 30-40 boats fishing) each day anglers can get out.
Not many have been headed offshore, but there have been a few wahoo and blackfin tuna caught at the local blue water hotspots lately. Both fish should be available for much of the winter as long as warm, Gulf Stream water is flowing over the break. Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures will fool the tuna and ‘hoos.
Sherri Jones, of Jacksonville, NC, with a wahoo she landed while trolling off Morehead City near the Big Rock aboard the “Baby Blue.”
