Southport August 24, 2006
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that the bait is starting its early fall migration towards the beach. The spanish are already following the glass minnows and pogies. With the recent influx of mullets, this means the fish, especially the kings, are in hot pursuit.
The Cape Fear River Channel, Yaupon Reef, McGlammery Reef, and AR440 are some of the hot spots for slow-trolling live baits now, and it will get even better as the water starts to cool.
The flounder bite has been good on the inshore reefs. Spade fishing, using jelly balls, has also been good off the beach.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been hit and miss lately on the beach near the Cape Fear River. They seem to be biting better the farther west you go. Try starting at Lockwood Folly Inlet and working west.
There have been plenty of barracudas to catch. The dolphin bite has slowed, but there are still some around in the 35 to 45 mile range.
The shark bite has been solid, with some over 100 pounds being caught recently.
The gulf stream bite has picked up, with wahoo being the major target right now. However, don’t be surprised if a sailfish or white marlin crashes your bait. The Blackjack Hole would be a good place to start your hunt.
The grouper bite has been great in 80 to 120 feet of water. Look for them to start moving into shallower water as the fall progresses.
Jimmy, of Wreck Hunter Guide Service, reports solid trout fishing in Elizabeth River, near the Oak Island Bridge, and behind Battery Island. Fish from 1.5-5 pounds are biting chartreuse/metal flake and smoke/metal flake soft plastics, Mirrolures, and live shrimp beneath floats. There are also a few larger fish (up to 7 pounds) mixed in.
Flounder continue to bite well in a variety of areas. The Yaupon and McGlammery reefs are holding plenty of fish from 2 to 6 pounds, and Carolina-rigged live bait is the way to put them in the boat.
Flounder up to 9 pounds are coming from the Southport waterfront, Elizabeth River, and the Oak Island Bridge.
Red drum from 6 to 10 pounds are biting bucktails, soft plastics, and spinnerbaits well in Dutchman’s Creek. Bigger drum from 20 to 25 pounds are coming from the drop-offs in the river channel.
Fishing with strips of jellyballs on the nearshore reefs will produce spadefish.
Light-lining a finger mullet or peanut pogy while fishing the reefs will attract spanish mackerel, and a larger live bait under a balloon will get bites from kings.
Dave, at Ocean Crest Pier, reports that tarpon have finally hit the scales. After many weeks of seeing tarpons rolling, there were two caught this week (with one successfully released). The two fish weighed 76 and 80 pounds respectively.
A few kings have been caught this week, and it seems to steadily get better with the bait still hanging around the pier.
A few spanish mackerel and bluefish are being caught.
The speckled trout bite has slowed somewhat, but there are still some nice ones to be caught on live shrimp or mullet.
A 7 lb. 7 oz. redfish was landed this week, and the pompano continue to bite cut shrimp in the surf.
Flounder fishing has still been productive, with some 2 to 4 pounders caught, but there is plenty of room for it to pick up.
Doug, at Yaupon Pier, reports that shrimp and bloodworms are producing spots.
Trout from 1 to 3 pounds have been hitting Gotcha plugs and shrimp this week.
Finger mullet have been effective on flounder from 2 to 4 pounds.
There are 2 to 4 pound spanish mackerel biting live mullet.
Live baiters hooked a few kings this week, but they were unable to land any.
The water temperature is 83 degrees.
