Southport – June 9, 2016
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that the speckled trout bite has been strong in the area. Some larger fish have been weighed in (including four over 6 lbs.), but most of the fish are running 1-3 lbs. The best areas have been in Buzzards Bay, Cape Creek, Cedar Creek, and Strikers Island.
Some of the larger trout have been caught on topwaters early and late in the day, and live peanut pogies have also been producing larger fish. The key has been to find 2-5’ of water along a grass bank.
The flounder bite has improved, with several citations weighed in over the past week. The Southport waterfront has been a top producer inside, but off the beach has also been strong. Start at Yaupon and McGlammery reefs, and whether inside or outside, a live peanut pogie has been hard to beat.
The red drum have also come on in numbers lately. Some of the better areas have been Dutchman’s Creek, Walden Creek, and Cape and Cedar creeks. Live bait (such as mud minnows or peanut pogies) has been working, and so have spoons and soft plastics.
The spanish mackerel bite has been regularly producing limit catches. They are right on the beach, and all you need to do is troll a Clarkspoon. To increase your chances of success, try dragging a pink or green Clarkspoon.
Bigger spanish have been landed by slow trolling a live peanut pogie, and this same tactic has also produced some kings and cobia.
Aaron Rockwell and Carl Lechner, of Raleigh, NC, with a pair of cobia caught off of Oak Island using live bait. They were fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters.
John, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that cobia have been hanging out close to shore. The fish have been found around large bait balls of mostly menhaden, and casting straight to them with a bucktail is a solid strategy for those wanting to connect. Several large king mackerel have been reported at the pier, with many of them weighing in at over 20 lbs.
In the surf, small croakers and whiting are being caught with live shrimp and mud minnows, although the whiting bite will decrease as the water warms.
In the back waters, anglers are connecting with flounder; however, the larger flounder have not yet moved in from the river, as most of the flatfish are still undersized.
Justin Whitley and Christian Wolfe, of Wilmington, with two cobia they caught off Oak Island using live menhaden.
Nesbitt, of the Tackle Box, reports that cobia have been running right off the beach, with many larger fish weighed in recently (30-60 lbs.). Sight casting to cruising fish or throwning bucktail/Gulp combos to bait balls has been the best method.
Spanish mackerel have been caught on Clarkspoons (green and pink working better than other colors) trolled near the shore. There’s been a wide variety of size to the spanish being caught, from undersized to 3 lbs.
The mahi, blackfin tuna, and king mackerel bites have all slowed down with the recent weather, but all should improve very quickly.
Randy Robbins, of James Island, SC, with a 30 lb. king he caught on a pogey off the Oak Island Pier.
Mark, of Angry Pelican Charters, reports bottom fishing offshore in the 90-100’ depths has been strong. Finding rock ledges has been producing jacks, cobia, sea bass, beeliners, and pinkies. Just about everything has been on cut bait (squid and mullet), but dropping down live pogies has also attracted plenty of attention.
The spanish mackerel bite has been doing well right on the beach. There has been a mix of smaller and keeper fish. If you find yourself catching 12” fish, then pull your lines out of the water and move, as the 12” fish will swallow you up (once in a school of 12” fish, that’s all you’ll catch). The better strategy is to hug schools of pogies to find a beller class of fish (14-17”).
For most of the spanish, the best bet is trolling Clarkspoons behind #1 planers. Since the water has been dirty, the better producers of numbers of fish have been the Clarkspoons with a little color (pink or green). However, it seems that the bigger spanish have preferred a Clarkspoon dragged behind a bird on top.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel bite is getting better every day. There’s been plenty of fish right on the beach, but most of the fish are just under or just over the legal size limit. The best method has been Clarkspoons behind planers.
Schoolie-sized king mackerel can be found in the 15-25 mile range. Trolling cigar minnows will produce.
The mahi are starting to push inshore into the same areas as the kings. The average sized mahi has been 10-15 lbs., and Mack-A-Hoos seem to produce as good as anything right now.
The bottom fishing in the 40 mile range has seen a steady bite of the usuals: black sea bass, pinkies, beeliners, grunts, and triggerfish.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that flounder, whiting, bluefish, croaker, pompano, and speckled trout are all being caught from the pier.
The water temperature has been ranging in the mid-70s.
Steve, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that speckled trout are being caught on live shrimp, and spanish mackerel and bluefish are being caught on Gotcha plugs.
