Hatteras – September 1, 2016
Mike, of Hatteras Jack, reports that the spanish mackerel have been the heavy action lately throughout the Hatteras Island beaches, and there are still cobia pushing up when there’s a northeast wind. Anglers along the beach are consistently catching sharks, pompano, and sea mullet, and the bigger spanish mackerel have been caught mostly on hardware.
Up towards Oregon Inlet, a lot of flounder are starting to show back up in the sound, as well as a ton of small mullet.
Drifting over the grass flats with popping corks and soft plastics has resulted in a nice variety of sound catches including trout, drum, and an occasional flounder. A couple of sheepshead have also been landed in the sound (on soft plastics as well).
Jeff Freuler with a cobia caught in the Pamlico Sound on cut bait in a chum slick.
Leslie, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that anglers have been regularly catching spanish mackerel and bluefish, as well as sea mullet, croaker, and sheepshead. There have also been several big catches reported on the pier, including a recent 5 lb. flounder and a 26 lb. king mackerel.
Frank, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that when the water has been clear, surf fishermen up and down the island have been catching quite a few small bluefish and spanish mackerel. The spanish mackerel bite has been as good as it’s ever been in previous years, and the waters have been exceptionally warm, ranging from 75 degrees at Oregon Inlet to 80-82 degrees or higher from Avon south.
When the water has been dirty, the bottom fishing has been solid, with a number of pompano, spot, croaker, and sea mullet caught all along the Hatteras Island beaches.
Barb, of Avon Pier, reports that anglers have been catching a mixed bag of sea mullet, spot, spadefish, and bluefish. There have also been a wide variety of sharks caught, including blacktips and sand sharks.
Anglers have reported several black drum and puppy drum caught.
Water temps have been consistently warm around the pier, hovering in the low 80s range.
Cameron, of Frisco Tackle, reports that anglers at The Point have been reeling in a lot of bluefish and spanish mackerel, and they are having the best luck on natural glass minnows.
On the southern beaches, surf fishermen are regularly reeling in sea mullet, pompano, bluefish, and scattered red drum, which have all mostly been caught on shrimp and cut mullet.
JAM, of Teach’s Lair Marina, reports that wahoo and mahi have been hit and miss for offshore anglers, with boats coming in with nice catches roughly every other day. Offshore boats have reported a few amberjacks, as well as several billfish caught. Most of the bills have been blue marlins, with no recent white marlin reported.
Inshore boats are landing a nice variety of species including drum, trout, spanish mackerel, false albacore, and bluefish.
Along the beaches, anglers are catching nice-sized bluefish on metal lures. Surf anglers are also regularly hooking false albacore, sea mullet, and a few pompano.
Aaron, of Tightline Charters, reports that there have been a large number of citation-sized drum catches in the sound, as well as a few scattered speckled trout.
Along the beaches, spanish mackerel and bluefish catches have been consistent all along the Hatteras Island beachfront.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that recent offshore outings have resulted in a number of dolphin caught (including gaffers), yellowfin tuna, wahoo, a couple of blackfin tuna, and a range of sailfish and blue marlin caught on light tackle.
Alan, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that surf fishermen along the Ocracoke Island beaches have been catching bluefish, spanish mackerel, sea mullet, pompano, and a couple gray trout in the evenings. There have also been scattered short flounder catches, with a couple keeper flounder mixed in.
Anglers are having the best luck with Stingsilvers or Stingsilver imitations in varying colors for the spanish mackerel and bluefish, and the bite has been especially good in the evenings.
Bluefish, spanish mackerel, speckled trout, and puppy drum have been landed by inshore vessels and sound fishermen, and the drum and trout have been hanging around the grass in the Pamlico Sound.
Offshore fishing has resulted in a steady mixed bag of billfish and bottom fish.
