Northern Beaches – July 5, 2018
Betty, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that surf fishing on the southern beaches is great for anglers bottom fishing. Good numbers of sea mullet and pompano are being caught on sand fleas and small pieces of shrimp.
Spanish mackerel are biting well on glass minnow jigs early in the mornings around the Avon area. Bluefish are being reported the whole stretch of coastline, and they’re feeding on cut baits and glass minnow jigs.
The piers are seeing a great variety of fish feeding on the bottom. Larger sea mullet and legal-sized flounder are biting close to the surf line. Fishing farther out and around the pilings, anglers are catching some spadefish and sheepshead. Spanish mackerel and bluefish schools are running past the piers, and anglers are having success with casting Gotcha plugs at the feeding fish.
The nearshore anglers are seeing plenty of both spanish mackerel and bluefish while trolling around schools of bait just off the beach. A bunch of large ribbonfish are being caught by these same boats trolling just outside the surf.
Anglers fishing the little bridge in Manteo are reporting striped bass, speckled trout, spot, and smaller sheepshead. Most fish are being caught on bottom rigs with shrimp, with a few stripers falling for soft plastics.
The larger sheepshead are coming in from around the pilings on the Bonner Bridge. Anglers are finding action by using smaller Carolina rigs with sand fleas.
Offshore boats have continued to report huge numbers of mahi caught on their trips. Most fish this time of year are bailers, but larger fish (to 40 lbs.) haven’t been all that uncommon.
Schools of huge yellowfin and bigeye tuna (to 110 lbs.) are also being reported by anglers trolling in the Gulf Stream.
In addition, a few citation wahoo are coming back to the docks with the tuna.
Good numbers of white marlin releases are being reported, with a couple of blue marlin mixed in.
Bottom fishing has been great, with catches of triggerfish, black sea bass, and tilefish all being brought back to the docks.
Miller Rogers (left), of Rocky Mount, with a 40 lb. dolphin hooked on a dink rod and fought for 45 minutes (even with a broken arm in a cast). He was fishing 40 fathoms on the break out of Hatteras with Mate Sam Petry (right) and Capt. Jessie Anderson of Carolina Girl Sportfishing out of Hatteras Harbor Marina.
Norma, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that yellowfin tuna fishing in the Stream has been great. Boats are coming back to the dock with large yellowfin tuna, and some have had a couple of bigeyes mixed in (weighing around 100 lbs.).
A large number of white marlin and sailfish are being reported offshore.
Citation-sized wahoo have been a welcome catch on a bunch of trips, and boats are still finding mahi around weedlines.
Nearshore trips are finding large ribbonfish, spanish mackerel, and the occasional king mackerel while trolling around local wrecks and bait schools.
A few citation red drum are being caught around the inlets.
Inshore anglers are hooking speckled trout around the flats and oyster beds, while fishing the bottom is producing good-sized flounder, gray trout, and sea mullet.
The head boat anglers are reporting flounder, gray trout, spot, puffers, and good-sized sea mullet.
Aaron, of Carolina Sunrise, reports that speckled trout and red drum are biting well in the sounds. Edges of oyster beds and flats have been holding the majority of the fish.
Trolling the beaches has produced good numbers of large spanish mackerel and, recently, a lot of ribbonfish.
There are some cobia still around nearshore, so anglers should keep their eyes peeled while out trolling.
Nikki, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that large tuna have continued to show in daily dock counts. Both yellowfins and bigeyes (to 108 lbs.) are being caught on skirted ballyhoo around the current breaks.
Mahi fishing has been good, with a lot of bailer fish being caught.
Boats bottom fishing are finding good-sized tilefish and huge numbers of black sea bass feeding on cut bait.
Blue and white marlin are both being seen well out in the bluewater.
Nearshore anglers choosing to troll are finding ribbonfish, spanish mackerel, and bluefish.
Steve, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that bottom fishing is productive, with a large variety of fish being caught. Sheepshead, sea mullet, spot, spadefish, triggers, and flounder are all being caught by anglers using shrimp.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish have been in large schools running past the piers after bait. Anglers with Stingsilvers and Gotcha plugs are doing well sight casting to the fish.
Andy, of Nags Head Pier, reports that sea mullet and gray trout have been biting well for the anglers bottom fishing with shrimp.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are being caught by anglers working Gotcha plugs near the end of the pier.
A few smaller flounder have been landed on bottom rigs closer to the breakers.
John, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that bluefish are schooled up on the beaches and are biting cut baits and glass minnow jigs.
Sea mullet have been feeding on bottom rigs with shrimp.
Some flounder are being caught on bottom rigs and by anglers casting Gulp baits on jig heads in the sloughs along the beach.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that surf fishing is consistent right now, with strong numbers of fish being reported for anglers bottom fishing the northern beaches. Good-sized sea mullet, spot, and croakers are all feeding hard on both bloodworms and shrimp.
Some pompano are being landed on sand fleas close to the shoreline.
Schools of bluefish and spanish mackerel are working the surface. Getting out early before the crowds has helped anglers hook into more fish.
When the winds have turned from the northeast, red drum are being caught on cut baits.
Nearshore boats are finding large spanish mackerel and ribbonfish, with an occasional cobia being spotted while out trolling.
Tilefish, along with hard-fighting amberjacks, are being caught in good numbers around local wrecks.
