Swansboro/Emerald Isle – May 23, 2019
Hannah, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that the bluefish bite from the surf has been very good. Anglers are catching a 1-4 lb. class of fish on Carolina-rigged cut baits and by casting jigs to feeding schools.
Spanish mackerel are mixed in with the bluefish, but anglers on the pier have been more successful.
Good-sized sea mullet are biting shrimp and sand fleas fished on bottom rigs.
Red drum are being caught in good numbers inside the inlet. The fish have been moving up into the marsh areas and are most interested in soft plastic jerk shads.
A few speckled trout are hitting soft plastics fished under a popping cork. Most of the action is up near creek mouths off the ICW.
Flounder are showing up in the sound, but the bite has been a bit slow as they haven’t arrived in large numbers yet.
Dale, of Dudley’s Marina, reports that red drum are chewing around creek mouths and in the marsh areas behind the islands.
Speckled trout are staged around grass points in creek mouths off the ICW.
A few flounder are moving through the inlet and are being caught around the deeper ledges on soft plastics and Carolina-rigged baits.
Bluefish are in deeper channels. They’re hitting both metal jigs and soft plastics.
Nearshore anglers have been finding large numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish while trolling spoons just off the beach, and king mackerel and bonito are staged around the local ARs.
Dillion Holder showing off a bonito he caught while trolling a Yo-Zuri crystal minnow near Diver’s Rock off of North Topsail Beach, NC.
Chris, of Pogie’s Fishing Center, reports that slot-sized red drum are in the marshes behind Bear Island.
Good-sized speckled trout (to 5 lbs.) are biting in the New River and its creeks. Soft plastics under a popping cork have been the most productive rig when worked along the deeper grass points.
Flounder are pushing inshore, but anglers are reporting a majority of fish being just short.
Just off the beach, bluefish and spanish mackerel are being caught by anglers casting glass minnow jigs.
Structure in the 2-5 mile range is holding good numbers of school-sized king mackerel.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that the king mackerel bite has been hot around nearshore ARs and structure. Anglers have been catching limits of schoolie fish (to 16 lbs.) while trolling deep diver plugs and spoons behind a planer.
Bonito have been hanging around these same wrecks, preferring a deep diver plug. Anglers on the water early have found schools feeding on the surface, where casting jigs along the edges will produce a few strikes.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish have moved closer to the beach and are being caught in good numbers by pulling Clarkspoons behind a planer.
Cobia are in the area, and anglers out trolling should be keeping an eye out for cruising fish, especially around bait pods and turtles.
Inside the inlet, red drum are staged up on the flats and marsh areas waiting to feed on the bait pushing inside.
A few speckled trout are along the deeper banks, and soft plastics on jig heads or under a cork has produced a few bites.
Large sheepshead have been found around dock pilings and oyster beds.
Jonathan, of On Point Charters, reports that king mackerel are being caught in good numbers at ARs in the 3-5 mile range. Pulling Drone spoons behind a planer, as well as trolling deep diver plugs, are both producing fish.
Bonito are hanging around the same reefs and wrecks, with most of the bonito preferring deep diver plugs.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are everywhere from the beach out a couple miles.
Bottom fishing around these nearshore wrecks is producing black sea bass and large gray trout.
Legal-sized flounder are on the same nearshore structure, and anglers are jigging bucktails to entice a few strikes.
Deeper channels inside the inlet are holding bluefish and spanish mackerel.
Speckled trout are being caught around oyster beds, with soft plastics under a popping cork rig as the most productive setup.
Red drum can be caught in the marshes inside the inlet and up into the creek mouths.
Bobby, of Teezher Charters, reports that good-sized wahoo (to 40 lbs.) are being caught offshore on skirted ballyhoo.
Mahi have been moving into the area, and anglers are pleased with the larger, gaffer-sized fish they are coming across around weed lines.
King mackerel are around nearshore ARs and ledges on deep diver plugs.
Bonito have been on these same structured areas, and they’re also being caught on trolled plugs.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish have been anywhere from the beach out to three miles, and they have been schooled up in great numbers.
Josh, of Liquid Fire Sportfishing, reports that king mackerel are showing up around local ARs and ledges. Most of the fish have been smaller (8-12 lbs.), but a few anglers are reporting fish in the 20+ lb. range.
Bonito are around these same reefs and structure, with most being caught on deep diver plugs. A few fish are coming in on casting jigs early in the morning when the fish are easier to spot on the surface.
Really good numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish are holding close to the beach.
Wahoo are around offshore areas, such as the Swansboro Hole. Trolling baits behind a planer has been the most successful, with a few trips catching double digit numbers of fish.
Teresa, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers have been casting Gotcha plugs and loading up on the good numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish hanging around.
A few king mackerel are being caught off the end, and anglers anticipate the bite only getting better as water temperatures creep up.
Puppy drum (to 24”) are hitting Carolina-rigged cut mullet.
Sea mullet are feeding on bait shrimp fished on bottom rigs, and a few black drum (to 5 lbs.) have hit the same bait shrimp fished on the bottom.
Anglers using Fishbites strips and sand fleas are catching pompano when focusing their baits closer to the breakers.
Sheepshead are being caught around the pilings with sand fleas and fiddler crabs.
