Hatteras/Ocracoke – May 23, 2019
Ryan, of Hatteras Jack, reports that surf anglers are finding good numbers of bluefish wile casting jigs and fishing Carolina-rigged cut baits.
Sea mullet and a few puffers are hitting shrimp on bottom rigs, and a few large pompano (to 2 lbs.) are being landed from Buxton to Frisco on sand fleas.
Nearshore anglers are catching cobia (to 50 lbs.) while sight-casting bucktails to cruising fish.
Jim, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that large sea mullet (to 2 lbs.) are being caught by anglers fishing on the bottom.
Schools of bluefish have been hanging around the pier all spring, and casting Gotcha plugs has been the most effective method.
A few legal-sized flounder are being landed on Carolina-rigged baits and soft plastics.
Jeffery Keifer and Terry Klara with a 58 lb. mahi that fell for a trolling plug. They were fishing with Capt. Jeremy Hicks, of Calypso Sportfishing.
Heather, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that anglers are catching citation-sized sea mullet while fishing in the sloughs just off the beach.
A few pufferfish are mixed in, and they have preferred smaller pieces of shrimp.
The pompano bite has slowed a little, with the cooler water temperatures in the area. Anglers fishing with live or artificial sand fleas are having the most success.
Slot and over-slot red drum are being found around ramp 44 on Carolina-rigged fresh mullet.
Good-sized speckled trout (to 23”) are soundside around oyster beds, and puppy drum are being caught on the flats with soft plastics and Carolina-rigged baits.
Kristen, of Avon Pier, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish are being caught in good numbers with Gotcha plugs and glass minnow jigs.
A few false albacore have been running near the pier early in the mornings, with smaller glass minnow jigs being their preferred bait.
Cobia are in the area, and anglers near the end of the pier have been fishing live baits while also waiting to sight-cast to the fish.
Sea mullet are being landed by those fishing shrimp on the bottom.
Cameron, of Frisco Tackle, reports that large sea mullet (to 2 lbs.) are being caught on shrimp.
Pompano are feeding on sand fleas in deeper holes just off the sand, and bluefish and a few red drum are hitting Carolina-rigged cut baits.
Lee, of Teach’s Lair, reports that boats have been returning with great numbers of gaffer mahi.
A few yellowfin and blackfin tuna are mixed in the counts, and they’re in the same areas as the dolphin.
Wahoo are striking baits fished deep behind a planer.
A sailfish was released recently, and more billfish are now being spotted in the area.
Bottom fishing has been great on cut baits, with some good-sized grouper being pulled off structure.
Nearshore anglers have been focused on the cobia bite happening in the area. Sight-casting 2-3 oz. bucktails with 6” soft plastic trailers has been productive when spotting the large (to 70 lbs.) fish. A few schools of citation-sized red drum have also been seen in the same areas.
Bluefish, spanish mackerel, and false albacore are schooled up off the beaches and feeding on bait pods.
King mackerel (8-15 lbs.) are being caught by trolling deep diver plugs and spoons around bottom structure holding bait.
Surf anglers have seen a large jump in sea mullet numbers this week, with most fish coming in on shrimp.
Pompano are feeding on sand fleas in deeper holes up against the shoreline.
Red drum (to 44”) are being caught on Carolina-rigged fresh mullet.
In the sounds, anglers are finding good numbers of speckled trout around ledges and oyster beds, and sheepshead (to 6 lbs.) are being hooked on live fiddler crabs around pilings.
Joey, of Fingeance Sportfishing, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish are in good numbers from the breakers out to two miles. Trolling spoons has been productive for locating the schools, when anglers aren’t able to cast glass minnow jigs to surface feeding fish.
A few good-eating bonito are mixed in with the spanish.
Gray trout and bluefish are in deeper channels inside the inlet. They’re mostly hitting jigs.
The speckled trout action is primarily focused on oyster beds and ledges.
Aaron, of Tightline Charters, reports that the bluefish have been thick just past the surf zone. Casting glass minnow jigs or trolling spoons has been producing all the fish an angler can handle.
Red drum are coming through the inlet, and a few citation-sized fish are being caught while fishing Carolina-rigged cut baits.
Schools of puppy drum are pushed up onto the flats, and cut mullet has produced good numbers of fish.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that anglers are landing great numbers of gaffer mahi on skirted ballyhoo and plugs. There has been plenty of grass lines and mats around holding the mahi.
Blackfins and good-sized yellowfins (to 40 lbs.) are being caught on skirted baits, and wahoo are hitting baits fished off the planer rods.
Jeremy, of Calypso Sportfishing, reports that dolphin are being caught in good numbers on naked and skirted ballyhoo.
Wahoo have hit baits fished deep behind a planer, and a few large blackfin tuna and scattered yellowfin are mixed in the counts.
A white marlin was released that hit a skirted ballyhoo, and anglers are starting to see more billfish as the season moves along.
Nearshore trips are producing large cobia (to 60 lbs.) and spanish mackerel.
Jessie, of Carolina Girl Sportfishing, reports that mahi are being caught in really good numbers, with many of the fish being gaffer-sized (to 40 lbs.).
A few citation-sized blackfin tuna are hitting skirted ballyhoo, and the wahoo bite has been good, with many trips getting a chance at landing at least one while fishing the planer rod.
Bottom-fishing is producing triggerfish and snappers.
Alan, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that red drum (to 33”) are being caught on Carolina-rigged fresh mullet.
Some larger bluefish (to 6 lbs.) are hitting cut bait as well as spoons thrown towards feeding fish.
Large pompano (to 2.5 lbs.) are being caught on sand fleas.
Nearshore anglers are sight-casting bucktails to citation-sized red drum and large cobia (to 47 lbs.).
Offshore anglers have been loading up on all the mahi hanging around grass lines and current breaks.
