Northern Beaches – June 20, 2019
Betty, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that red drum (up to 29”) are hitting Carolina-rigged cut baits from Oregon Inlet to Kill Devil Hills.
Anglers fishing bottom rigs with shrimp are finding sea mullet and pompano in the Nags Head area.
Bluefish are being caught from Nags Head to Corolla on Carolina-rigged cut baits, and a few ribbonfish bit Carolina-rigged baits in Duck.
Nearshore anglers have found huge numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish while trolling Clarkspoons behind a planer. Ribbonfish have been hitting the same spoons fished on planers.
Local structure has been loaded with smaller king mackerel (up to 30”) hitting trolled dead bait rigs and spoons.
Anglers dropping vertical jigs and Carolina-rigged live baits around nearshore structure are catching large amberjacks.
Huge bigeye tuna (to 246 lbs.) have made a good showing for anglers out in the Gulf Stream.
Great numbers of gaffer mahi are hitting skirted and naked ballyhoo along grass lines. Blackfin tuna and a few scattered yellowfin tuna are mixed in with all the dolphin.
Blue and white marlin are coming in on larger ballyhoo and lures, and a few wahoo are being caught off wire-rigged baits fished behind planers.
Anglers fishing around the Oregon Inlet Bridge pilings are finding large sheepshead (up to 7 lbs.).
Speckled trout are schooled up around deep grass banks from the inlet to Wanchese.
Red drum are being caught on flats around the inlet, and anglers fishing at the bridges around Manteo are producing striped bass on soft plastics.
Bridgette, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that citation bigeye tuna (anywhere from 114-246 lbs.) are hitting skirted baits and lures around the temperature break.
A few yellowfin tuna (up to 40 lbs.) are mixed in with the bigeyes.
Dolphin fishing has been in full swing, with double-digit numbers of gaffer fish hitting the docks on most days.
A couple of scattered wahoo have been caught on days that anglers can keep a planer bait out and clean from grass.
J. Ward Best with a 22″ red that was caught just north of Avon, NC. The drum fell for a hand-tied flicker rig with cut mullet.
Aaron, of Carolina Sunrise Charters, reports that anglers are still sight-casting bucktails to cobia in the area. A majority of the fish have been smaller (up to 35 lbs.), but a few large ones are being hooked around the inlet.
Red drum are hitting Carolina-rigged cut baits in the inlet and on the flats inside.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are in large schools just off the beach. Trolling spoons will catch all the fish an angler could want, but casting glass minnow jigs to surface feeding schools is a fun alternative.
Gerry, of Fishing Unlimited, reports that speckled trout are around and in good numbers, though many fish are just short (up to 13”). Gulp soft plastics fished on lighter jig heads are the top producing bait.
Anglers fishing bottom rigs with shrimp are catching black drum and croakers.
A few small flounder are mixed in, and they’re hitting baits fished on the bottom.
Laurie, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that mahi fishing has been great, with gaffer-sized fish hitting both skirted and naked ballyhoo. Weather has been a factor in boats getting offshore this past week, but anglers that make it out are having no problem finding weeds to fish under.
A few sailfish are hitting the same skirted baits.
Bigeye tuna are being caught in areas away from all the scattered grass, and blackfin and yellowfin tuna are spread out in the same areas as the bigeyes.
Blue and white marlin are being released on larger plugs and baits.
Nearshore anglers are finding large numbers of bluefish and spanish mackerel from just past the breakers out to three miles.
Ribbonfish are hitting trolled spoons just off the beach.
King mackerel are around structure and live bottom areas in the three-mile range.
Speckled trout are being caught inshore from the inlet to Nags Head.
Andy, of Nags Head Pier, reports that sea mullet and croakers are being caught with shrimp fished on bottom rigs.
Red drum are hitting fresh mullet on Carolina rigs.
A few speckled trout are being landed closer to the beach on soft plastics.
Laurie, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers fishing with shrimp on the bottom have been catching large gray trout (up to 5 lbs.).
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are hitting Gotcha plugs cast to feeding schools, with early morning hours being the most productive.
Carolina-rigged cut baits are fooling bluefish in the afternoon.
Bottom rigs tipped with sand fleas, shrimp, or Fishbites strips are catching sea mullet, spot, and croakers.
Anglers fishing baits tight against the pilings are landing sheepshead and triggerfish.
A few cobia have fallen for large cut baits fished off the end of the pier.
Justin, of Avalon Pier, reports that small cobia are being caught by anglers fishing near the far end of the pier.
Spanish mackerel are schooled up in good numbers, and Gotcha plugs are the most successful bait to work through the feeding fish.
Triggerfish are hitting shrimp and sand fleas fished close to the pilings.
A few slot-sized red drum are being caught on Carolina-rigged fresh cut mullet, and school-sized striped bass are hitting small cut baits and soft plastics.
John, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that pompano are being caught in Duck and Corolla by fishing sand fleas in holes close to the shoreline. Days with clean water are seeing better numbers of fish.
Sound-side anglers are landing flounder with Gulp soft plastics fished on ledges and deep grass banks.
Sheepshead are hitting sand fleas and fiddler crabs fished along bridge pilings.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that bluefish are being caught on cut baits in the Corolla area surf.
A few red drum are mixed in, and they’re feeding on the same cut mullet.
Pompano are being reported on the less windy days, and sand fleas have been their favorite bait.
Nearshore trips are producing king mackerel, cobia, ribbonfish, and bluefish.
Mahi are in great numbers on days the winds allow boats to get offshore.
