Northern Beaches – July 18, 2019
Betty, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers on Nags Head area beaches have been experiencing good bottom fishing for spot, croakers, and sea mullet. Legal-sized flounder are being caught from Duck area beaches with soft plastics.
Nearshore anglers have been finding limits of spanish mackerel and bluefish while trolling Clarkspoons off the beach. A few false albacore have been mixed in with the surface-feeding spanish.
A couple miles off the beach, king mackerel have been staged up at reefs and wrecks, and they’re hitting trolled dead bait rigs.
Barracuda have pushed inshore with the warm waters and are tearing up live baits above wrecks.
A few mahi are being caught nearshore via cigar minnows and ballyhoo on dead bait rigs.
Offshore anglers are finding great numbers of mahi while pulling ballyhoo along weed lines.
Some large wahoo are mixed in the counts, coming off wire-rigged baits fished behind planers.
Tuna fishing has been good, with yellowfin, blackfin, and bigeye tuna all coming back to the docks.
Bottom fishing has been producing triggerfish and tilefish.
Inshore anglers have been focusing their efforts around the inlet, with large sheepshead (up to 8 lbs.) being caught around bridge pilings.
Speckled trout fishing has been very good on either side of the inlet, with soft plastics under a popping cork as the best tactic. A few flounder are mixed in, and they’re hitting soft plastics fished on and near the bottom.
The bridges around Manteo have been producing striped bass for anglers casting 5” soft plastics around the pilings.
Matti Sorey (age 9) with a keeper flounder caught on a bottom rig with fresh shrimp. She was fishing in Oregon Inlet near the Bonner Bridge.
Bridgette, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that double-digit numbers of mahi are being caught with skirted ballyhoo. A few huge bigeye tuna (up to 267 lbs.) are mixed in the counts, though numbers aren’t as high as the past few weeks. Large yellowfin (up to 71 lbs.) and blackfin tuna are being caught around current and temperature breaks.
Billfishing has been good for anglers targeting them with large plugs and horse ballyhoo in deeper waters outside the weed line areas, and wahoo (up to 42 lbs.) are being caught on the planer rods.
Bottom fishing has been producing good numbers of tilefish.
Anglers fishing nearshore reefs are catching king mackerel, false albacore, and large spanish mackerel.
Bluefish are holding tight to the beach and hitting trolled Clarkspoons.
A few citation-sized red drum (up to 47”) are being caught while bottom fishing near the inlet, and inshore trips have been catching speckled trout and slot-sized red drum.
Aaron, of Carolina Sunrise Charters, reports that speckled trout fishing has been great around oyster beds and ledges inside the inlet. Soft plastics fished on jig heads and under popping corks have been producing, but be prepared to work areas thoroughly in search of the smaller schools.
Slot-sized red drum are in the same areas as the trout, and then they are pushed up on flats at high tide. The reds are hitting topwater plugs and soft plastics.
Just outside the inlet, anglers are catching limits of spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Gerry, of Fishing Unlimited, reports that speckled trout fishing has been very good for anglers casting Gulp baits on 1/4 oz. jig heads. The bite has been better in the mornings, with most fish being just short.
A few flounder are hitting the same soft plastics.
Bottom rigs with shrimp and Fishbites strips are catching black drum and spot.
Laurie, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that mahi have been showing in good numbers in the Stream, being caught both trolling ballyhoo and bailing baits under grass patties. Yellowfins, blackfins, and a few huge bigeyes (up to 170 lbs.) are mixed in with the dolphin.
Wahoo (up to 47 lbs.) are making a good push recently, with many trips boating at least one fish.
A few blue and white marlin have been released.
Nearshore trips are catching king mackerel, mahi, large spanish mackerel, and false albacore while trolling around wrecks and live bottom areas.
Bottom fishing has been producing legal black sea bass, rainbow runners, triggerfish, and barracuda.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are hitting casting jigs thrown into deeper channels.
Inshore anglers are reporting great trout fishing while working jigs along grass flats around the inlet, and striped bass and flounder are being caught around bridge pilings with soft plastics.
Andy, of Nags Head Pier, reports that bluefish are being caught on cut baits fished on a bottom rig.
Shrimp and sand fleas have been producing sea mullet and a few black drum.
Laurie, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers bottom fishing are catching a great variety of fish while using shrimp, sand fleas, and Fishbites strips. Triggerfish, spadefish, croakers, and pompano are all coming over the rails throughout the day.
A few speckled trout and legal-sized flounder are hitting soft plastics fished on 1/4 and 1/2 oz. jig heads.
Large sheepshead (up to 8.5 lbs.) are being landed on baits fished tight to the pilings.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are striking Gotcha plugs cast to the feeding schools.
Justin, of Avalon Pier, reports that anglers fishing Carolina-rigged cut baits are hooking slot-sized red drum (up to 25”).
Legal-sized flounder (up to 18”) are being caught on soft plastics fished on heavier jig heads just behind the breakers.
Shrimp fished on bottom rigs are landing triggerfish and sea mullet.
John, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish are hitting casting jigs thrown towards feeding schools in the mornings and evenings.
Legal-sized flounder are falling for soft plastics worked in deep holes between the sandbars, and sea mullet and croaker are biting shrimp fished on bottom rigs.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that sea mullet and spot are being caught with shrimp on bottom rigs.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding on baits in the surf zone, but cold water temps from upwelling has the fish schooled up a bit more off the beach.
Flounder are hitting soft plastics fished in holes just off the sand.
