Southport/Oak Island – August 15, 2019
Angie, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are doing fairly well with flounder both inshore and nearshore. Live minnows and Gulp-tipped bucktails are working equally well, and most of the flounder have been between 17-18”.
A few slot-sized reds and some nice black drum have been found here and there in the inshore waters.
Off the beach, the spanish bite has picked back up, especially with the improved presence of pogies in the area.
Scott Clewis with a 27″ red drum caught while fishing the Cape Fear River with Mike McCabe, of Southport, NC.
Tim, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that a lot of nice flounder have been caught on the Southport waterfront and in area creeks over the past few weeks. Mullet, peanut pogies, and Gulp swimming mullet are producing the most bites. Some anglers have been using high-low rigs with a Berkley Nemesis rigged high and a Gulp new penny shrimp rigged low.
Both black and red drum have been hitting the same baits used to target flounder, and topwater fishing has been productive for trout.
A few tripletail have also been caught inshore, with cut or live bait both working, as well as Vudu Shrimp hung under a bobber.
There has been lots of action on the nearshore reefs. Large flounder and over-slot reds have been caught on live pogies or large cut mullet on Carolina rigs.
A little further out, some 30 lb. kings have been pulled in.
Richard Coleman from Tabor City, NC, with his first red drum, 20″ caught at the Lockwood Folly on a live finger mullet.
Robert, of Reelin’ Pelican Fishing Charters, reports that inshore fishing has been productive for flounder, black drum, and redfish, depending on the tide stage that you’re fishing. The drum have been a little more active at low tide, where they will attack fresh cut shrimp or finger mullet and can mostly be found in deeper holes. The black drum have predominantly been in the 16-20” range, though there have been a couple of throwbacks, and the red drum are averaging about 24”.
While the flounder bite has been hot in recent weeks, the fish have been bigger, with most of them sitting in the 16-22” range. The flounder are going for bucktails and finger mullet at higher tide stages, and they can often be found up against the banks.
Nearshore fishing has been all about kings. Most of the kings have been in the 6-15 lb. class, but in another month or so, the big ones should start to show up. The 20-30 mile range has been the best area to search, but since the water is warm just about everywhere, the fish have been spread out. Finding clean water and bait should find the kings.
Mark, of Angry Pelican Charters, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding on glass minnows on top of the shoals and in the water along the beach between the mouth of the Cape Fear and Lockwood Folly Inlet. Water in the 15-30’ depths seems to be the sweet spot, with green, red, silver, and gold spoons all producing bites. Tide lines are holding better fish, and in the green water they seem to be feeding deeper.
There are still some nice spanish and mid-teen kings working the nearshore structure around the river channel. Live bait or cigar minnows will draw strikes. Bright orange and green Blue Water Candy shovels have been the ticket on presenting the minnows.
Offshore, king mackerel and mahi are feeding in the same areas, from 15 miles off the beach out to the Tower.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that the nearshore reefs are holding 15-20” flounder, and there have been some really big (up to 6 or 7 lbs.) spanish mixed in with them. Live bait is the key to getting bites.
Offshore, king mackerel and mahi are feeding in the same areas, from 15 miles off the beach out to the Tower.
Bottom fishing is on fire in the 30-50 mile range, with big black sea bass, beeliners, grunts, grouper, and snapper. Amberjacks are out there in the same range as well, and they are falling for any kind of fresh or dead bait you can drop.
Wally, of Oak Island Charters, reports that lots of flounder have been at the nearshore reefs.
Big spanish mackerel are being brought in by boats trolling live bait close to shore.
King mackerel are biting in 65’ of water on frozen cigar minnows.
Grouper and snapper fishing has been good in 150’ of water.
Vance, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that there has been a decent 2-3 lb. spanish bite and a few 18-20” flounder being caught on shrimp and menhaden.
