Added on Thursday, May 7, 2009  Fish Post

Southport May 7, 2009

Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel are feeding on the beaches, and boaters can hook up while trolling Clarkspoons behind #1 and #2 planers or trolling weights.

Flounder have begun to show up on the nearshore reefs, and bucktail jigs or live minnows should strike their fancy.

Offshore, the red grouper bite has been excellent on the east side of Frying Pan Shoals. Live baits, cigar minnows, and cut baits will produce action with the reds at the offshore ledges and structure where they live.

Other bottomfish like grunts, sea bass, beeliners, pinkies, triggerfish and more are feeding in the same areas as the grouper, and cut baits, squid, and jigging spoons will appeal to them.

A few king mackerel have been reported near the beaches, but most of the kings are still offshore. The bite was excellent around five miles southwest of Frying Pan Tower last week. Cigar minnows trolled behind Pirate Plugs or #3.5 Drone spoons behind planers will produce strikes from the kings.

Blue water fishermen have found some excellent trolling action in the Gulf Stream lately. Wahoo, dolphin, blackfin tuna, and a few yellowfins have all shown up lately, and they have a hard time resisting ballyhoo underneath Bluewater Candy Lures. If the bite is slow when pulling meat, anglers shouldn’t be afraid to put out a spread of cedar plugs, an old standby, and troll at 8-10 knots to cover some water and find the fish.

 

John, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have had good catches of whiting off the piers over the past week.

Spanish mackerel are making an appearance as well, though the wind and dirty water has slowed the bite the past few days. When the water’s clean, anglers are hooking them from the piers and in boats. Most boats are hooking up while trolling Clarkspoons, but anglers can also cast Gotcha plugs, diamond jigs, and other metal lures to breaking schools of fish. Plenty of bluefish are feeding alongside the spanish, and they will attack the same lures.

Inshore, some red drum are feeding in the creeks. Anglers have had luck with the drum in Wildlife and Davis Creeks recently, and most of the fish have been falling for spinnerbaits, particularly in pink.

Flounder are beginning to make an appearance in the area, and anglers have had the best luck lately while fishing the point at the west end of the island. Live mud minnows are excellent flounder baits, but they’ll also fall for Gulps and other lures.

A few spot and speckled trout are also showing up inshore.

 

Jon, of Haag and Sons Seafood, reports that boats brought in some big catches over the calm spell last week.

Those fishing east and north of Frying Pan Tower had excellent catches of red grouper last week. Further south, plenty of scamps were mixed in. Boats fishing closer in had a decent number of gags as well.

Some big triggerfish have been joining the bottomfish catches.  Bottom fishermen also caught some stout American red snapper (up to 20 lbs.) not far from the Tower last week.

Squid, sardines, cigar minnows, and cut baits will all produce action with the groupers and other bottom feeders.

Divers working ledges around Frying Pan Tower have been seeing good numbers of hogfish, and they’ve been big (nearing 20 lbs.), too.

Decent numbers of cobia have been seen and caught around the Tower, and the fish should be moving in towards the beaches.

Boats trolling the Gulf Stream last week caught a few big wahoo around the Steeples. Small gaffer dolphin (8-15 lbs.) were prevalent in the blue water last week. About five weeks of excellent dolphin fishing usually begins around this time of year, with larger fish following the first wave. Longline boats fishing off of Hatteras also had some big dolphin catches last week, so anglers can expect the dolphin fishing to be excellent when the wind lays down enough to get offshore. 

 

Tommy, of Southport Angler Outfitters, reports that when boats got offshore last week the grouper bite was excellent at bottom structure near Frying Pan Tower. A few king mackerel were also caught in the area, but the bite isn’t wide open like it was a few weeks ago.

 

Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that one angler caught a 35 lb. king from the pier last week, and several more were hooked before the wind dirtied the water and slowed the bite. The fish should still we around when the weather calms and the water clears up a bit. Live baits (like bluefish) on trolley rigs are the ticket to the king bites.

Spanish mackerel bit in the clean water last week, too, so anglers can expect them to be around and hungry when things clear up. Gotcha plugs are fooling most of the spanish.

While the mackerel clear out, the bluefish are still biting well. Anglers are catching smaller blues on Gotchas and have hooked some larger fish (up to 10+ lbs.) on the king rigs.

Bottom fishermen have been landing good catches of whiting along with a few black drum and big spot. Pompano bit last week, too, and they should be back when the water clears. Shrimp are the best baits for the bottomfish.

The water is 75 degrees.