Ocean Isle May 21, 2009

Tom Loftus with a 46 lb. cobia he hooked on a 4 oz. diamond jig in 90' of water south of Frying Pan Tower. He was fishing with Harry Adams aboard the "Kneed It."

Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that despite the windy weather, Gulf Stream trollers had a good week last week. Boats fishing up and down the break found a solid gaffer dolphin bite (with most fish in the 10-20 lb. range). Many boats also found wahoo and blackfin tuna, and a few yellowfins were caught as well. Several boats also added sailfish releases to their meatfish catches. Ballyhoo under skirted trolling lures produced the bulk of the action for most boats.

King mackerel are continuing to move towards the beaches, and there was a good bite around the Jungle last week. Boats also found some decent fishing around the Cape Fear River Channel at spots as close in as Yaupon Reef. Some pogies are beginning to show up in the area, so anglers may be able to catch some live baits for the kings.

Spanish mackerel are still feeding along the beaches and at nearshore structure. Anglers should have little trouble hooking them by trolling around working birds or jumping fish. Clarkspoons are top choices for the spanish, and anglers may be able to coax some of the larger spanish to hit live baits.

Sonny Moss, Joby Garham, Larry Graham, and Larry Hilereth with part of a limit of king mackerel they hooked while trolling cigar minnows on South Chatham Pirate Plugs. The were fishing a ledge 30 miles off Holden Beach with Capt. Keith Logan of Stand'N Down Charters.

Kyle, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the area’s flounder bite continues to heat up, both for numbers and size of fish. The inlets seem to be producing the most action, and anglers are catching excellent numbers of flatfish around Lockwood Folly, Cherry Grove, and Tubbs Inlet. The number of keeper flounder in the mix is increasing, and anglers caught some of the first big ones of the year recently (6+ lbs.). Live baits are top flounder producers, and the area’s got plenty of mud minnows and peanut pogies for anglers to cast net and use for flounder baits.

The area’s trout bite remains good, and anglers are catching specks at ICW structure like the Ocean Isle and Sunset Beach Bridges, in the creeks, and around the Little River jetties. Live shrimp are the best baits if anglers can get them, and there are starting to be some bait-sized shrimp moving around the creeks. Halo and D.O.A. shrimp are producing action with the specks when anglers can’t get the real thing.

There are some red drum in the spots where they’ve been all spring, such as the Little River jetties and similar structure. Live pogies make excellent baits for the reds as well.

David, of Capt. Hook Outdoors, reports that the dolphin bite has turned on in the Gulf Stream, with good catches coming from the 100/400, the Blackjack Hole, and other blue water hotspots. Trolling ballyhoo under skirted lures will draw strikes from the dolphin.

King mackerel are feeding from the beach out to structure in the 40 mile range. Small pogies are starting to show up in the ICW with some larger ones schooled up around the Hot Hole, so it’s time to start live-baiting for the kings.

Kings, AJ’s, and cobia are feeding around Frying Pan Tower, along with plenty of large sharks. Cigar minnows have also been plentiful around the Tower legs, so making bait out there is no problem.

Spanish mackerel are feeding well just off the beaches in 15-30′ of water, and trolled Clarkspoons are drawing plenty of bites.

The flounder bite inside is picking up, and bait-sized finger mullet are beginning to make an appearance as well.

Speckled trout fishing remains good at the Little River jetties, but anglers need to procure some live shrimp to enjoy consistent action.

Paul, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish are biting Gotcha plugs when the water is clean.

Anglers fishing live finger mullet on the bottom are hooking up with a few flounder.

by Fish Post