Added on Thursday, June 18, 2009  Fish Post

Southport June 18, 2009

Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that anglers are still finding a decent spanish mackerel bite along the beaches, but the fish have been tougher to locate over the past week. Clarkspoons (in #0 and #00) trolled behind #1 and #2 planers are the way to hook up with the spanish once they’ve been located.

The king bite has been solid on the beach lately as well, and boats are hooking up with the larger mackerel by slow-trolling or drifting with live pogies (which have been amazingly abundant lately).

Offshore, the kings and dolphin have been biting well around the Horseshoe, 15 Mile Rock, 18 Mile Rock, and similar areas. Live pogies or cigar minnows will produce action, and anglers can also troll dead cigars on Hank Brown rigs with success.

Bottom fishing is still excellent off Southport, and anglers are catching snapper, grunts, pinkies, sea bass, and other tasty bottom dwellers around ledges, rocks, wrecks, and other offshore structure. Grouper are feeding in the same areas, and bottom rigs baited with squid, live baits, dead baits, or cut baits will all produce action with the grouper and other bottomfish.

The Gulf Stream bite is starting to slow down a bit, but there are still some dolphin and other pelagics out there, and the chance for a blue marlin or other billfish hookup is present as well. Ballyhoo under skirted lures should produce action in the Stream, and boats can also troll faster with baitless lures to cover more water.

 

Keith, of Stand’N Down Charters, reports that there’s been a steady spanish mackerel bite between the Lockwood Folly sea buoy and Ocean Crest Pier lately, with pink flask #00 Clarkspoons behind #1 planers producing most of the fish.

Kings are feeding just off the beaches, and they are mixed in with dolphin at spots further offshore in 60-90′. Trolling with dead cigar minnows or live pogies and cigars will produce action with the kings and dolphin.

Bottom fishing in the 80-90′ range is producing action with scamp and gag groupers.

The dolphin bite is still hot in the Gulf Stream around the Blackjack Hole in 180-220′. A few wahoo and yellowfins are also around.

 

John, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking big numbers of speckled trout from the piers on live shrimp and mud minnows.

There are still plenty of spanish mackerel feeding just off the beaches, and pier anglers have been hooking them on Gotcha plugs, while boaters are decking spanish on trolled Clarkspoons.

King mackerel are also feeding along the beaches, and anglers hooked good numbers on live pogies last week.

Further out, boats are finding limits of king mackerel along with some excellent bottom fishing in 80′ and deeper.

Inshore, anglers are hooking up with speckled trout and red drum in the creeks, and live shrimp and mud minnows are producing most of the action.

 

Tommy, of Southport Angler Outfitters, reports that fishing’s been great over the past week. Around the Shark Hole and the Horseshoe, anglers are catching plenty of kings (mostly schoolies), dolphin (many gaffers in the 10-15 lb. range), and some cobia (up to 50 lbs. or so). Dead cigar minnows have been producing most of the action.

Anglers can also troll live baits, but the abundant amberjacks will often pounce on a live bait before more desirable species get a chance to.

One angler landed the first African pompano of the year near Frying Pan Tower this week.

Inshore, the red and black drum bite has been excellent around the creeks and bays of the lower Cape Fear River. Live shrimp fished under float rigs have been producing plenty of action with both species.

 

Deborah, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of speckled trout on live shrimp fished beneath float rigs.

Bottom fishermen are decking good numbers of whiting, and fresh shrimp are getting their attention.

Spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs worked from the pier.

Several king mackerel were landed on live baits last week as well.

 

Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that the speckled trout bite has been excellent off the pier this week, and anglers are catching most of the fish on live shrimp.

Bottom fishermen are hooking some fat pompano on shrimp and sand fleas.

Spanish mackerel are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs cast from the pier, and some larger spanish (up to 6 lbs.) fell for live baits on the king rigs last week.

King fishermen had a good week, landing at least a dozen kings (up to 28 lbs.) on live baits.

The water is 79.5 degrees.