Morehead City June 18, 2009
Capt. Chris Kimrey, of Mount Maker Charters, caught and released this estimated 125 lb. blue marlin in 660' of water off Morehead City. The blue fell for a horse ballyhoo under a a red/black Ilander.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that the blue water bite is still hot, and boats still aren’t having to go too far to get into the action. Plenty of gaffer dolphin are still feeding around the 14 Buoy and the 90′ Drop. Some wahoo and sailfish are mixed in, and ballyhoo under sea witches and Mini-JAGs are producing most of the action.
Bottom fishermen have also had some success around the 14 Buoy, mostly at the ledges offshore of it. They’re picking up groupers, triggerfish, sea bass, beeliners, and other bottom dwellers, and cigar minnows, squid, and Blue Water Candy Roscoe Jigs have been producing most of the action.
Decent numbers of king mackerel have also been reported around the Northwest Places and Big 10/Little 10 areas. Cigar minnows on Hank Brown or Blue Water Candy dead bait rigs are producing plenty of action, and anglers who can find pogies are also starting to slow-troll live baits for them.
The spanish mackerel bite is still hot around the inlet, west to the Sheraton Pier, and east to Cape Lookout. Plenty of fish are also feeding at AR-315 and 320. Trolled Clarkspoons and mackerel trees are producing most of the action on the spaniards.
Lots of bluefish are mixed in with the spanish, and anglers are also catching the blues while casting Gotcha plugs and Stingsilvers.
The AR’s have been giving up some nice flounder as well, and Carolina-rigged mud minnows and 2 oz. Spro bucktails tipped with Gulp baits are drawing strikes from the flatfish.
Inshore, anglers are hooking up with the flounder around the port wall, the Atlantic Beach Bridge, and while drifting the channel between the two. Live finger mullet or mud minnows on Carolina rigs are producing most of the flatfish inshore.
Sheepshead are feeding around the port wall, the railroad tracks, and the high rise bridges (with fish up to 7 lbs. taken last week). Fiddler crabs and sea urchins are producing most of the sheepshead.
The speckled trout and red drum bite is still hot on the backside of the Haystacks, both on the Newport River and Crab Point sides of the marsh. Topwater plugs, Gulp baits, spinnerbaits, and live mud minnows are attracting attention from the reds and specks.
Anglers are also catching good numbers of speckled trout at night around the AB Bridge. Live shrimp and live mud minnows fished under floats are fooling the nighttime specks.
Ladyfish have moved into the area, and anglers are hooking them around the Beaufort condo docks at night on spoons.
Â
Daniel Griffee with his first topwater red drum, a 26.5", 6 lb., 8 oz. fish that struck in the marsh near Morehead City while he was fishing with Dave Bernstein.
Paul, of Freemans Bait and Tackle, reports that surf and pier anglers are enjoying an unusual June run of spot. Most are not huge, but they are making up for it with big numbers. Shrimp and bloodworms are drawing the spot bites, with bloodworms preferred.
Croaker, black drum, hogfish, whiting, and other bottom feeders are also falling for the shrimp and bloodworms.
Anglers are starting to see some larger flounder around the port wall, behind Shackleford, and in the North River (most fish running from just legal to 20″). Carolina rigs baited with live mud minnows, peanut pogies, and finger mullet are the baits of choice.
Some cobia are still scattered behind Shackleford and the Cape, in the inlets, and out in the ocean.
Red drum are feeding in the marshes, and anglers are scoring red hookups on Gulp baits and live mud minnows.
Plenty of spanish mackerel are still feeding nearshore, and boaters are hooking them on trolled Clarkspoons and squid rigs. Casters are hooking up on Gotchas, Stingsilvers, Shore Lures, and other casting lures from the surf, piers, and boats.
The dolphin bite remains excellent from the Big 10/Little 10 on offshore. A few billfish and tunas are mixed in in the deeper water. Trolling ballyhoo under skirted lures is the best way to hook up with any of the blue water predators.
Â
Charley, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of king mackerel and dolphin around the nearshore AR’s and on out to the Shad Wreck, the Trawler Buoy, Northwest Places, and similar areas. Cigar minnows on Blue Water Candy dead bait rigs are producing plenty of action with the kings and dolphin.
Lots of amberjacks are feeding in the same areas.
Puppy drum are feeding in the surf of Shackleford Banks, and anglers are hooking them while casting Gulp jerkbaits and with cut baits on scaled down Owen Lupton drum rigs.
Flounder and speckled trout are on the feed in the marshes. Anglers are hooking the trout on topwater plugs and the flatties on Carolina-rigged mud minnows, peanut pogies, and finger mullet.
There’ve been even more flounder up north in the sound around Ocracoke and Teach’s Hole.
Tarpon are cruising past Cape Lookout and moving into the Pamlico Sound, and big “old” red drum are doing the same thing. The fishing for these inshore brutes should heat up over the next few weeks.
Â
Shane, of Fight N Lady, reports that the dolphin fishing is still solid around the Big Rock. Deeper water off of the Big Rock has been producing some billfish, including white marlin and some larger blues (300-500+ lbs.).
The bite’s been best in 110-125 fathoms this week, and ballyhoo under sea witches and Blue Water Candy Mini-JAG’s are producing most of the fish.
Â
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that plug casters are finding action with bluefish and spanish mackerel on Gotcha plugs.
Bottom fishermen are decking whiting, small flounder, and spot on bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
