Southport June 25, 2009
Kevin Hall, from Leland, NC, with a 9 lb., 7 oz. flounder he hooked in the Cape Fear River on a live pogy pinned to a jighead.
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that the inshore bite is on around the river channel and other nearshore structure off of Southport. Spanish mackerel are feeding from the inlets out to the structure, and anglers can hook up with the spaniards while trolling #00 Clarkspoons behind #1 and #2 planers to get them deeper.
Slow-trolling live pogies in the same areas should get the attention of some king mackerel as well.
Spadefish are beginning to school up on the nearshore reefs, and anglers can hook them by chumming with cannonball (or jelly ball) jellies and using small pieces of the jelly for hook baits.
Further off the beaches, structure like the Horseshoe, 15 Mile Rock, 18 Mile Rock, and Shark Hole are producing action with king mackerel, amberjacks, barracudas, and a few dolphin that are still feeding in those areas. Live pogies will also fool the fish out there, but anglers can troll frozen cigar minnows with success, too.
Out at the Frying Pan Tower, anglers are picking up even better numbers of dolphin and more kings, AJ’s, and cudas. African pompano are beginning to show up at the Tower as well, and they should pounce on a live pogy.
Bottom fishing is great around the Tower, and anglers can drop bottom rigs on the ledges, rocks, reefs, and other structure around the Tower area to hook up with sea bass, triggerfish, beeliners, groupers, and other bottom feeders. Squid, cigar minnows, cut baits, and live baits will all produce action on the bottom.
The Gulf Stream is slowing down a bit, but there’s still a chance to hook a big blue marlin for boats heading out to the deep blue water.
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Judy Oxendine, of Oak Island, with an 8.1 lb. bluefish she hooked on a live grass shad from the Oak Island Pier.
Tommy, of Southport Angler Outfitters, reports that the dolphin bite around the Horseshoe has slowed down a bit, but there are still a few fish around. Plenty of snake kings are still in the area, and a few cobia are mixed in. Live pogies or dead cigar minnows will fool the dolphin, kings, and cobia.
The kings have moved into the river channel area in force, and anglers caught excellent numbers while slow trolling live pogies around structure from Yaupon Reef to Lighthouse Rocks last week.
Inshore, the drum bite has slowed down a bit, but anglers are still finding some reds in the backwaters of the Lower Cape Fear. Live shrimp and pogies will fool the reds.
Some flounder are feeding in the same areas, and live pogies are often too much for them to resist.
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Bud Abbott, David and Gary Wyatt, and Darren Kenyon with a barracuda, an almaco jack, a cobia, and a few kings they caught while light-lining and bottomfishing near Frying Pan Tower. They also picked up some grouper, sea bass, triggers, and beeliners while fishing with Capts. Butch adn Chris Foster aboard the "Yeah Right II" out of Southport.
Billie, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are catching plenty of king and spanish mackerel just off the beachfront. Live baits are fooling most of the kings, and boats are hooking the spanish while trolling Clarkspoons.
Surf and pier anglers are catching some spot and whiting on bloodworms and shrimp.
The speckled trout bite is still hot off the piers, and live shrimp are the ticket to success with the specks.
Inshore, anglers are finding some red drum and speckled trout in the backwaters.
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Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are still hooking big numbers of speckled trout off the pier (most 2-3 lbs.). The bite’s getting started at daybreak, and it’s usually over by 8:00 in the morning. Nearly all of the specks are falling for live shrimp under float rigs.
Some fat pompano are falling for the live shrimp, too, and anglers are also hooking spot and pompano on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
The flounder bite is improving, and anglers are picking up a few more keepers on live shrimp and live mud minnows and finger mullet.
Anglers casting Gotcha plugs caught a decent number of spanish mackerel.
Several king mackerel were hooked from the pier last week, with the largest going 24 lbs.
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Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that live baiters caught several king mackerel last week, with the largest weighing 36 lbs.
The water’s been a little dirty, which has turned the spanish bite off. There’s plenty of bait around, though, and the fish should be back as soon as the water clears up.
Anglers caught good numbers of big sheepshead from the pier during the tournament last week. Baits like sand fleas, barnacles, and fiddler crabs dangled next to the pilings should tempt the sheepshead.
The speckled trout bite has still been solid off the pier (with anglers landing fish to 4 lbs. last week). Live shrimp are the baits of choice for the sheeps.
Some big pompano are also falling for the shrimp.
The water is in the low 80’s.
