Morehead City/ Atlantic Beach – July 2023
Rick, of Chasin’ Tails, reports that nearshore anglers are finding some great spanish mackerel and bluefish action in the 25-30’ range.
Some king mackerel have started to show better in the deeper nearshore areas. A bunch of small fish are around, but don’t discount hooking into a larger king (to 40 lbs.).
Surf anglers are also getting in on the bluefish action, with some larger fish (to 4 lbs.) being caught from the piers.
Inshore trips are seeing a good speckled trout bite. Not only have numbers been solid, but large citations (to 9 lbs.) are mixed in. The best target areas have been in the deeper holes throughout the creeks.
Red drum are scattered throughout the area and are in their summer pattern. A wide variety of offerings will get strikes, including topwater plugs, Gulp or Z-Man soft plastics, and bottom-rigged cut or live natural baits.
Mahi are here and are moving in closer (17+ mile range). In this same nearshore area, anglers are finding some cobia and king mackerel.
Bottom fishing remains strong, with nice grouper catches and other assorted species.
Tommy Lewis, of Wrightsville Beach, and Gage Felton and Brian Felton, of Emerald Isle, with a mahi caught on a green chugger. They were fishing out of Morehead City.
Joe, of Carolina Traditions Guide Co., reports that spanish mackerel are just off the beach in good numbers, and they’re striking at the smaller metal jigs.
Some larger bluefish (to 24”) are being caught by anglers looking for sight-casting action over the flats and shoals.
Scattered cobia are being caught over the nearshore wrecks by anglers targeting king mackerel with live bait.
Some dolphin will be caught in close over the coming weeks. At times they will be as tight as 12 miles off the beach.
Inshore angers are seeing a steady red drum bite. The fish are pretty scattered, but the action should get better as bait becomes more prevalent in the area.
Anglers out early in the mornings are finding some speckled trout.
Daniel, of On Deck Fishing Charters, reports that red drum are showing up better back in the marshes. Anglers are having success with topwater plugs, as well as live shrimp or menhaden fished under corks.
Schools of spanish mackerel and mixed bluefish are busting on glass minnows all along our beaches. Riding around and watching for birds is a great way to locate these surface-feeding frenzies, and casting small metal jigs with a fast retrieve is the top tactic to entice strikes.
Some cobia are being caught around the nearshore wrecks, as well as around some of the passing bait balls moving along the coast.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that some cobia are still being caught both along the beaches and out over the nearshore reefs. Anglers should continue to keep an eye out for the occasional fish cruising along with turtles or hanging under a buoy.
Bottom fishing has been extremely productive in the 75-120’ range. Anglers are finding a mixed bag of black sea bass, triggerfish, grunts, and vermilion snapper while fishing with cut bait, squid, or jigs.
Gag and scamp grouper are also in these areas, and they’re mostly hitting live baits or larger dead baits.
Justin, of Breakday Charters, reports that nearshore anglers have done really well while both trolling and casting to schools of spanish mackerel and bluefish.
The nearshore fishing for cobia has generally winded down, though there will still be scattered fish caught.
Nearshore king mackerel fishing has remained slow so far this year. For now, the offshore areas have held better numbers of fish.
Bottom fishing has been productive, with catches of vermilion snapper, grouper, and amberjack in the 80’ range.
The dolphin action is starting to scatter a bit as the warmer water temperatures get these fish wandering inside the break. Anglers should keep a live bait out while bottom fishing anywhere around the 100’ range in case a school cruises by.
Inshore anglers have been catching large speckled trout and slot-sized red drum along deeper marsh banks. With both species, finding the bait is key. On windy days, target the windswept banks, as many times the bait gets pushed up against this line.
A bunch of flounder are mixed in for those fishing baits along the bottom.
Byron, of Going Bogue Outdoors, reports that June was a transition month, as the dolphin bite quickly dropped off when the middle of the month rolled around. The warm water temperatures and scattered grass have these pelagics spread out, with no real concentrations of fish.
Bottom fishing provides a nice relief from the slow and spotty trolling bite. Anglers are catching good numbers of vermilion snapper, triggerfish, and gag grouper in the 80-130’ range.
When bottom fishing, it’s a good idea to have a pitch rod ready in case the occasional cobia decides to pop up.
MacKenzie Davis, of Salisbury, NC, hooked this mahi using a Ilander lure with ballyhoo. She was fishing offshore of Morehead City.
Cody, of Reel Time Charters, reports that there are a bunch of dolphin in the offshore waters, and local anglers will find mostly smaller, slinger-sized fish in the 100’ range as they scatter with warm water temperatures.
Bottom fishing action has been strong out in the 80-100’ range. Anglers have been catching nice-sized grouper and triggerfish.
Gulf Stream trolling action is producing tuna, scattered wahoo, blue marlin, and a few white marlin.
Nearshore anglers are catching some king mackerel, though overall the bite has been a bit slow in this transition period.
Bri, of Oceanana Pier, reports that bottom fishing has been producing mostly croakers and sand perch.
As conditions settle and clean waters move back in, anglers look to see the spanish mackerel and bluefish show right back up.
