Morehead/Atlantic Beach – September 2024
Frank, of Chasin’ Tails, reports that nearshore trips have found schools of false albacore starting to show up around Cape Lookout.
Spanish mackerel action along the beaches still remains a little slow.
Bluefish are off the beach, and many times they are also being found right inside the inlet.
Anglers out along the beachfronts are still seeing the occasional schools of tarpon around.
Inshore anglers have been doing really well with the red drum. Fish are being caught anywhere from the ICW and Adams Creek over to Newport River.
The Cedar Island area has started to see some bull red drum action. Most of this early season bite has been centered on bait fishing in the evenings.
Hard structures around the Port, as well as oyster mounds throughout the sound, are holding black drum and sheepshead.
A ton of flounder are in the area. Anglers fishing live bait both inshore and just off the beach are finding it tough to avoid them.
A few speckled trout have started to show up. The better action has been during the early morning or early evening hours.
Joe, of Carolina Traditions Guide Co., reports that the red drum action is steady. Look for the reds to be mostly staged up around oyster rocks or up on shallow grass flats, and they’ll be chasing bait during periods of higher tides.
The occasional speckled trout (to 25”) could be mixed in the same grassy areas, with some also being caught with topwater plugs.
If targeting the grass flats, anglers have had more success fishing really shallow (1-3’), as there are a bunch of blacktip and bull sharks around.
Anglers targeting docks out along the ICW are having success catching black drum, and live shrimp has been the best bait. Sheepshead are mixed in the dock action.
Flounder are absolutely everywhere, both inshore and staged up on nearshore structure.
Those anglers looking to target spanish mackerel or bluefish can find action while working the inlet area on an incoming tide. If conditions line up, run out to Cape Lookout and target bait balls off the shoals.
Anglers have started looking in the sound and up around the mainland river mouths for the citation class “old” drum that have started pushing into the area.
Some big bluefish (to 28”) are being caught in the same areas while targeting the big drum.
Daniel, of On Deck Fishing Charters, reports that redfish have been chasing shrimp around on the inside, and that has the reds biting well. The key has been finding oyster rocks and casting out slip corks with cut mullet or live shrimp underneath.
Speckled trout are starting to mix in a little better now that temperatures are cooling down.
Spanish mackerel have been unpredictable, but false albacore have started to make a showing at the local ARs.
Liam Calabria, of Raleigh, caught (and released) this 44″, 42 lb. black drum in a marsh near Cape Lookout using a live pinfish.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that trips off the beach to target the deeper bottom structure will find a mix of vermilion snapper, amberjacks, black sea bass, and triggerfish.
Some grouper are also around.
Closer to the beaches, the spanish mackerel action remains hit or miss at best.
Anglers have been slowly transitioning to targeting citation-class red drum in the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound. Morning trips will mostly be targeting these “old” drum with artificial lures such as popping cork setups, bucktail jigs, and topwater plugs. Trips in the afternoons and early evenings will usually do better by bait fishing with fresh shad or mullet.
Anglers can find a nice mix of slot-sized red drum, black drum, speckled trout, and sheepshead in the same areas. Most of the fishing for these species is done with cut bait or live shrimp.
Tyler, of Drumroll Charters, reports that inshore anglers are finding steady puppy drum action, with a few nice-sized speckled trout mixed in.
The “old” red drum have started showing up from the lower Neuse River out towards the sound. This has primarily been a bait fishing bite.
Off the beach, some pockets of false albacore are starting to show up in the 50-60’ range around Cape Lookout and off Atlantic Beach. Look to cast Stingsilvers or fly-fishing tackle to them as they break baits on the surface.
Some spanish mackerel and larger bluefish are hanging around just off the beaches.
Byron, of Going Bogue Outdoors, reports that the fishing for wahoo has started to pick up along the break as water temperatures begin to cool off.
Bottom fishing remains a strong option, with larger triggerfish and vermilion snapper being found best by targeting structure in the less pressured 180-250’ depths.
Saylor Penny, of Raleigh, caught (and released) this 33″ red drum near a dock behind Atlantic Beach using live mullet.
Jason, of Ali-Kat Sportfishing, reports that spanish mackerel fishing is picking up off the beach, and false albacore are starting to make a showing anywhere from the shoals to the ARs off the beach.
The king mackerel action remains pretty slim, with most of the action out in the 15+ mile area.
Bottom fishing efforts are producing amberjacks, barracuda, black sea bass, and vermilion snapper.
Offshore runs are starting to focus on the wahoo action, as slightly cooler temperatures should be ramping this action up.
Around September is usually when the area sees an uptick in blackfin tuna, with some scattered sailfish mixed in, too.
Cody, of Reel Time Charters, reports that wahoo fishing is starting to pick up in 150-300’ range. A few days before and a few days after the full moon is typically the best bite. The wahoo fishing action has been, and will be, the main focus throughout most of the fall.
Some blackfin tuna have started to show in the same areas, and a few sailfish are being seen in the spreads as well.
As for bottom fishing, the vermilion snapper and triggerfish are feeding well.
