Ocean Isle August 20, 2009
Pat, Ben, and Hayden Kee and Jim and Kyle Parrish with a trio of dolphin and 11 king mackerel they caught while fishing near the Horseshoe with Capts. Butch and Chris Foster on the "Yeah Right II" out of Southport.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the spanish mackerel bite is as good as it gets. Anglers are hooking big numbers of the spaniards while trolling Clarkspoons in 25-50’ of water just off the beaches. Plenty of bluefish are mixed in. The action has been best around the abundant schools of pogies moving up and down the beaches.
The king mackerel bite has slowed down lately, and anglers have had to push off to 85’+ of water to find decent action with the kings.
Some dolphin and sailfish are still feeding at the Horseshoe, and anglers hooked decent numbers of both while slow-trolling live baits last week.
Divers are reporting a layer of cold and dirty water on the bottom throughout the area, and anglers are finding very tough grouper and bottom fishing as a result.
Blue water trollers caught decent numbers of wahoo and some large king mackerel last week while trolling straight off Ocean Isle in 100-120’. Ballyhoo under skirted lures are fooling both fish.
Austin Aycock with a doormat flounder that fell victim to a barracuda, Brian Aycock with a 9.2 lb. flounder, and Brandon Sauls with a 4.7 lb. flounder. The trio hooked their fish on live pogies at some structure 3-4 miles of Ocean Isle while fishing on the "Bone Crusher."
Kyle, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the offshore flounder bite is still consistent, although anglers didn’t land as many of the doormats as they did last week. There have been plenty of solid keepers in the mix, though. Anglers are hooking the flatties on Carolina-rigged finger mullet and peanut pogies.
Spadefish are schooling up on the same structure the flounder are feeding on, and anglers saw them as close as 1/2 mile from the beach last week. Jelly balls are the ticket to spadefish bites, but most in the area have been tiny so far this year.
The red drum bite is still going strong in the backwaters and creeks around the oyster bars and at ICW docks (most fish are 18-25”). Live shrimp and finger mullet are fooling most of the reds.
Some larger reds are feeding around the Little River jetties.
The flounder bite inshore is still decent, and anglers caught some quality fish in the Shallotte River and around Sunset Beach Bridge last week. Live, Carolina-rigged finger mullet are fooling the majority of the flatfish.
Nathan Yow with spanish mackerel he hooked on Clarkspoons while trolling the beach off Oak Island with his father, Jeff Yow of Chatlee Boat and Marine.
David, of Capt. Hook Outdoors, reports that anglers are finding some steady king mackerel action at spots in 60-80’ of water. Live baits like pogies are fooling most of the fish.
A few sailfish are feeding in the same areas and surprising anglers slow-trolling for the kings.
Closer to the beaches, spadefish are schooling up on nearshore reefs and wrecks. Anglers can chum them to the surface with cannonball jellyfish, then use pieces of the jellies as hook baits to draw them to bite.
Flounder are also stacked up on the nearshore structure, and anglers landed flatfish as large as 10 lbs. recently while dropping Carolina-rigged finger mullet and pogies to the structure.
Josh, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are catching some flounder and speckled trout in the early mornings on live shrimp and finger mullet.
Plug casters are hooking a few spanish mackerel and bluefish.
