Added on Thursday, June 12, 2008  Gary Hurley

Southport June 12, 2008

Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that spanish mackerel are schooling along the beaches right now. Clarkspoons in size #00 trolled behind small planers should attract attention from the spanish.

Shark fishing nearshore is excellent right now, and one of the best baits is a fresh spanish.

Kings are moving closer to the beaches along with warm water and bait. The area around AR-425 is a good place to look for them this week, and anglers should be able to find some pogies to use as live baits.

The kings are also feeding at the usual spots between nearshore and the Frying Pan Tower. Some dolphin have begun to make their way inshore from the Stream, and they should be feeding alongside the kings in the deeper spots. Trolling skirted cigar minnows around areas like the Horseshoe should produce action with the kings and dolphin.

Offshore bottom fishing has been excellent lately, with anglers hooking up with good numbers of grouper on live baits and dead cigar minnows.

Squid, cut baits, and Gulp baits are producing action with sea bass, triggerfish, snappers, and other bottom dwellers.

Gulf Stream trolling is still producing some dolphin and wahoo. Skirted ballyhoo should prove deadly on the dolphin, and a diving lure trolled close to the boat will get attention from the wahoo.

Billfish have also been prowling the blue water lately, and several sailfish and blue marlin have been hooked up.

 

Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that anglers are still catching excellent numbers of trout from the pier while fishing with live and Halo shrimp on float rigs.

Anglers are also landing some flounder on the live shrimp and other live baits on the bottom.

There are still some bluefish around, but the bite has slowed down a bit since last week.

Southwest winds have had the water dirty for a few days, but king and spanish mackerel fishing was good before the water got stirred up. Anglers are starting to see some menhaden around the pier, so when the wind calms down, the kings and spanish should be back and feeding.

Live baiters hooked one cobia last week.

The water temperature is 75.5 degrees.

 

Richard, of Get Reel Charters, reports that bottom fishing in around 90′ of water has been quite productive over the past week. Anglers dropping squid and live cigar minnows have been hooking up with some scamp grouper (up to 10 lbs.), strawberry grouper, hogfish, and other bottom dwellers.

King mackerel and dolphin are scattered through the same depth range, and boats are picking up a few kings and dolphin on light-lined cigar minnows while bottom fishing. Trolling ballyhoo is producing a bit more action on the kings and ‘phins.

Inshore, spanish mackerel are feeding heavily along the beachfront. Trolling Clarkspoons just off the breakers and near the inlet should produce action with the spanish.

Large sharks are feeding around the shrimp boats off Bald Head. Anglers can fish cut baits behind the boats to hook up with blacktips and other sharks (up to 120+ lbs.)

 

Tommy, of Southport Angler Outfitters, reports that spanish mackerel fishing remains excellent along the beaches and just offshore. Trolling Clarkspoons will put fish in the boat, but anglers can have more fun casting metal lures on light tackle or even throwing flies at the fish.

Some big sharks are feeding near the shrimp boats off Bald Head, and fresh cut baits should get their attention.

 

Jon, of Haag and Sons Seafood, reports that bottom fishing has been solid over the last week, with anglers hooking up with good numbers of red grouper, triggerfish, and beeliners. The bite has been somewhat hit-and-miss, with the fish turning on for an hour or two, and then getting lockjaw. Divers are seeing plenty of hogfish and gag grouper, but they seem reluctant to bite.

Anglers are hooking a few cobia near the beach, but boats fishing offshore are finding better action.

Dolphin are still feeding heavily in the Gulf Stream, but few wahoo or other fish are joining them.

Inshore, some larger flounder have finally moved into the river. There are also a lot of juvenile blacktip sharks and gag grouper around over the summer months, and anglers should remember to release both species to grow up.

 

John, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are catching some speckled trout off the pier and in the surf, with some large whiting mixed in.

Spanish mackerel are feeding just off the surf, and boats are hooking them while trolling Clarkspoons.

Anglers are finding speckled trout, red drum, and flounder in the river and backwat