Ocean Isle August 5, 2010
Keith, Nathan, and Caleb Ocker, from Middletown, PA, and mate Aaron Dew, of the Ocean Isle Fishing Center, with king mackerel and an African pompano they hooked on live pogies in 90' of water off Ocean Isle. They were fishing aboard the "OIFC World Cat" with Aaron's father, Capt. Chris Dew.
Patrick, of Twister Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel bite is hot along the Brunswick beaches, and anglers are running into some large (3-4 lb.) fish along with the schoolies. Trolling Clarkspoons is the way to fool the mackerel, and larger #2 and #3 spoons are producing the biggest fish.
Sharks are feeding in the same areas, and drifting with large cut baits will tempt them to bite.
Offshore, the grouper and beeliner bite has been on around structure 30-40 miles offshore. Anglers are fooling the scamp and gag grouper on cigar minnows and live baits, while the beeliners are taking an interest in squid and cut baits.
Light-lining while bottom fishing has been attracting attention from some dolphin and king mackerel.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that anglers again found decent king mackerel fishing at spots in 65-75’ last week (most fish are teenagers). Some dolphin have been mixed in, and anglers are seeing an occasional sailfish in the area as well.
Pogies have been a bit tough to come by lately, but anglers are catching plenty of fish on dead cigar minnows.
Large spanish mackerel (3-6 lbs.) are sill feeding at spots in 50-65’ of water and will fall for live baits or cigar minnows.
Bottom fishing has been a bit slow lately, and divers report it’s due to a cold and dirty water thermocline hovering over the bottom.
Jack Mahoney, from Southport, with an amberjack he hooked at some structure in 85' of water 20 miles off Oak Island. The jack fell for a blue/silver vertical jig while he was fishing with Doug Dameron.
Kyle, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that anglers are still catching decent numbers of red drum and flounder around the area’s inshore and ICW docks. Live finger mullet are fooling most of the fish.
Anglers are picking up a few speckled trout (up to 6 lbs. lately) while flounder fishing in the Shallotte River and Shallotte Inlet.
Drifting along the Little River jetties is producing a mixed bag catch of red and black drum, gray trout, flounder, and more. Live shrimp and mullet are attracting most of the attention. Anglers can also fool the reds with pogies, but they’re too large for most of the other species.
The flounder bite is beginning to get good on nearshore structure off Shallotte and Little River inlets. Live finger mullet will fool the oceanic flounder as well.
Dustin, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking up with some speckled trout (to 20”) on live shrimp.
Some whiting are falling for shrimp on the bottom.
And anglers are hooking a few spanish mackerel on Gotcha plugs.
