Hatteras August 8, 2013
Mollee Holloman, of Kill Devil Hills, with her first citation wahoo, a 44 lb. fish that she hooked while trolling the Gulf Stream off Hatteras Inlet with Capt. Buddy Hooper on the “Hatteras Fever II.”
Ryan, of Hatteras Jack, reports that surf casters are hooking decent numbers of sea mullet and croaker while casting shrimp and bloodworms from local beaches. Some pompano are mixed in on Hatteras’s southern beaches.
Anglers are also hooking some bluefish and spanish mackerel while working metal lures from the southern beaches.
Sheepshead and tautog are feeding around the pilings of the Bonner Bridge. Fishing sand fleas, fiddler crabs, and other baits tight to the structure will tempt bites from both fish.
There are also good numbers of flounder feeding around Oregon Inlet, where anglers can tempt them to bite soft plastics or strip and live baits.
Some large red drum have been feeding near the inlet, too, and boaters are hooking them while bottom fishing and sight-casting to fish near the surface.
Jamie, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that bottom fishermen have been hooking sea mullet, spot, spadefish, and smaller bluefish while baiting up with shrimp and bloodworms. Some pompano have been mixed in when the water’s clean.
One angler also landed a 30” cobia on a bottom rig last week, and several more cobes have been seen around the pier.
Sarah, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that surf casters are hooking sea mullet, croaker, spot, pompano, and other bottom feeders while casting shrimp, bloodworms, and other baits from the local beaches.
The piers have seen some spadefish and a few cobia as well.
Bob, of Frisco Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking pompano (some 2+ lb. citations), black drum (many 6-9 lbs.), spot, croaker, and smaller bluefish on shrimp, sand fleas, and bloodworms in the Frisco surf.
Some citation class red drum are feeding around Hatteras Inlet and falling for large cut baits in the evening hours.
Anglers are also catching some large red drum back in the sound while bottom fishing and sight-casting.
Speckled trout and bluefish are also on the feed in the sound and taking an interest in soft plastic baits and other artificials.
Kyle, of Frisco Rod and Gun, reports that anglers are hooking some sea mullet, pompano, flounder, and bluefish from the southern shores of Hatteras Island.
Stephen Miller, Bernie Wright, Kyle Martin, and Joseph Thomas display a quartet of sailfish release flags along with wahoo, dolphin, and an amberjack they hooked while trolling ballyhoo off Hatteras Inlet with Capt. Jay Daniels on the charterboat “Runaway.” Photo courtesy of Teach’s Lair Marina.
Inshore boaters are connecting with speckled and gray trout in the Pamlico Sound, and they’re also finding bluefish and spanish mackerel in the sound, inlet, and along the beachfront.
The Hatteras Inlet offshore fleet is hooking solid numbers of wahoo along with some dolphin and blackfin tuna.
Jay, of Bite Me Charters, reports that anglers are still hooking some dolphin while trolling the Gulf Stream off Hatteras Inlet. There’s also been a decent wahoo bite recently, and a few king mackerel as well. Billfish are also feeding off the inlet, and they’re taking an interest in naked and skirted ballyhoo.
JAM, of Teach’s Lair Marina, reports that the offshore fleet has released big numbers of sailfish over the past week. There’s also been a solid summer wahoo bite, and anglers are still hooking decent numbers of dolphin as well. Skirted and naked ballyhoo are fooling all the blue water predators.
King mackerel have shown up between the beach and the blue water. They’ll bite trolled spoons or strip, live, and dead baits.
Spanish mackerel are feeding along the beaches and around the inlet, and they’re falling for trolled Clarkspoons along with plenty of bluefish.
Inshore, there’s been solid action with speckled and gray trout, puppy drum, and bluefish in the sound. Soft plastic baits and other artificials are producing plenty of action with all four. The flounder bite is also turning on, and anglers can tempt bites from the flatfish while casting soft plastics and live or strip baits.
Pompano and sea mullet have been making up most of the action for surf casters, with shrimp and sand fleas the best bets for the panfish.
Alan, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking sea mullet, bluefish, and a few black and puppy drum from the Ocracoke beachfront. Shrimp, sand fleas, and cut baits are producing most of the action.
Some puppy drum, flounder, and speckled trout are biting soft plastics and natural baits in the sound.
Pompano and sheepshead have also been reported by sound anglers lately, and there’s been a good bite of citation-class red drum for anglers bottom fishing with large cut baits.
Offshore, the dolphin fishing has slowed a bit, but anglers are still connecting with some solid (40-60+ lbs.) wahoo.
