Hatteras – July 17, 2014
Don MOrrison, of Smithfield, VA, and Jon Meador, of Virginia Beach, VA, with dolphin that attacked skirted ballyhoo while they were trolling off Hatteras Inlet aboard the “Sea Dream” out of Hatteras Landing.
Ryan, of Hatteras Jack, reports that anglers are hooking a typical summer mixed bag of panfish like sea mullet, croaker, and spot in the surf. Anglers are also catching good numbers of pompano on the southern beaches, and they’re beginning to show up around Rodanthe as well.
Some bluefish and spanish mackerel are biting metal lures that anglers are working from the surf and piers when the water’s clean.
Anglers fishing the sound around Rodanthe and Oregon Inlet are connecting with solid numbers of speckled trout while working soft plastic baits.
Bryant, of The Fishin’ Hole, reports that spot, croaker, sea mullet, and a few pompano are biting in the local surf, mostly on shrimp. Some flounder are falling for soft plastics and strip baits in the surf.
Puppy drum are feeding in the sound at night, and anglers fishing the back sides of the islands are hooking them on finger mullet and cut baits.
Michael, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that anglers working Gotcha plugs from the pier are hooking some spanish mackerel in the morning hours when the water’s clean. Bluefish are also taking an interest in the plugs.
Bottom fishermen are bringing some spot, croaker, and sea mullet over the rails.
Live-baiters saw some king mackerel last week but didn’t land any.
Ian, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that anglers fishing the sound around Avon have been hooking plenty of puppy drum along with some speckled trout around the harbor. Soft plastic baits are fooling both.
Surf casters are seeing mixed bag action with panfish like spot, sea mullet, and croaker while baiting up with shrimp. A few pompano and flounder have also been hitting the sand.
Kyle, of Frisco Rod and Gun, reports that anglers are hooking sea mullet and pompano from Hatteras Island’s southern beaches. Shrimp and sand fleas are fooling both.
Some flounder are biting soft plastics, strip, and live baits around Hatteras Inlet.
Ivie Blevins with a pompano she landed unassisted from the beach at Buxton. Photo courtesy of Teach’s Lair Marina.
Anglers are also hooking some spanish mackerel while working metal lures in the surf at Buxton.
Inshore boaters are connecting with plenty of spanish and bluefish while trolling small spoons and working casting lures around Hatteras Inlet and along the beachfront.
A 50 lb. cobia was also caught by a Hatteras surf caster last week.
Dolphin are still the main news for the offshore fleet, with some boats returning with limit catches. Good numbers of wahoo have been mixed in on some recent days. Billfish like sailfish and white and blue marlin have also been finding trollers’ baits. Naked and skirted ballyhoo are fooling all the blue water predators.
Boats bottom fishing offshore are boxing up good catches of snapper, triggerfish, and tilefish.
JAM, of Teach’s Lair Marina, reports that anglers are seeing some solid numbers of wahoo while trolling off Hatteras Inlet right now. Good numbers of gaffer dolphin are also still in the mix, and both are falling for skirted ballyhoo.
Cobia are feeding around Hatteras Inlet, and anglers are bringing a few to the docks.
Anglers fishing the sound are connecting with some fat sheepshead around structure.
Working soft plastics in the sound is producing action with puppy drum and gray and speckled trout.
Surf casters are hooking some pompano, sea mullet, and bluefish. Working metal lures from the beach near Hatteras Inlet is also producing some spanish mackerel.
One angler landed a 50 lb. cobia while fishing the Hatteras surf last week.
Jay, of Bite Me Charters, reports that anglers are still seeing plenty of dolphin action off Hatteras Inlet, both while trolling ballyhoo and using lighter bailing rods to hook fish on chunks of squid and cut baits.
Some sailfish and wahoo have been feeding in the same areas and biting ballyhoo and trolling lures as well.
Melinda, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking some spanish mackerel and bluefish while working metal lures around South Point, which has reopened to access since the hurricane.
Bottom fishing in the island’s surf is producing more blues along with sea mullet, pompano, and puppy drum. Shrimp and cut baits are tempting most of the bites.
