Hatteras – June 7, 2018
Ryan, of Hatteras Jack, reports that sea mullet and spot have been caught in good numbers by surf anglers fishing bloodworms or sand fleas.
Pompano are biting well on the smaller bottom rigs and prefer sand fleas.
Fishing the sloughs along the beach using Carolina-rigged mullet is a good setup for anglers seeking out some puppy drum.
A couple of cobia have been reported off the surf by anglers fishing cut mullet or menhaden on a Carolina rig, and a few black drum are being reported by anglers fishing shrimp.
Schools of bluefish are working back and forth outside the breakers, and casting metal jigs and spoons with a quick retrieve has produced the majority of fish. Flounder are being caught in better numbers by anglers fishing with bottom rigs.
Sound-side anglers are finding red drum and speckled trout around oyster beds and grass flats. Fishing with weedless or light jig heads with Gulp soft plastics has been working great.
Good-sized sheepshead (to 9 lbs.) have been reported by anglers fishing sand fleas, mussels, and fiddler crabs along the inlet bridge pilings and channel markers.
Jim, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish have been biting well on Gotcha plugs.
Some cobia are coming over the rails in a mixed bag of sizes. Some smaller ones have been taken on Gotcha plugs, but the larger (to 40 lbs.) cobia are falling for bucktails.
Really good numbers of sea mullet are biting shrimp and bloodworms.
Some better numbers of flounder are being reported, and sheepshead are hanging around the pilings.
Ginger, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that cobia are being landed by surf, pier, and nearshore boat anglers.
Large pompano (to 3 lbs.) have been biting great in the surf. Casting into deep holes along the beach with smaller Carolina rigs and sand fleas are getting most of the bites.
Anglers bottom fishing with shrimp or sand fleas are seeing good numbers of sea mullet.
Watching the surf for schools of tailor bluefish has payed off well for anglers ready with glass minnow-style metal jigs.
Schools of spanish mackerel have also been cruising within casting distance.
Matt Lusk with a nice cobia. The near-50 lb. fish was caught south of Oregon Inlet.
Toby, of Avon Pier, reports that anglers are catching spanish and bluefish on Gotcha plugs and glass minnow jigs.
Fishing shrimp or bloodworms closer to the breakers is producing a cooler full of good-sized sea mullet.
Anglers are reporting good numbers of cobia cruising by within casting range. Some large fish (to 67 lbs.) have come over the rails in the last few days.
Cameron, of Frisco Tackle, reports that cobia have been the main target, with anglers finding luck off the piers casting bucktails, while surf anglers have caught a few on Carolina-rigged menhaden.
Good numbers of sea mullet are in the area biting shrimp or sand fleas.
Large citation-sized pompano have been caught in the shoreline drop-off on sand fleas.
Anglers rigged with glass minnow jigs are catching bluefish and spanish mackerel on the Buxton and Frisco beaches.
A few larger flounder (to 21”) have been caught on bottom rigs fished with shrimp. Anglers working soft plastics on 1/4 oz. jig heads through the sloughs are reporting a good number of bites, too.
Sound-side anglers are reporting some citation-sized red drum while bottom fishing along sloughs. These same cut baits have also enticed a couple of the larger “chopper” bluefish.
JAM, of Teach’s Lair, reports that boats are coming in with limits to near limits of gaffer-sized mahi. The billfish bite has been really good, too, with a number of blue and white marlin releases on skirted ballyhoo and larger Ilander lures. Blackfin tuna are still biting well, with fish to 22 lbs., and good numbers of wahoo are hitting trolled ballyhoo out in the Stream.
Nearshore fishing has been great, with the cobia bite being the big news. Casting 2-3 oz. bucktails with a 6” curly tail grub has produced the most fish.
Citation-sized red drum (to 50”) are feeding on Carolina-rigged cut bait in the inlets and along the sloughs in the sound.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been awesome, with tons of fish schooled up around the bait balls just offshore.
Boats fishing inshore have reported good numbers of large sheepshead (to 10 lbs.) biting well around channel markers and similar structure.
Joey, of Fingeance Sportfishing, reports that cobia fishing has been great, and sight casting to cruising fish has been the top method. A 2 oz. Meat Hog bucktail with a Z-Man grub tail is standard, and anglers should look for fish around bait balls, rays, and turtles.
Some citation red drum are schooled up off the beach as well, and they’re hitting the same rigged bucktails.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that limits of gaffer and a few bailer-sized mahi are making a quick limit on most trips, and a few citation-sized blackfins are being caught on skirted ballyhoo.
Wahoo have continued to show up in the daily numbers, and a couple of white marlin have hit baits in the spread.
Bottom fishing local wrecks has produced huge numbers of triggerfish (up to 5 lbs.).
Bill, of Predator Sportfishing, reports that the dolphin bite is on fire out of Hatteras. Finding good weed lines and pulling skirted baits along them is providing anglers with boxes full of fish.
A few citation-sized blackfin tuna are still being caught as well.
Billfishing has picked up, with both big blue marlin and sailfish being a welcome surprise to captains watching the spread.
Jessie, of Carolina Girl Sportfishing, reports that great numbers of gaffer and slinger mahi are filling coolers. A few larger dolphin (to 39 lbs.) are being picked up, and they’re hitting the same skirted baits trolling along weed lines.
The numbers of blue marlin being hooked have been strong, and scattered blackfin tuna are mixed in and hitting skirted ballyhoo pulled behind the boat.
Bottom fishing has been great with huge grouper (to 40 lbs.) and really good numbers of triggerfish and tilefish feeding around the wrecks and live bottom.
Ken, of Tradewinds Bait and Tackle, reports that the sea mullet bite has been on fire in the surf. Fishing bloodworms or Fishbites artificial bloodworms has enticed bites.
Pompano have also been biting these smaller bottom rigs, but they are preferring sand fleas.
Good numbers of keeper flounder are being reported by anglers both bottom fishing and working soft plastics in the sloughs.
Puppy drum have been feeding on cut baits fished on the bottom.
