Added on Thursday, May 10, 2012  Gary Hurley

Hatteras May 10, 2012

Cowboy, of Hatteras Jack, reports that last weekend’s winds hampered the fishing a bit, but it should be back on track within a few days. Surf casters along Hatteras’s northern beaches have still been landing some sea mullet, croaker, and puffers on bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.

Some bluefish and puppy drum are also around the surf zone.

Anglers walking to the Point and fishing nearby from boats landed decent numbers of citation-class drum last week.

Inshore, the speckled trout action is still going around Bodie Island and in the sloughs around Oregon Inlet. Gulp baits and other soft plastics will tempt bites from the specks.

Tammy, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that surf casters around Avon have been hooking up with sea mullet, pufferfish, and a few pompano while baiting up with shrimp and bloodworms.

Bluefish (large and small) are also in the area, and they will fall for cut baits or metal casting lures.

Anglers making the trek to Cape Point are catching and releasing some citation-class red drum. Large cut baits on fish-finder rigs are producing the action with the reds.

Jack, of Avon Pier, reports that anglers are catching some sea mullet and pufferfish on bottom rigs baited with shrimp. Some flounder (most smaller) are also in the mix.

Bluefish (from smaller to big choppers) are biting Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier.

Bob, of Frisco Tackle, reports that boaters are catching big numbers of spanish mackerel while trolling spoons off Hatteras Inlet.

Surf anglers are hooking some fat pompano and sea mullet on shrimp from the local beaches.

Baiting up with cut baits has been producing some action with bluefish and speckled trout from the sand. A few slot-sized red drum have been in the mix around ramp 49, and anglers also landed several cobia from the beach around Cape Point lately.

Kyle, of Frisco Rod and Gun, reports that surf casters are connecting with some large bluefish, puppy drum, and fat sea mullet in the local surf. Several pompano were caught last week as well. Shrimp and cut baits will get attention from all the surf fish.

Inshore, speckled and gray trout are feeding in the sound and inlet, and anglers are catching both on a variety of baits and lures.

Trolling just off the inlet has been producing action with bluefish and spanish mackerel, with Clarkspoons doing much of the damage.

Cobia are showing up off Hatteras Inlet, and anglers are hooking some while sight-casting bucktails to fish they spot on the surface.

The offshore fleet is coming home with some big catches of gaffer dolphin, along with a few wahoo and blackfin tuna. Billfish are also starting to show up, and boats have tallied some blue and white marlin releases in recent days. Skirted and naked ballyhoo and a variety of other trolling lures are tempting bites from the blue water pelagics.

Jay, of Bite Me Charters, reports an excellent dolphin bite off Hatteras Inlet lately (with most of the fish gaffers). Anglers are hooking them both while trolling with ballyhoo and other lures and bailing with cut baits and squid.

Some blackfin tuna, a few scattered yellowfins, and a few wahoo are also in the mix while anglers are trolling the local blue water, and boats have reported and hooked several blue marlin over the past few weeks.

Melinda, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that before the hard blow last weekend, anglers found action with big numbers of bluefish and a few red drum (drum mostly at night) while casting cut baits into Ocracoke’s surf.

Some sea mullet and a big sheepshead took an interest in shrimp baited bottom rigs off the beaches last week.

And anglers are hooking good numbers of gray trout and sea mullet while bouncing spec rigs off the bottom in the deeper holes back in the sound.