Hatteras/Ocracoke – Aug 30, 2018
Ryan, of Hatteras Jack, reports that anglers fishing in the sound are finding a mixed bag of fish. Good-sized puppy drum are biting on Carolina-rigged cut bait, as well as soft plastics paired with 1/4 oz. jig heads.
Some legal speckled trout are being caught around drop-offs in the sound on popping corks.
Around the inlet, anglers are finding good numbers of flounder near structure on the bottom.
There has also been a showing of smaller cobia just inside the inlet.
Nearshore anglers are finding lots of 2-4 lb. spanish mackerel while trolling off the beaches.
Further south around the shoals, boats have found schools of over-slot red drum.
Sea mullet have been feeding well in the surf on shrimp hooked on a bottom rig.
The deeper tidal pools and drop-offs are producing some flounder for anglers fishing with Gulp soft plastics on jig heads.
The spanish mackerel have made a steady showing and are back on the beaches after all of last month’s rain. These schools are chasing bait within casting distance early in the mornings.
Bluefish have been schooling throughout the day behind the breakers. Casting spoons have worked well for anglers trying to reach both the spanish and bluefish action.
Offshore boats are reporting billfish, tuna, wahoo, and king mackerel.
Curtis Pelt, from Rocky Mount, caught this flounder on a Gulp Ripple Mullet while fishing on the Pamlico Sound.
Jim, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that sea mullet have been caught in good numbers by anglers fishing bottom rigs.
A few spot are mixed in along the bottom, and they’re feeding best on shrimp.
A handful of bluefish are being caught by anglers casting Gotcha plugs towards feeding schools.
Sheepshead are being hooked by anglers fishing with Carolina-rigged sand fleas dropped close to the pilings.
Ginger, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that good-sized pompano (to 2 lbs.) have been biting sand fleas fished on a Carolina rig in the shore break.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel have been just past the breakers and are hitting Stingsilver casting jigs.
Bottom fishing has been strong in the area, with both sea mullet and spot feeding well on fresh and frozen shrimp. A few citation-sized mullet have been mixed in, too.
Shark anglers have seen a few hammerheads landed off the surf around Avon, and a mixed bag of other shark species are being caught up and down the beach on cut mullet.
Toby, of Avon Pier, reports that spanish mackerel fishing has picked back up with the more stable weather. Good numbers of spanish are being caught by anglers casting glass minnow jigs to breaking schools.
Bluefish in the 1-2 lb. range are being hooked on casting jigs and Gotcha plugs.
Sea mullet are biting shrimp fished on the bottom, and pompano are being caught on pieces of shrimp and sand fleas under a Carolina rig.
Cameron, of Frisco Tackle, reports that pompano and sea mullet are biting well on sand fleas in the surf.
Smaller “tailor” bluefish are everywhere in the surf and are being caught on casting spoons.
A few flounder are being found in the deeper sloughs on Gulp baits.
Rob Leitner with a 27″ redfish that he hooked while fishing in the suds at Nags Head.
JAM, of Teach’s Lair Marina, reports that wahoo fishing is great, with multiple citation-sized fish (to 55 lbs.) being caught daily.
Scattered dolphin are being brought in as well, and they’re being landed on skirted baits trolled along weed lines.
Blackfin tuna have showed in really good numbers, and these are a hearty class of 15 lb. fish (larger than normal for this time of year).
Billfish anglers have had releases on white marlin and sailfish.
Local wrecks and live bottoms are holding big numbers of triggerfish for anglers choosing to drop cut baits down to them. Some large barracuda have been caught around these same bottom fishing areas.
Inshore anglers are catching a lot of red drum in a variety of sizes on ledges around the inlet. Carolina-rigged cut baits have been the most utilized method for the drum.
Some big cobia are being caught by anglers bottom fishing these same deeper holes in the inlet, and larger black drum are being hooked on the bottom as well.
Trolling near the beach is producing tons of bluefish, and they’re mostly hitting Clarkspoons.
Some speckled trout and gray trout have been caught back in the sound.
