Hatteras/Ocracoke – July 4, 2019
JAM, of Hatteras Jack, reports that surf anglers are finding some nice-sized spanish mackerel (up to 20”) while casting glass minnow style jigs to surface feeding schools.
Large pompano (up to 3.5 lbs.) and sea mullet are being caught in deep sloughs with Advanced Fishing Rattle Rigs and sand fleas.
Bluefish are feeding on Carolina-rigged cut baits.
Speckled trout fishing in the sound has been great, with large fish (up to 4 lbs.) falling for soft plastics while wade fishing.
Tim Jackson, from Ohio, with a 49″ cobia caught using cut bait. He was fishing in Hatteras inlet with Capt. Joey Van Dyke of Fingeance Charters.
Jim, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that bluefish and spanish mackerel are hitting Gotcha plugs in any color cast to feeding schools.
Bottom fishing has been slow with the long, hot days, but anglers are landing some sea mullet and pompano on shrimp.
Heather, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that spot, sea mullet, and large pompano are being caught on bottom rigs in the surf zone with shrimp, sand fleas, and Fishbites strips.
Spanish mackerel and a few false albacore are hitting casting jigs fished in the mornings around Salvo.
Bluefish are mixed in with the spanish, but most of the blues (and spanish) are being hooked off the piers.
Speckled trout are being caught in good numbers on the sound-side with soft plastics.
Kristen, of Avon Pier, reports that the hot weather has fishing slow in the afternoons, but good-sized sea mullet are being caught by anglers fishing bottom rigs.
Bluefish are schooled up in good numbers and regularly breezing by the pier. Casting Gotcha plugs at these schools (or fishing cut baits) will produce some hits.
Cameron, of Frisco Tackle, reports that pompano are being caught with sand fleas on days with clean water.
A few sea mullet and spot are mixed in with the pomps, and they’re also feeding on shrimp.
Casting jigs have been producing bluefish and spanish mackerel.
Sharks are being caught off the beach with cut baits.
(Left-Right) Sonny Quidley, Dustin Quidley, Prestonn Anders, Mike Anders (kneeling with Jax Anders), Sam Anders, Stephen Anders and Robert Anders with an assortment of mahi and trigger fish they caught aboard the “Runaway” with Capt. Jay Daniels out of Teach’s Lair Marina in Hatteras.
Lee, of Teach’s Lair, reports that offshore boats have been finding good numbers of dolphin around grass lines while trolling skirted ballyhoo. Blackfin tuna are mixed in with the daily counts.
Bottom fishing has been great, and anglers are pleased with the variety of species coming over the rails. Beeliners, triggerfish, snappers, rainbow runners, and barracuda are all being caught on cut baits around live bottoms.
Amberjack have moved in around wrecks and are suspended over the structure. They’re hitting jigs and free-lined baits.
Nearshore anglers are finding huge numbers of spanish mackerel while trolling Clarkspoons and casting glass minnow jigs around feeding schools.
Blues are mixed in with the spanish, with most of the bluefish schools being closer to the breakers.
School-sized king mackerel are staged up around nearshore live bottoms.
Cobia are being caught by anglers bottom fishing around the inlet and in the deeper channels.
Speckled trout are inside the inlets and staged up around ledges and oyster beds.
Red drum are on the flats, and anglers are having success while casting Carolina-rigged mullet, gold spoons, and soft plastics.
Sheepshead are being caught around pilings and channel markers with fiddler crabs.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are moving inside the breakers, and they’re feeding on bait balls.
Surf anglers are finding good numbers of sea mullet and pompano, and a few slot-sized red drum were caught on Carolina-rigged cut bait.
Joey, of Fingeance Sportfishing, reports that spanish mackerel fishing has been great for anglers trolling spoons and casting Stingsilvers and Gotcha plugs to feeding schools.
Bluefish are mixed in with the schools of spanish, and they’re hitting the same baits.
A few cobia are in the area. Most of the cobia action is coming on large cut menhaden.
Citation-sized red drum are around the inlet hitting bucktails and large metal jigs.
Speckled trout are being caught in strong numbers inshore with Z-Man soft plastics on 1/4 oz. jig heads.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that huge numbers of gaffer and bailer mahi are being caught around grass patches. On some days, the grass has been so thick that it has been beneficial to drop baits in open areas with a bailer rod.
A few smaller blackfin tuna are mixed in with the mahi.
Bottom fishing has been producing large numbers of triggerfish.
Jeremy, of Calypso Sportfishing, reports that bailer dolphin are being caught on small artificial lures and by chumming squid when you find a school.
A few smaller blackfin tuna are being caught on Green Machine combos.
Blue marlin are scattered in deeper waters off the grass, and they’re hitting skirted horse ballyhoo.
Sailfish and white marlin are mixed in, being caught on smaller ballyhoo and plugs.
Jessie, of Carolina Girl Sportfishing, reports that mahi numbers have been good, with both bailers and gaffer fish (up to 20 lbs.) caught around grass lines.
Smaller “summertime” blackfin tuna are mixed in with the mahi in areas free from grass.
The billfish bite has been solid, with anglers finding sailfish, white marlin, and a few large blue marlin coming into the spreads to hit trolling lures and skirted ballyhoo.
Alan, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that some red drum are hanging around the surf zone as they work their way into the sounds. Carolina-rigged cut mullet has been catching slot-sized fish (up to 26”).
Bottom rigs with shrimp and sand fleas are producing citation-sized pompano and a few sea mullet.
Gray trout are being caught on fresh shrimp fished on the sound-side.
