Hatteras/Ocracoke – June 20, 2019
Ryan, of Hatteras Jack, reports that anglers bottom fishing in the surf have been catching citation-sized pompano and sea mullet.
Bluefish are inside the breakers, and they’re hitting cut baits and casting jigs.
Spanish mackerel are being caught by anglers throwing glass minnow style jigs. Early in the morning before the crowds hit the beach has been best time to target the spanish.
Legal-sized flounder are hitting Gulp soft plastics fished in the deeper sloughs along the beach.
Cobia are being caught by boat anglers sight-casting bucktails to cruising fish off Rodanthe.
Sound-side anglers have been catching speckled trout around oyster beds and grass banks. Soft plastics fished under popping corks have been producing most of the fish.
Bluefish are inshore and schooled up in deeper channels.
Flounder are staged up on ledges, and they’re hitting soft plastics and Carolina-rigged live baits.
David Griffith, of Greenville, NC, with a massive 111 lb. wahoo caught on a blue/white Wild Willy Sea Witch. He was fishing on the “Raunchie Conch” 38 miles SE of Oregon Inlet.
Jim, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that anglers have been catching large spanish mackerel (up to 6 lbs.) with Gotcha plugs.
Bluefish are hitting the same plugs, as well as Carolina-rigged cut baits.
Sheepshead are being caught on shrimp fished near pier pilings.
Flounder (up to 18”) are showing up in better numbers. They’re falling for baits and soft plastics fished on the bottom.
A few tarpon have been hooked on large cut baits from the end of the pier, but both came unbuttoned.
Heather, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that bottom fishing has been great, with large sea mullet and pompano being caught in deep holes along the beach.
Bluefish are feeding on Carolina-rigged cut mullet. Spanish mackerel are mixed in with the blues, and they prefer casting jigs.
Flounder have been pushing into the surf, though most fish are just short.
Large cut baits in Avon are producing sharks.
Nice-sized sheepshead (up to 5 lbs.) are being caught around channel markers and oyster beds in the sound, and speckled trout are hitting soft plastics fished around the oyster beds and grass banks.
Kristen, of Avon Pier, reports that schools of bluefish have been breezing by the pier. They’re both hitting Gotcha plugs and cut baits.
Bottom rigs with shrimp and Fishbites strips are producing sea mullet and spot.
A few legal flounder are being caught closer to the breakers.
A large tarpon (estimated 80 lbs.) was caught on cut mullet.
Cameron, of Frisco Tackle, reports that pompano are feeding on sand fleas fished on small Carolina rigs, with better numbers reported on days with clear water.
A few sea mullet are mixed in, and they’re hitting bottom-rigged shrimp and Fishbites strips.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding on baits inside the breakers, but anglers casting glass minnow jigs to the fish have been most productive.
Lee, of Teach’s Lair, reports that citation-sized pompano and sea mullet are being caught by anglers fishing bottom rigs with shrimp and sand fleas.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are falling for cut baits and casting jigs around the Point.
A small cobia was landed on a Carolina-rigged cut bait at Ramp 43.
Trolling spoons from the breakers out to five miles is producing false albacore, spanish, and kings.
Offshore boats have been finding large numbers of mahi right alongside all the scattered grass in the area. Blackfin and some skipjack tuna are hitting the same skirted ballyhoo trolled around the temperature break.
Billfish are being reported in decent numbers. Though the bite is not on fire, there is a good mix of blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish being released.
Bottom fishing at offshore live bottom areas is producing grouper, triggerfish, and beeliners.
Speckled trout have been feeding well around ledges and oyster beds in the sound.
Big red drum and a few cobia are being caught by anglers fishing Carolina-rigged baits in the inlet, and sheepshead are hitting Carolina-rigged fiddler crabs around channel markers and pilings.
Joey, of Fingeance Sportfishing, reports that there are still a few cobia around for anglers sight-casting bucktails.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are in great numbers just off the beach.
Smaller king mackerel are being caught around the local wrecks and structure with deep diving plugs and dead bait rigs.
Anglers staying in the sound are finding limits of speckled trout while working deeper holes with soft plastics.
A few bluefish are in these same holes, and they’re tearing up soft plastics and topwater plugs.
Jigging soft plastics on the bottom is producing flounder and gray trout.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that good numbers of dolphin are being caught while trolling skirted ballyhoo and bailing with cut baits. Most fish have been gaffer-sized, and quite a few bulls (up to 40 lbs.) are in the same areas.
Some smaller blackfin tuna are around the temperature break.
Blue and white marlin are in the area, with most anglers finding them in the deeper waters outside the grass lines.
A few sailfish have been released. They’re hitting skirted baits and lures.
Jeremy, of Calypso Sportfishing, reports that gaffer mahi are being caught in really good numbers, with many trips finding double-digit numbers of fish while trolling through the scattered grass. Blackfin tuna are mixed in with the mahi.
Some big blue marlin are around, and they’re hitting Fathom lures and large, skirted baits.
Jessie, of Carolina Girl Sportfishing, reports that anglers have been catching lots of gaffer and bull mahi (up to 35 lbs.). Blackfins are mixed in with the mahi.
Some huge blue marlin (up to 500 lbs.) are hitting large lures and baits trolled in deeper water outside the break.
A few sailfish have been released while searching for the big blues.
Alan, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that citation-sized sea mullet are feeding on bottom rigs tipped with shrimp. Pompano are being caught on these same bottom rigs.
Smaller bluefish (up to 3 lbs.) are hitting Carolina-rigged cut baits.
Anglers in the sound have been catching over-slot red drum on live and cut baits.
Nearshore trips have been producing limits of spanish mackerel while trolling spoons behind a planer.
Offshore anglers are finding high yields of mahi and reporting blue marlin in the area.
