Hatteras October 10, 2013
Lisa Alderman with a 47″ red drum that bit a chunk of fresh menhaden just off the beach at Corolla while she was fishing with her husband, Capt. Rob Alderman of Outer Banks Kayak Fishing.
Ryan, of Hatteras Jack, reports that anglers are seeing an epic puppy drum bite along both sides of Hatteras Island, with big numbers of fish in the surf and sound. Cut baits and metal spoons are fooling fish in the surf, and sound anglers are hooking up on soft plastic baits and popping cork rigs.
Good numbers of speckled trout are falling for soft plastic baits and popping corks in the sound as well.
Big numbers of bluefish and a few spanish mackerel are still feeding along the beachfront, where anglers are hooking them on casting jigs and while trolling from boats.
Some small pompano and panfish (like spot and sea mullet) are feeding in the surf and biting shrimp and bloodworms.
And flounder are feeding in the inlet and along the beaches, although anglers have to weed through the short fish in order to find the keepers.
Kelly, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some bluefish, spot, sea mullet, and pompano while bottom fishing with shrimp, bloodworms, and other baits.
Some flounder are also feeding under the pier and biting live and cut baits.
One 47.5” red drum was caught and released from the pier last week.
Sarah, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that anglers are hooking bluefish, spot, sea mullet, pompano, black drum, and puppy drum from the local beachfront. Shrimp, bloodworms, and cut baits are all getting bites in the surf.
The puppy drum bite is also going strong in the sound, where anglers are hooking up on the same baits and while working soft plastic lures.
Bev, of Frisco Tackle, reports that anglers are connecting with a bit of everything in the surf right now. Puppy drum, pompano, sea mullet, pufferfish, bluefish, and more are all taking an interest in shrimp, bloodworms, and cut baits from the local beaches.
Anglers have also released some citation-class red drum around Buxton recently.
Inshore, the flounder bite has been strong in the sound, and anglers are also hooking puppy drum and speckled trout.
Kyle, of Frisco Rod and Gun, reports that despite the government shutdown of 4wd access to the beach, persistent anglers are still putting some fish on the sand. Bluefish have been biting from all the southern beaches of the island, and anglers are also connecting with spot, puppy drum, and pompano. Shrimp, bloodworms, sand fleas, and cut baits are fooling most of the fish.
Some flounder are also around at Hatteras Inlet and biting live baits and soft lures like Gulps.
Anne Baum, of Hatteras Village, with a 21″ puppy drum she caught and released after it struck a live finger mullet on the Hatteras Inlet flats while she was fishing with her husband Tony.
Inshore boats are connecting with good numbers of red drum and bluefish.
The offshore fleet is finding action with good numbers of yellowfin tuna and wahoo while trolling ballyhoo in the blue water off Hatteras Inlet. Some blackfin tuna, dolphin, and a few billfish are also taking an interest in boats’ trolling spreads.
Jay, of Bite Me Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with wahoo, yellowfin tuna, gaffer and bailer dolphin, and even some late-season blue marlin.
Trolled ballyhoo are fooling all the blue water predators.
JAM, of Teach’s Lair, reports that anglers are still connecting with some fish from the Hatteras beachfront despite the limited access due to the government shutdown. Panfish like spot, sea mullet, and croaker are all biting bottom rigs baited with shrimp, sand fleas, and bloodworms in the local surf.
Puppy drum are also feeding in the suds and taking an interest in cut baits as well.
There’s a decent flounder bite around Hatteras Inlet, too, where soft plastics and live and strip baits are fooling the fish.
Inshore boaters are connecting with big numbers of slot-sized puppy drum. Good gray and speckled trout fishing has also been going on in the sound lately, and soft plastic baits are fooling the pups and the trout.
Flounder are thick in the sound as well, and anglers are hooking them on live, strip, and soft plastic baits (and fish to 14 lbs. have been gigged recently).
Offshore, anglers are still hooking big numbers of wahoo and yellowfin tuna, and the bailer dolphin have finally shown up (with many limits reported recently). The billfish bite has slowed a bit, but anglers are still seeing some sailfish action.
Melinda, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that despite the government shutdown and restricted access to the beach, anglers are still making their way to the surf and finding some good catches. Puppy drum are feeding along the beachfront and biting shrimp and cut baits. Some bluefish and panfish are mixed in as well.
Inshore fishing lately has been producing some excellent catches of flounder along with more puppy drum, gray and speckled trout, and some sheepshead.
Offshore boats are connecting with plenty of bailer dolphin, along with some wahoo and blackfin tuna. Most are falling for trolled ballyhoo.
