Hatteras October 11, 2012
Randi Machovec, of Waves, with a 20" sheepshead that bit a sand flea in the sound near Waves while she was fishing with friends from Charlie's Boat Rentals.
Jim, of Hatteras Jack, reports that anglers are hooking big numbers of bluefish and a few puppy drum from the local beaches. Cut baits and finger mullet will appeal to both.
The piers to the north are seeing decent numbers of larger, citation-class red drum, and it shouldn’t be long until they’re feeding locally.
Bottom fish like sea mullet and spot are taking an interest in shrimp and bloodworms pinned to double-hook rigs in the surf.
Flounder are moving out the inlets into the surf zone, and they will bite soft plastics, live and strip baits, or other offerings.
The speckled trout bite is still going strong in the sound off Rodanthe, and most of the fish are falling for Gulp baits and other soft plastics.
Josh, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that bluefish and spot have made up the majority of the action lately. Most of the spot are falling for double-hook rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
Bluefish are biting both bait and metal lures like Gotcha plugs.
Live-baiters landed a 28 lb. king mackerel from the pier last week.
Ginger, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that there are big numbers of tailor bluefish on the feed in the surf around Avon. Anglers can hook them on a variety of baits or metal casting lures.
Ginger Rines with a 47.5" red drum she caught and released in the Pamlico Sound while fishing with Adam Jones. A chunk of mulet fooled the big red.
Sea mullet and pompano are still around and taking an interest in shrimp and sand fleas on bottom rigs.
Anglers working metal lures from the beach at Cape Point are still connecting with spanish mackerel and bluefish.
The big red drum are just to the north and on the way, just in time for the NCBBA Red Drum Tournament on October 25-27.
Bob, of Frisco Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking some small puppy drum, flounder, bluefish, spot, and more from the Frisco beachfront. Shrimp, bloodworms, and cut baits on bottom rigs will all produce.
Some sea mullet and pompano are still around, but they seem to be becoming scarcer as the water cools down.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are still feeding around Cape Point, and anglers are tempting them to bite metal casting lures early and late in the day.
Kyle, of Frisco Rod and Gun, reports that anglers are connecting with some spot, pompano, sea mullet, and croaker from the local beaches while casting bottom rigs baited with shrimp, sand fleas, and bloodworms.
Yearling red drum and bluefish are feeding around Cape Point and biting cut baits. Some spanish mackerel are also still in the area, and they and bluefish are taking an interest in metal lures that anglers are working from the sand.
Rob Alderman, of Outer Banks Kayak Fishing, with a citation red drum he caught and released off the beach at Corolla.
Inshore boaters are hooking bluefish and some speckled and gray trout while working soft plastics and other lures in the sound.
The offshore fleet is finding a solid wahoo bite in the blue water off Hatteras Inlet with blackfin tuna and dolphin mixed in. A few recent days have also seen decent yellowfin tuna action, and several blue marlin and sailfish have been released over the past week.
Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures will fool all the offshore predators, and anglers are also hooking some wahoo on baitless high-speed lures.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that the blue water action off Hatteras Inlet is heating up for fall. The wahoo bite remains strong for anglers pulling both ballyhoo and high speed lures along the break. Marlin and dolphin are still in the area and taking an interest in ballyhoo.
Anglers are also seeing some of the first yellowfin tuna action of the fall along the break as well. Ballyhoo are also tempting bites from the tuna.
Alan, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that the recent cool snap has triggered the beginning of some solid fall fishing. Several citation-class red drum and more yearling fish have been caught and released from the Ocracoke beach in recent days. Cut baits are the way to go for the reds, and the bite will only improve as the weather continues to cool and more fish push out of the sound.
Sea mullet, puppy drum, spot, and bluefish are also feeding along the beachfront, and bottom rigs baited with cut baits, shrimp, and other offerings will tempt them to bite.
Back in the sound, anglers are hooking some gray and speckled trout, sea mullet, flounder, bluefish and big red drum.
Offshore trollers are hooking some wahoo and a few dolphin and sailfish while pulling skirted ballyhoo.
