Morehead City/Atlantic Beach – October 2022
Damion, of Chasin’ Tails, reports that good numbers of red drum are being found pushing bait back in the marshes and inshore flats. This bite has really kicked off with the fall mullet run in swing throughout the region.
There are a few speckled trout mixed in the inshore action, with most being caught early in the day.
Flounder fishing has been good all of September, with some large fish picked up around the Port Wall and out on the nearshore reefs.
Sheepshead action remains strong around the area’s bridges and rock structures. These same areas are also holding some nice black drum.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are around in good numbers from the Turning Basin out to the beachfronts, and some false albacore are also starting to mix in with these surface-feeding schools of spanish. Both species are crushing the bait moving through.
King mackerel action hasn’t quite fired up on the beach, but some nice-sized fish are still coming from the east side of Lookout.
Offshore anglers have been targeting the wahoo that are becoming more prevalent as water temperatures start to cool moving into fall.
Joe, of Carolina Traditions Guide Co., reports that nearshore anglers have been finding some good spanish mackerel action while casting Beach Bum and similar glass minnow style jigs around the surface-feeding frenzies.
There are also plenty of bluefish and a few early schools of false albacore around.
Even though the keeper season has finished up, flounder continue to be found just about everywhere from nearshore reefs to areas around bridges and drop-offs near inshore structure. Both live bait and bucktail jigs tipped with soft plastics were great (are great) in hooking a flatfish.
Red drum action has been strong, with both slot and upper-slot fish feeding on cut finger mullet.
The old drum bite is still in full swing up on the river and out towards the Cedar Point area. Popping corks and larger soft plastics around bait balls has been producing most of these trophy hookups.
Daniel, of On Deck Fishing Charters, reports that schools of spanish mackerel, bluefish, and false albacore are crushing glass minnows from the ARs over to the Cape. Anglers are having plenty of success casting small metal jigs into these surface-feeding frenzies. If these schools are pushed down, it has been productive to switch over to trolling with Clarkspoons.
Inshore, the bait shrimp in the area are thick, and red drum are crushing them back in the marshes alongside black drum and speckled trout. A popping cork rigged with live shrimp has been the top inshore setup and will continue to be productive throughout the fall.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that red drum and flounder action inshore has been the hot bite over recent trips. Anglers are having plenty of success with the trophy red drum fishing in the Pamlico Sound and up into the Neuse River. Popping corks around bait early and into the afternoon is a popular tactic, with success also being found switching over to bottom fishing with shad or mullet on Lupton rigs.
The shorelines of these same areas are holding good numbers of slot-sized red drum, black drum, southern flounder, and a few of the “old” reds as well when anglers look to tuck away and fish artificials when winds are strong.
Off the beaches, the artificial reefs off Morehead are holding good numbers of both gulf and southern flounder for anglers jigging bucktails or live finger mullet.
There are really good numbers of spanish mackerel and false albacore staged up off the beaches. Anglers are having plenty of success casting metal jigs or using fly fishing setups around the surface-feeding frenzies.
Inshore, there have been some nice-sized flounder staged up in deeper areas around the Port Wall and local bridges.
Byron, of Going Bogue Outdoors, reports that summer conditions have remained the norm, but signs of fall are definitely starting to show. The wahoo showing up in the Gulf Stream are one of the first signs, with fishing only picking up in coming weeks as more strong temperature breaks form offshore.
King mackerel are feeding well for anglers running to the east side of Cape Lookout.
Bottom fishing anglers are finding gag grouper starting to move in shallower as they do each fall. Some trips have found action in water as shallow as 45’.
Aaron, of Oceanana Pier, reports that sight-casting action has been picking up, with nice catches of spanish mackerel, bluefish, and some false albacore pushing around the pier. Targeting times of higher tides and both early and late in the day has been best for anglers looking to cast jigs at surface-feeding schools.
There were a few nice flounder caught from the pier over this past month’s keeper season.
Bottom fishing is picking up as water temperatures cool moving into fall. Anglers are reporting a mixed bag of sheepshead, pompano, and sea mullet.
