Morehead City August 11, 2011
Bryan Ludlow, of Atlanta, with a fat scamp grouper that he hooked on a live menhaden while bottom fishing at some structure in 205' of water off Beaufort Inlet with Clifton Moss on the "Miss Sara."
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are connecting with some red and black drum in the Haystacks and the Core Creek marshes. Live shrimp on float rigs are fooling both, and anglers are also connecting with the reds while casting Gulp baits and gold spoons.
Flounder are feeding throughout the area’s inshore and nearshore waters. Anglers are hooking big numbers while drifting behind Shackleford and in the ICW channel with live mud minnows and Gulp baits. Fewer (but larger) fish are coming from inshore structure like the Morehead port wall and the high-rise bridges and out at the nearshore AR’s. Bucktail/Gulp combos or live finger mullet and menhaden will get attention from the larger flatfish.
Sheepshead are also feeding around the bridges and the port wall, and they’re taking an interest in live fiddler crabs and sea urchins.
Spanish mackerel are feeding in Beaufort Inlet and along the beachfront to both sides. Casting Jigfish and other small metal lures to surface activity, as well as trolling Clarkspoons or squid rigs, will put the spaniards in the boat.
Larger spanish are feeding around nearshore structure like AR-315 and AR-285. The bigger fish are more apt to bite small live baits like finger mullet and menhaden than artificials.
Spot, croaker, pigfish, sea mullet, and other small bottomfish are feeding in the inlet and turning basin, and they should provide plenty of action for anglers dropping shrimp and squid on bottom and spec rigs.
King mackerel are still a little scarce, but anglers are hooking a few in the shipping channel, around the sea buoy, and at structure east of Lookout Shoals (where the fish are running larger). Live menhaden and dead cigar minnows will fool the mackerel. Ribbonfish are particularly effective for the larger kings.
A few dolphin have been caught around the sea buoy, and there’s been sporadic dolphin action from there on out to the Gulf Stream. Some sailfish and wahoo are mixed in with the ‘phins as boats get further offshore, and all three will take an interest in skirted and naked ballyhoo.
Bottom fishermen are catching plenty of triggerfish, black sea bass, grouper, and amberjacks at structure in the 30-40 mile range. Cigar minnows, northern mackerel, and squid are fooling the bottom feeders.
Richard Broughton and Harry Hollifield, from Morehead City, with a pair of flounder that bit a mud minnow and a Gulp bait near the Morehead port wall. Photo courtesy of Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the flounder bite is still solid inshore, where anglers are catching the fish while drifting the channels and fishing hard structure like the port wall and bridge pilings. Live mud minnows and bucktail/Gulp combos will fool the flatfish.
Sheepshead fishing has slowed down a bit, but anglers are still catching decent numbers of the fish while dangling fiddler crabs and sea urchins around the port wall and bridge and dock pilings.
Some speckled trout are feeding in the Haystacks. Anglers are hooking them while fishing live shrimp on float rigs.
There’s been a decent red drum bite around Fort Macon. The fish are feeding from the Coast Guard Station all the way around to the beachfront, and they’ll bite finger mullet, shrimp, cut baits, and a variety of artificials.
Surf anglers are also hooking some sea mullet, spot, croaker, and a few pompano on shrimp, bloodworms, and sand fleas.
Pete, of Energizer Charters, reports that there’s still a surprisingly good wahoo bite for August along the break off Beaufort Inlet. Ballyhoo under dark-colored skirts trolled both on the surface and deep behind planers are the way to go for the wahoo.
Some sailfish and a few blackfin tuna are feeding in the same areas, and they’ll bite skirted or naked ballyhoo.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that the heat has slowed the fishing down a bit. Anglers are still catching some puppy drum and speckled trout in the very early mornings near Cedar Island. Topwater plugs, Gulp baits, and suspending lures like MirrOlure MR17’s and Paul Brown Originals will tempt bites from both.
Larger “old” red drum are feeding around oyster rocks and depth changes in the open sound off Cedar Island. Anglers are hooking them at night on large cut baits like mullet and menhaden.
Spanish mackerel are chasing bait in the Pamlico Sound and the ocean off Beaufort Inlet. Trolling small Drone spoons behind planers and trolling weights will put the spanish in the boat.
Joyce, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers are hooking a few bluefish while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
Some croaker are taking an interest in bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
Abbie McDonald with her first sailfish. She hooked it while fishing of Beaufort Inlet on the "Gypsy Angler."
Royce, of Sheraton Pier, reports that plug casters are connecting with some spanish mackerel and bluefish on Gotchas.
Some keeper flounder are falling for small live baits fished near the pilings.
Bottom fishermen are finding action (and losing some tackle) with over-slot red drum (with fish to 15 lbs.). Fresh shrimp have been getting attention from the reds.
