Morehead City – August 14, 2014
Ada Everette (age 12) with a dolphin that struck a ballyhoo near the NW Places while she was trolling off Beaufort Inlet.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that despite the dirty water, anglers are still hooking some spanish mackerel while trolling Clarkspoons off Beaufort Inlet, with the best action in the shipping channel last week. A few larger spanish mackerel are taking an interest in live baits around nearshore structure like AR-315.
Flounder are still feeding around the AR’s and other structure as well, and anglers have been putting together some good catches over the past week on live baits and Gulps pinned to bucktail jigs.
The flatfish bite is going strong inshore as well, with most of the action with larger fish taking place around structure like the port wall and local bridge pilings.
Red drum action is solid in the marshes, where anglers are fooling the fish with topwater plugs, spoons, soft plastics, and live baits. Anglers are also picking up a few reds in the surf.
Not many boats have made if offshore in the past week, but bottom fishermen are still reporting solid action with grouper, triggerfish, sea bass, and more at spots in the 30 mile range. There are also some cobia in the same areas. Squid, cigar minnows, northern mackerel, and many other baits will fool the bottom feeders.
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that that anglers are still hooking some spanish mackerel despite the dirty water conditions that all the recent rains have brought on. The best action has been a bit further offshore than usual in 40-60’ of water, with the area west of Beaufort Inlet producing most of the catches that anglers are reporting.
Not many anglers have been offshore recently, but the few who’ve made it out are reporting fair dolphin and wahoo fishing at the local blue water hotspots like the Big Rock. Most of both are falling for skirted ballyhoo.
Scott and Ryan Brevda, of Greensboro, NC, with a 26 lb. wahoo they hooked on a chartreuse/white-skirted ballyhoo while trolling off Beaufort Inlet near the NE Big Rock.
Surf casters are primarily seeing a summer mixed bag of panfish, pinfish, and sharks, but a few slot puppy drum and flounder are also finding anglers’ baits in the breakers. Shrimp, bloodworms, and cut baits are attracting attention in the surf.
Inshore, anglers fishing the marshes are reporting some speckled trout action and an improved red drum bite. Topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits under floats and on light Carolina rigs are producing most of the action.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that anglers are hooking good numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish around Cape Lookout shoals. Both casting metal lures at fish chasing bait on the surface and trolling Clarkspoons and diving plugs around bait schools and working birds are tempting the smaller pelagics to bite.
A few king mackerel are in the same areas and falling for live and dead baits.
Bottom fishermen are finding plenty of action with black sea bass, flounder, gag grouper, and more at spots 15-30 miles offshore. Live and cut baits or buctkail jigs tipped with Gulp baits are producing most of the action.
Amberjacks are feeding at high-relief structure in the same range and will pounce on live baits or a variety of artificials.
Alfred Goody with an amberjack that struck a live bait at AR-330 while he was fishing with Capt. Chris Kimrey of Mount Maker Charters.
Hailey, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking some large spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs from the end of the pier recently. Bluefish have been mixed in on many days as well.
Decent numbers of flounder are falling for live baits that anglers are fishing under the pier.
Bottom fishermen are hooking good numbers of pinfish, croaker, and sharks, along with a mixed bag of other panfish.
