Morehead City August 18, 2011
John Furman, of Pine Knoll Shores, with a 10.5 lb. sheepshead that bit a live fiddler crab under the Altantic Beach Bridge. Weighed in at Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that flounder fishing remains excellent inshore and nearshore. The port wall and high-rise bridges are producing the largest fish, but anglers have been catching good numbers of keepers while drifting the ICW and channels behind Shackleford. Live mud minnows, finger mullet, and Gulp baits will all produce action with the flatfish.
The flounder bite has also been solid at nearshore structure like AR-315, 320, and 330. Spro bucktails tipped with Gulp baits tend to outproduce live baits in the ocean.
Sheepshead fishing is also still going strong, with big numbers of fish (many 5+ lbs.) coming from the bridges, the port wall, and ICW docks. Live fiddler crabs and sea urchins will produce action with the sheeps.
The red drum bite is still a little slow, but anglers are picking some up in the Haystacks on live mud minnows and cut mullet. The recent high tides have also created some opportunities to sight-cast to tailing fish on flooded grass flats.
Anglers are reporting a few speckled trout from the Haystacks and Core Creek, hopefully a good sign for the coming fall.
Spanish mackerel are still feeding in the inlet and up and down the beaches, and the clearing water has improved the bite lately. Trolling Clarkspoons, squid rigs, and other lures will put the spanish in the boat, and anglers can also cast small metal jigs to schools of fish feeding on the surface with success.
Surf and pier anglers are hooking some sea mullet, pigfish, spot, pompano, and other bottom feeders. Shrimp and bloodworms on bottom rigs fished close to the beach have been the most productive.
Offshore, the king mackerel bite remains slow, with the few fish that anglers are seeing coming primarily from the east side of Lookout Shoals.
Dolphin fishing has been up-and-down, but anglers are catching some (mostly smaller fish) around the 14 Buoy, 90’ Drop, NW Places, Big 10/Little 10, and other offshore structure. Some sailfish have been mixed in, and both will fall for trolled ballyhoo.
Further out, there’s been a solid wahoo bite around the Big Rock, and medium and large ballyhoo under skirted lures are tempting the ‘hoo bites.
Bottom fishermen are finding action with grouper, triggerfish, sea bass, beeliners, and more at ledges and wrecks 30-40 miles off Beaufort Inlet. Vertical jigs or Decoy jigs and bottom rigs baited with squid, sardines, cigar minnows, and other baits are producing bites from the bottom dwellers.
Cody, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have been reporting a good red and black drum bite in the Haystacks and around Fort Macon lately. Live shrimp and live and cut mullet are getting attention from the drum.
A few speckled trout are also feeding in the Haystacks and taking an interest in live shrimp.
Flounder fishing is still solid for anglers drifting the ICW channel and fishing around hard structure inshore. The bite’s also doing well out at the nearshore reefs. Live mud minnows or finger mullet on Carolina rigs or bucktail/Gulp combinations are the way to go for the flatfish.
Ben James, of Greenville, NC, with a 55 lb. king mackerel he hooked on a live menhaden while slow-trolling at the Dead Tree Hole. Weighed in at Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Spanish mackerel fishing is still strong in Beaufort Inlet, where anglers are hooking the fish while trolling Clarkspoons and casting small metal lures to fish feeding on the surface.
Some larger spanish (to 5+ lbs.) are on the feed at the artificial reefs off Beaufort Inlet, and small live finger mullet or menhaden are the way to go for the bigger fish.
Surf and pier anglers are reporting some action with sea mullet, spot, croaker, pigfish, and a few pompano. Shrimp, bloodworms, and sand fleas on bottom rigs are the way to tempt bites from all the panfish.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that the “old” red drum bite is on from Cedar Island to well up the Neuse River (with big numbers of 40”+ citation fish). Cut baits like mullet, menhaden, spot, and croaker will all attract attention from the nosy big reds.
Speckled trout and puppy drum are scattered through Core Sound, and anglers are picking up a few on live baits and while casting topwater plugs, suspending hard baits, and soft plastics.
The flounder action has been excellent from Caison’s Island through the Core Sound. Small live baits or scented soft plastics will tempt bites from the flatfish.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been excellent in the Pamlico Sound, with the best bite over towards Ocracoke. Small live menhaden have been producing the largest fish, but anglers are catching plenty of keepers while trolling Clark and Drone spoons as well.
Large sharks are feeding around Drum Inlet, and cut baits should produce fast action with them.
Royce, of Sheraton Pier, reports that the water has cleared and anglers are connecting with bluefish and spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs from the planks.
Good numbers of flounder (some to 4 lbs.) are taking an interest in live shrimp and mud minnows under the pier.
Bottom fishermen are catching pompano, but most are on the small side.
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers are catching plenty of flounder on small live baits under the pier.
A few pompano are biting shrimp on bottom rigs.
