Morehead City August 19, 2010
Randy Knapp, from Warms Springs, VA, with a 58 lb. citation whaoo he hooked on a trolled ballyhoo 44 miles off Beaufort Inlet while fishing with Capt. Thomas Wood on the "Dancin Outlaw."
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that citation-class red drum are making a good showing in the Pamlico Sound and Neuse River, and anglers also caught them last week near where Adams Creek joins the Neuse. Large cut baits are the way to go for the big drum.
Smaller reds are feeding in the Haystacks, the bays off Core Creek, and around ICW docks. Live mud minnows and shrimp, topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, and Gulps will all attract attention from the reds.
Sheepshead are looking for meals at hard structure like the port wall and bridges and dock pilings in the area. Anglers can tempt them to bite clams, sand fleas, fiddler crabs, and sea urchins.
Some speckled trout are falling for live shrimp around the Atlantic Beach and Core Creek bridges at night.
The area’s flounder fishing remains good, with anglers picking up fish around the port wall, the high-rise bridges, the Radio Island rocks, and while drifting the ICW channel near Morehead. Live mud minnows and Gulp Mud Minnow/Croaker baits have been producing most of the fish.
The flounder bite is still solid at AR-315 and 320 along with other nearshore structure. Anglers are picking up most of the ocean flatties on 2 oz. Spro bucktails tipped with 4” Gulp baits.
Large spanish mackerel are feeding at the AR’s, in the shipping channel, and at the wrecks on the east side of Lookout Shoals. Small live finger mullet and pogies are the best way to fool them.
Smaller spanish are schooled up in the inlet and feeding heavily early and late in the day. Looking for diving birds will help anglers find the fish, and they can hook up while casting spec rigs or small metal jigs or while trolling Clarkspoons and squid rigs.
A few king mackerel are feeding in the shipping channel and east of Lookout Shoals, but the bite has been sporadic.
Anglers are still picking up some scattered dolphin around the Big 10/Little 10.
Bottom fishermen have found excellent action at wrecks and other structure in around 100’ lately, landing grouper, triggerfish, sea bass, snappers, and more. Squid and cigar minnows are producing most of the action.
Brendan Hodge (age 10), from Morehead City, with his first keeper flounder, which fell for a 4" Gulp Swimming Mullet at the Morehead port wall while he was fishing with Capt. Chris Kimrey of Mount Maker Charters. Photo courtesy of Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the Gulf Stream bite has been picking up, with boats finding action with wahoo, sailfish, and some white marlin.
Some sailfish have been scattered into the NW Places, and anglers may even luck into one in the shipping channel. Trolling rigged ballyhoo is the best way to tempt bites from the billfish and wahoo.
Spadefish have shown up on the area’s wrecks and will take an interest in pieces of cannonball jellyfish.
The spanish mackerel bite is on along the beaches and from the piers. Some larger fish are feeding in the shipping channel, and they will take an interest in small live baits.
Surf fishermen found action with whiting and some fat pompano (to 3 lbs.) last week. Shrimp and sand fleas are the go-to baits.
Inshore, the flounder bite’s still good along the port wall and near the bridges, and live mud minnows are the baits of choice.
The red drum bite is still decent in the marshes, but anglers should fish early and late for the best odds of hooking up.
Bottom fishermen are putting together good catches of croaker and pigfish around the Beaufort Bridge at night.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that the big “old” red drum bite is on in the Pamlico Sound and the Neuse River, and it will only get better as August’s full moon approaches and wanes. Large cut baits on the bottom are the way to fool the big reds.
Tarpon are feeding in the same areas as the reds and will take an interest in the same baits.
Puppy drum are feeding in the marshes of the Neuse River and the sounds. Anglers can hook them on Gulp and D.O.A. soft plastics or a variety of natural baits.
Pete, of Energizer Charters, reports that anglers are finding a better wahoo bite offshore, with most of the action in slightly cooler water just inshore of the break lately (18-30 fathoms). Decent numbers of sailfish are mixed in with the ‘hoos. Rigged ballyhoo under skirted trolling lures are the way to go for both fish.
Dolphin are scattered but still in the mix. If anglers find some floating debris, they may be able to box up some solid numbers.
Henry Tillet (left) and Gage Bass (right, age 12) with Gage's first sailfish. They were trolling live bait at Jerry's Reef on the "Windy Conditions."
Joyce, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers are picking up some spanish mackerel and bluefish while working Gotcha plugs and other lures from the pier.
Some flounder are falling for small live baits fished on the bottom.
Bottom fishermen baiting up with squid are decking some whiting and spot.
Royce, of Sheraton Pier, reports that the bite’s been a bit slow due to the hot water lately, but anglers are connecting with some flounder on small live baits.
Some pompano are falling for shrimp and sand fleas on bottom rigs.
Plug casters are picking up a few bluefish and spanish mackerel.
