Morehead City December 5, 2005
Joe, at Joe’s Pro Bait and Tackle, reports that the speckled trout bite at the Cape Lookout rock jetty improved greatly recently. Many anglers caught their limit, with a number of the specks weighing over 5 pounds. Live shrimp produced best, but Berkley Gulp also worked well. The red drum were all over the base of the rocks. Many boats reported 50 to 80 drum. There were also excellent reports of red drum and speckled trout in the surf on Shackleford Banks. Anglers either anchored off the beach to fish or anchored on the sound side and walked across to surf fish. Small Bluefish are a pain for anglers targeting Specks and Drum along the beaches.
Sea Mullet are being caught in the dead tree hole area off Cape Lookout.
Flounder fishing has been slow.
The spot bite is about over for the year.
King Mackerel fishing is very good on the east side of the Cape Lookout shoal. Lots of large smoker Kings have recently been caught. Try using a big, live bluefish.
Offshore, a few bluefin tuna are being hooked and caught. Most of the action so far has been from the Trawler wreck. Wahoo are being caught when you can get out, along with a few yellowfin Tuna.
The head boats are seeing lots of black bass and vermillion snapper, as well as some triggerfish and grouper.
Larry, at Sportsman’s Pier, reports that black drum have been the best bite recently with all the dirty water. When the water clears up, the speckled trout bite will be back on. Clean water also means some albacore will eventually make their way by the pier. Target them with Gotcha plugs.
There’s been some sea mullet at night, but no big runs. And they’re still picking up a few spots, but any they find are small.
Ron, at the Triple “S” Pier, reports that speckled trout are biting in the surf line. They’re running about 1 lb. or more. This action picked up just before Thanksgiving. The pier has also seen a lot of puppy drum, with the biggest weighing in the 5 lb. class.
The spot bite stopped just before Thanksgiving, and recently they had some good action on black drum (averaging 2 lbs.).
Otherwise, it’s been small croakers, jumping mullet, and blowfish.
George, at Carolina Bait and Tackle, reports that the Saturday after Thanksgiving marked the first bluefin of the season to come just off the beach. They had previously caught a couple way off, but this was the first one in close to Atlantic Beach.
Large sea mullet are being caught in the surf and by boat anglers. And once in a while they’ll pick up a large spot.
The flounder fishing is slow, but you can still pick one up by hitting the inlet.
For gray trout, try the deeper water in the inlet or hit the turning basin. Jig the bottom with stingsilvers, mud minnows, or shrimp.
The speckled trout bite at the Cape Lookout rock jetty has been better in the morning. They’ve been hitting at all of the area rock jetties. Overall, many people are calling this the best trout season (both specks and grays) they’ve seen in years.
Paul, at Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the trout fishing has been really good, but it’s been spotty. When they’re at the rock jetty, they’re in their so strong that you’ll get tired of catching them. However, the weather will shift, and then they’ll disappear for a few days. Then with another weather shift, they reappear.
The same has been true for sea mullet-good but spotty.
They’ve already caught and landed a few bluefin tuna. Typically the bite starts the end of November and continues into February. Although. usually the quota is met by middle of January
No reports of striped bass yet. This bite usually starts around Thanksgiving and lasts through the end of January. The warmer than usual waters probably has them backed up.
