Morehead City July 23, 2009
Natalie Paul, from Raleigh, with her first flounder, an 8.32 lb. doormat that fell for a live bait underneath the Atlantic Beach Bridge. Photo courtesy of Chasin Tails Outdoors.
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are catching good numbers of flounder beneath the Atlantic Beach Bridge and at the base of the port wall (where several between 8-11 lbs. were hooked last week). Live finger mullet and mud minnows are fooling most of the flounder.
The speckled trout bite is still good on the Atlantic Beach side of the bridge at night, and anglers are hooking most of the fish on live shrimp and mud minnows. A few are also falling for Gulps.
The Morehead side of the bridge is producing action with good numbers of gray trout at night, and anglers are hooking them on green grubs, Gulp baits, and Tsunami Glass Minnows.
Gray trout and flounder are feeding in the deep water near the railroad tracks. Anglers are fooling the grays on Stingsilvers, and most of the flatfish are taking an interest in live mud minnows and finger mullet.
There’s still solid action with speckled trout, red drum, and some flounder in the Haystacks, the Newport River marshes, around the Cross Rock, and near Core Creek Bridge. Live mud minnows and shrimp beneath popping corks have been drawing bites from all three fish, and anglers are also finding some action with Gulp and D.O.A. baits beneath the corks. Mullet-colored Skitterwalk topwaters are attracting attention from the reds and specks as well.
Surf fishermen have hooked some big pompano (to over 2 lbs.) lately, mostly on shrimp and sand fleas. Some decent runs of spot have been moving through the surf as well, and anglers are hooking them on bloodworms.
The spanish mackerel bite is still wide open around the inlet and along the beaches at Shackleford and Fort Macon. Trolled Clark and Drone spoons are producing most of the action with the spanish.
Larger spanish (5+ lbs.) are feeding around AR-315 and 320, and they’re taking more of an interest in small, live pogies and mullet than trolled spoons.
Flounder are also feeding around the AR’s, and live baits or Spro bucktails tipped with 4” Gulp pogies or shrimp are fooling them.
Dolphin and king mackerel are feeding around the NW Places, the Big 10/Little 10, and the 14 Buoy. Small ballyhoo on Blue Water Candy dead bait rigs with pink/white and blue/white skirts are fooling both species.
Bottom fishermen have found some action with gag and red grouper, beeliners, triggerfish, and some large sea bass at the ledges and other structure around the 14 Buoy and 210 and 240 Rocks.
Cas Prewitt, of Fayetteville, NC, with a 9.75 lb. sheepshead he hooked under the Atlantic Beach Bridge on a barnacle while fishing with friend Bobby Brown.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the speckled trout and red drum bite is on in the marshes throughout the area. Live shrimp and mud minnows, as well as Gulp baits and other lures, are fooling the reds and specks.
Anglers are catching some sheepshead and red drum around private docks in the sound. Most are falling for live shrimp, and anglers can specifically target the sheepshead with fiddler crabs or sea urchins.
Surf fishermen are hooking up with some spot (large fall-sized fish) and a few whiting and pompano.
The spanish mackerel bite is still solid for anglers trolling spoons off the beaches, but the fish have moved a bit further offshore (around 1/2 mile) with the recent rains.
King mackerel are feeding in the shipping lane (and a 23 lb. fish was caught in the turning basin last week). Live baits are fooling the kings, and ribbonfish have shown up inshore, too. Anglers can catch the ribbonfish and troll them dead as well.
Offshore, anglers are hooking good numbers of dolphin around the NW Places and the 14 Buoy.
Bottom fishermen have found action with gag grouper, sea bass, and triggerfish at structure around the Big 10/Little 10.
Lee Padrick with a 33.5" red drum he hooked while sight casting a rootbeer/chartreuse paddletail near Morehead City.
Shane, of Fight N Lady, reports that the billfish bite has turned on strong offshore. Most of the action has been around the Big Rock and offshore, where anglers are hooking big numbers of sailfish and white marlin along with a few blues.
The meat fishing has improved lately, too, with good catches of dolphin and wahoo (including an 80 pound ‘hoo last week). Ballyhoo under Blue Water Candy Mini-Jags, Jags, and witches are producing most of the action.
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are hooking decent numbers of spot and whiting. Anglers have also hooked up with some speckled trout and flounder.
Plug casters are finding action with some bluefish on Gotchas.
