Morehead City July 5, 2012
Kayla Dunbar, of Belhaven, NC, with a 49 lb. dolphin that bit a ballyhoo near the Big Rock. Weighed in at Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are connecting with some speckled trout, flounder, and a few red drum while fishing the Haystacks marshes. Live mud minnows and shrimp or Gulp baits fished below popping corks will tempt bites from all three.
There’s also been decent speckled trout action in Core Creek, with live shrimp producing most of the action. Some black and red drum, flounder, and sheepshead are also taking an interest in the shrimp at some spots in the creek.
Flounder (some to 5-6 lbs.) are feeding around inshore structure like the railroad tracks, port wall, and Coast Guard Station. Live baits or bucktails tipped with Gulps will tempt the flatfish to bite.
Sheepshead are in many of the same places as the flatfish, and they will take an interest in live fiddler crabs and sea urchins.
Gray trout are feeding around the turning basin and the railroad tracks, where anglers can hook them on Stingsilvers or other jigging lures.
Spanish mackerel are feeding strong off Beaufort Inlet, and anglers are hooking them while trolling gold and silver Clarkspoons from Oceanana Pier to Cape Lookout.
Larger spanish are feeding around the AR’s and wrecks off Beaufort Inlet and around Lookout Shoals, and live finger mullet or small menhaden on scaled-down king mackerel gear will tempt them to bite.
Flounder are feeding at the same areas, and they have a tough time resisting a 2 oz. bucktail tipped with a 4” Gulp shrimp.
Some king mackerel are starting to show up around the NW Places and on the east side of the shoals, and live menhaden or dead cigar minnows will attract their attention.
The dolphin bite is still strong around the 14 Buoy, 90’ Drop, and Big Rock, where anglers are hooking most of the fish on skirted ballyhoo. Some wahoo are mixed in, with more ‘hoos reported around the Rise and the Swansboro Hole.
Bottom fishermen are finding plenty of action with gag grouper, sea bass, triggerfish, beeliners, and more at structure in the 30 mile range like the 210 and 240 rocks. Squid, cigar minnows, and fresh menhaden are tempting bites from all the bottom dwellers.
Robert Auton, Daniel Lee, and Nathan Ji, from Topsail and Wilmington, with gag grouper, amberjacks, beeliners, and more they hooked on live baits and vertical jigs on a full day trip on the headboat "Capt. Stacy" out of Atlantic Beach.
Paul, of Freeman’s Tackle, reports that there was a decent sailfish bite going on last week around the Big Rock and other blue water spots off Beaufort Inlet. Anglers are still finding scattered dolphin and wahoo in the same areas, and all the pelagics are taking an interest in skirted ballyhoo.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still feeding along the beaches, where anglers are hooking them while trolling Clarkspoons from boats and casting Gotcha plugs, Shore Lures, and other flashy metal lures from the beaches and pier.
Larger spanish mackerel are feeding around the AR’s, where anglers can tempt them to bite small live baits with light wire leaders.
Bottom fishing from the beaches, pier, and inshore is producing a summertime mixed bag of croaker, pigfish, sea mullet, and other bottom feeders. Shrimp and bloodworms on double-hook rigs will tempt them to bite.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that there’s still excellent speckled trout action going on around Cedar Island in the very early morning hours. Topwater plugs are working right around sunrise, with soft plastics and suspending lures like MirrOlure MR17’s producing better once it gets light out.
Anglers may have to cover a bit of water to find the hungry specks, but once they do, double digit catches have been the norm (with fish to 3 lbs.).
The big bull red drum have shown up in Pamlico Sound, and anglers may be able to find the schools by their wakes and headwaters on calm days. Those lucky enough to find a school can hook them on topwater plugs or large bucktail jigs.
Tarpon have also shown up in the sound, with most of the sightings reported off Cedar Island lately. Live, dead, or cut spot and croaker fished on the bottom are the most reliable baits for anglers looking to hook one of the “silver kings.”
Mary Carlyle, of Newport, NC, with a spanish mackerel that bit a live finger mullet just off the beach at Bogue Inlet. Photo courtesy of Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Thomas, of Dancin’ Outlaw Charters, reports that the dolphin bite is still solid off Beaufort Inlet (the average size has fallen off a bit, but most fish are still gaffers). The action’s been best around weedlines along the break in 30-40 fathoms of water lately, and sea witch/ballyhoo combinations are tempting the ‘phins to bite.
Some sailfish and white marlin are mixed in with the dolphin, and trolling out deeper has been producing some blue marlin hookups for lucky boats.
Anita, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers have been catching some bluefish and a few spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
