Morehead City – June 12, 2014
Jacob Pendergraft (age 10), of Fuquay-Varina, NC, with his first black drum, hooked in the surf at Indian Beach while he was fishing with his grandmother.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that there are still some cobia feeding along the beachfront, around the inlets, and inshore behind Shackleford and Atlantic Beach. The bite has slowed somewhat, but anglers should continue to see some fish in the area for the rest of the month. Most have been taken by bottom fishermen lately, but anglers are also hooking a few while sight casting to cruising fish or bait balls along the beaches.
Flounder fishing continues to improve, and anglers are connecting with the flatfish at the AR’s and other structure in the ocean, in the inlets and channels inshore, and around structure like the port wall and bridges. Live mud minnows and Gulp baits are producing most of the action with the flatfish.
Sheepshead fishing is also heating up (with fish to 10 lbs. weighed in last week). They’re feeding around the port and bridges as well, and the bite should stay good for the rest of the summer. Live fiddler crabs and sea urchins are the best bets for the sheeps.
Spanish mackerel are still feeding in the inlet and along the beachfront, and boaters are hooking them while trolling Clarkspoons and squid rigs. Casting metal lures like Sea Striker Jigfish is also an option when the fish are feeding on the surface.
Lee Padrick with a red drum that bit a Salty Bay Baits Red Devil while he was fishing some shallow water on the Crystal Coast with Dwayne Smith.
Red drum action remains strong in the marshes, where anglers are connecting with slot and over-slot fish on topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, soft plastics, and live and cut baits.
Surf casters are reporting a mixed bag of spot, sea mullet, croaker, flounder, and red and black drum around Atlantic Beach. Shrimp, bloodworms, and cut baits are producing most of the action.
Anglers have also hooked a few spanish mackerel and bluefish while casting metal lures from the beachfront.
Offshore, the dolphin fishing remains stellar, but most of the fish are still feeding from the 14 Buoy out to the Big Rock. Skirted ballyhoo are fooling the majority of the ‘phins and some stray wahoo and blackfin tuna in the same areas.
Billfish action has been hot lately as well, with boats releasing excellent numbers of blue and white marlin while trolling a bit offshore from where they’re finding the dolphin.
Cody, of Freemans Bait and Tackle, reports that the flounder bite is getting better by the day, and anglers put together some impressive catches around AR-320 last week. They’re biting inshore as well, and drifting near the Coast Guard station and soaking baits around the port wall have produced some solid flatfish action. Gulps and live baits like mud minnows are the way to go for the flatfish.
Some fat speckled trout and puppy drum are feeding in the Haystacks and Core Creek. Both topwater plugs and live shrimp have been effective for the specks and reds.
Miles Chamblee, Allen Davis, and Mason Chamblee, of Raleigh, NC, with dolphin that bit skirted ballyhoo 30 miles off Cape Lookout.
There are still good numbers of cobia being reported in the area, but it’s been a bit tougher to get them to bite recently than it was a few weeks ago.
The spanish mackerel fishing has slowed as well. Boaters are still hooking a few in the shipping channel and along the beachfront, but the catches aren’t what they were back in May. Once a stretch of calm weather brings some cleaner water to the area, anglers should see the spaniard action turn back on.
Offshore, the dolphin bite remains solid, but the majority of the fish are still feeding around the 90’ Drop and further out. A few smaller ‘phins have been caught around the Knuckle buoy, and more fish should make their way inshore in the coming weeks. Some wahoo and plenty of amberjacks are taking an interest in the baits that anglers are trolling for the dolphin.
The billfish bite has been quite good lately, and boats trolling ballyhoo and marlin plugs are connecting with impressive numbers of white and blue marlin.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that anglers are hooking good numbers of spanish mackerel while casting metal lures at fish chasing bait on the surface within a few miles of the beachfront.
Some cobia are still feeding nearshore, and anglers are also finding them mixed in with amberjacks at structure out to the 20 mile range. Live baits or a variety of artificials will fool the jacks and cobia.
Dolly, of Oceanana Pier, reports that spot, pigfish, sea mullet, and other bottom feeders are biting shrimp on double-drop rigs.
Some flounder are taking an interest in small live baits under the pier.
Plug casters are hooking spanish mackerel and bluefish on Gotchas.
