Morehead City June 28, 2007
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that inshore anglers are catching a few speckled trout and red drum in the marshes of the North River, the Neuse River, and the Haystack.
Surf anglers are landing red drum, sharks, bluefish, pompano, and spanish mackerel. Some of the pompano have been nearly 3 lbs.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding just off the beaches and along Lookout Shoals. Boats are hooking up with both by trolling Clarkspoons and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers around diving birds and breaking fish. Anglers who wish to target larger spanish should fish live baits such as small pogies and croakers.
Slightly further offshore around the second set of channel buoys out of Beaufort Inlet, teenager kings are taking up residence for the summer. These fish will hit larger sizes of Deep Divers and Clarkspoons, as well as live baits.
Dolphin from peanut to bailer size are feeding at the NW Places and Big 10/Little 10. They’ll hungrily eat trolled cigar minnows and ballyhoo. Bigger dolphin are feeding from the 14 and the 90’ Drop on out to the Big Rock.
Scattered wahoo and billfish are mixed in with the dolphin in the Gulf Stream. Skirted ballyhoo baits will get attention from all the blue water pelagics.
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are catching speckled trout, red drum, and flounder in the Haystack Marsh. Gulp shrimp on jigheads in New Penny and Natural colors will attract their attention.
Anglers can also find flounder near the railroad tracks. Carolina-rigged mud minnows will entice them to bite.
Hook up with gray trout at the tracks and the Atlantic Beach Bridge by jigging Stingsilvers, green grubs, and speck rigs.
Sheepshead are feeding at the tracks, the bridges, and along the port wall. Anglers weighed sheepshead up to 7 lbs. over the past week. Sand fleas and fiddler crabs are the sheepsheads’ favorite baits.
Near Sand Dollar Island behind Shackleford Banks, anglers are hooking up with 30-40” red drum by casting Gulp baits on light tackle.
Cobia action has slowed down somewhat, and many of the fish have moved inshore. The marshes and the Morehead waterfront are good places to look for inshore cobia.
King mackerel are feeding right outside the inlet, and boats have landed kings up to 30 lbs. by trolling live baits, cigar minnows, and ballyhoo close to the beach. Large spanish mackerel (up to 7 lbs.) are mixed in with the kings.
Boats are landing flounder, spanish, and kings on AR315 and AR320.
Dolphin action has been best from the 14 Buoy and the 90’ Drop on out. Sailfish and a few wahoo are looking for meals in the same area. Trolled cigar minnows and ballyhoo should produce the most action with those three species.
Grouper fishing has been hot around the Big 10/Little 10. Most of the fish are gags, and they’re falling for cigar minnow baits.
Shane, of Second to None Charters, reports that sailfish are moving inshore for the summer. Boats are hooking up with sails and dolphin from the 14 buoy out to the 20 Fathom Drop. Ballyhoo will draw strikes from both.
The bigger dolphin, along with wahoo, are feeding in 21-23 fathoms near the 500 line, the Swansboro Hole, and the Rise. Ballyhoo under Blue Water Candy Mini Jags, especially in red/black, have been deadly on the dolphin and wahoos.
Boats are raising white and blue marlin in 20-40 fathoms of water, where the blues are feeding on peanut dolphin. Skirted ballyhoo will draw strikes from both billfish, but including a few large lures in the spread will help draw the bigger blues in.
Ken, of Swell Rider Charters, reports that dolphin action has been hot around the 14. Sailfish are mixed in with the dolphin, and the sails are mainly striking baits fished behind spreader bars.
King mackerel are feeding around the Big 10/Little 10, along with a few dolphin.
Kings are also feeding at the AR’s closer to the beach, and they’re striking Yo-Zuri Deep Divers and Mann’s Stretch 25’s.
Billy, of Oceanana Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are landing small speckled trout and large pompano while fishing with cut shrimp. Those using bloodworms are catching croakers, whiting, and spot.
Flounder, some over the 14.5” minimum size and some under, are biting live mud minnows fished on Carolina rigs.
Plug casters are hooking up with spanish mackerel (up to 20”) and bluefish.
