Morehead City June 7, 2007
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers are hooking up with black drum, pompano, and whiting. Shrimp will draw strikes from all these bottom feeders. Bluefish are also running the beach, and they will hit lures or cut baits.
Flounder are feeding in the sounds and will attack Carolina-rigged mud minnows or other live baits. Anglers are also catching flounder on the nearshore artificial reefs.
The cobia bite is still strong in the Hook, and fish are also cruising the beach and marshes. The best way to hook up with a cobia is by chumming and fishing dead baits, both on the bottom and at the surface.
Spanish mackerel are feeding nearshore, and anglers are catching them from the piers and from small boats. Trolled Clark spoons will get hits from the spanish, and anglers can also cast Gotchas and diamond jigs to them.
King mackerel are concentrated to the south, around the Hutton, the 13, and other nearby structure. The kings are running 10-12 lbs., and they will hit live baits, cigar minnows, or deep diving plugs.
The head boats are doing well on grouper, but not many private boats have been grouper fishing.
Dolphin fishing is red hot offshore, and many fish have moved inside of the Gulf Stream. Sailfish are feeding with the dolphin, and boats are also finding some blue marlin. Trolling skirted ballyhoo should give anglers shots at the dolphin and billfish.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that cobia fishing remains strong. Anglers are finding the fish in the inlets, marshes, and around the Hook. Most of the cobia are eating dead shad fished on the bottom, but anglers are also sight-casting bucktails to fish with success.
Red drum are feeding along grass points and oyster beds in the marshes. Target the drum with live mud minnows fished on a Carolina or float rig, or you can try Gulp shrimp on jigheads or under floats.
The water is heating up, and that means anglers can successfully target the drum with topwater lures. The Rapala Skitter Walk and Mirrolure Top Dog are both effective topwaters. Anglers can locate concentrations of the drum by covering water quickly with a spinner bait.
A few trout are still mixed with the drum, but most of the big trout have moved to the rivers for the summer.
Flounder are feeding on the nearshore reefs and in the marshes. The best flounder bait remains a Carolina-rigged mud minnow, but Gulp shrimp on jigheads will also take the marsh flounder.
The sheepshead bite is cranking up, and anglers can target the striped fish at bridge pilings and along the port wall. Fiddler crabs and sea urchins are the prime sheepshead baits.
Spanish mackerel are feeding along the beach, and there’s an early morning spanish bite going on at AR315. The spanish can be targeted with Clark spoons and bird/squid rigs.
Snake kings are holding at AR320 and AR330. They’re responding well to cigar minnows, Drone spoons, and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers.
Dolphin action has been hot from the 90’ Drop on out to the Big Rock. Some wahoo and sailfish are mixed with the dolphin, and ballyhoo rigged underneath Sea Witches are producing the best results.
Shane, of Second to None Charters, reports excellent dolphin fishing all over in 90-150’ of water. Some wahoo and sailfish are also feeding in the same areas. Ballyhoo trolled under skirts in blue/white, black/purple, and black/red are the best baits, and the Blue Water Candy Mini Jag has been especially effective on the dolphin.
Further offshore, boats are finding blue marlin at the Swansboro Hole. A larger bait in the trolling spread will help attract the marlin.
Ken, of Swell Rider Charters, reports that dolphin fishing is red hot between the R14 and the Big Rock. Cedar plugs and Ilanders are producing most of the fish on the troll, and anglers are also catching dolphin by casting jigs and strip baits. Bottom fishing remains good with anglers catching sea bass, snapper, triggerfish and some grouper. The bottom bite has been best in 125-210’ of water, and the fish are hitting squid and cut baits.
Joyce, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers are still catching plenty of Hatteras blues in the 6-10 lb. range. The big blues are hitting Gotcha plugs and bottom rigs baited with shrimp and/or cut baits.
Those casting Gotchas are also hooking up with spanish mackerel.
Flounder are hitting live baits fished on the bottom, and bottom fishing with shrimp is producing a few pompano.
The water temperature is in the mid-70’s.
