Added on Thursday, June 8, 2006  Gary Hurley

Morehead City June 8, 2006

Matt, of Chasin Tails Charters, reports that cobia are still at Cape Lookout and behind Shackleford Banks. There should be about two to three good weeks left of cobia fishing. Fresh shad and live eels seem to be working the best.

Red drum and speckled trout are being caught in the marsh and in the rivers. Live mud minnows and peanut shad are working well. There’s a lot of bait in the area right now.

The Gulp baits are also still working well.

The flounder bite has turned on the last two weeks, with good reports in the ocean. They are also starting to pick up some in the backwaters. Live mullet, shad, and mud minnows are working the best.

Sheepshead fishing is also picking up. Try around any kind of structure using live fillers crabs.

Spanish and blues are still being caught in the inlet along the beach and out around the reefs. Trolling small spoons seems to be working the best.

Joe, at Joe’s Pro Bait and Tackle, reports that surf fishing is producing a mixed bag that includes pompano, sea mullet, sand perch, croakers, and spots.

The cobia are now showing up in better numbers. Several fish have been caught in the 70 and 80 lb. class.

There are still some big Hatteras bluefish on the end of the Cape Lookout rock jetty. They are also still being caught by the Cape Lookout lighthouse near the number 4 buoy and by cobia fishermen at the Hook.

The flounder bite is hot. There are very few small flounder for some reason this year. Most of the flounder are 2 to 3 pounds. Many are reporting that they’re catching limits on mud minnows and drifting the channels down the sound. Fishing and anchoring around structure will produce the larger flounder.

The spanish mackerel are hot, with many boats limiting out. The best catches came from the area between Sportsman’s Pier and the Sheraton Pier and on the artificial reef.

Red drum fishing still continues to be strong in the marshes and on the north side of the sound around the boat docks.

King mackerel are thick at AR330 and NW places. Most of these kings are 10-12 pounds, but it won’t be long before they show up near the beaches and nearshore AR315 & AR320.

Dolphin fishing is red hot, and a fair number of wahoo and a few tuna are being caught. There have also been a few blue marlin hooked off of Big Rock.

Shane, at Second To None Charters, reports that dolphin have definitely been the primary action. They are picking up dolphin from “giggers” to “gaffer” size, and all sizes in between. The primary colors for these fish have been pink and white. And you can find a good bite as close as the 90’ Drop.

King mackerel are on the inshore rocks, such as the Big 10, Little 10. Guys are catching all they want. The size is still small, but some bigger ones have been reported.

The wahoo bite has slowed down to almost nothing, but they have been picking up some tuna on the kite.

J.J., at Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that cobia are biting in good numbers. They have also been big, with several weighing in the 80 lb. class. The main spots have been behind Shackleford Banks and at the #4 buoy going into the bite at Cape Lookout.

Lots of little flounder have recently been caught, but there has also been reports of runs of bigger flounder moving in the deeper channels.

Big blues are being caught from the Barge Wreck towards Cape Lookout.

The spanish have also been biting well. Try 30’ of water out in front of Shackleford Banks.

The menhaden are everywhere out in front of the island. The kings have been small, but bigger ones will certainly move in now that there is an abundance of bait.

Larry, at Sportsman’s Pier, reports that the water has been a bit stirred by the recent winds, but spanish and blues are being caught on plugs. Anglers are limiting out in the mornings and the incoming tide. The spanish are ranging from 2-4 lbs.

Bottom fishing is producing a good strong run of hogfish, nice summer spots, sand perch, sea mullet, croakers, and pompano.

And there have also been some keeper flounders biting this week.