Morehead City May 10, 2012
Alex Cabrejas, of Durham, NC, with a 10 lb. scamp grouper he hooked while fishing some bottom structure 35 miles off Beaufort Inlet aboard the headboat "Carolina Princess" out of the Morehead City waterfront.
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are finding action with some speckled trout and puppy drum while working Gulp baits and live mud minnows beneath popping corks in the Haystacks.
Sheepshead are beginning to show up along the port wall, the rock jetties, and other hard inshore structure in the area. Live fiddler crabs are top baits for the sheepshead.
Gray trout are feeding in the turning basin, the inlet, and around the railroad tracks (some to 4-5 lbs.). Anglers are hooking the grays on Stingsilvers and other metal jigging lures and on spec rigs tipped with shrimp (which are also fooling good numbers of sea mullet in the area).
Anglers fishing the rocks and beach around Fort Macon have been hooking some red drum, chopper bluefish (to 10+ lbs.), and a few flounder. Finger mullet have been fooling all three.
The flounder bite is still solid at nearshore structure like AR-315, 320, and 330, where anglers are hooking the fish on 2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits. A few citation-class red drum have been in the same areas.
Cobia have begun to show up in the hook of Cape Lookout, and anglers caught decent numbers while bottom fishing with dead menhaden last week.
Grouper season is open, and bottom fishermen are connecting with some while dropping cigar minnows and live menhaden to the bottom around the 210 and 240 Rocks.
Further offshore, Gulf Stream trollers are still finding some wahoo and plenty of action with dolphin at local blue water hotspots like the 90’ Drop and Big Rock.
Paul, of Freeman’s Tackle, reports that anglers are catching plenty of bluefish from the beaches and piers (ranging from small fish to 10+ lb. choppers). Anglers are hooking the blues on finger mullet, cut baits, and metal casting lures like Gotcha plugs.
Sea mullet, pigfish, croaker, and some red and black drum are also falling for baited bottom rigs in the surf. Shrimp, squid, and bloodworms are proving to be the most effective.
Inshore, anglers are hooking some speckled trout in the Haystacks, Middle Marsh, and North River marshes. Live mud minnows and soft plastic baits are fooling most of the trout.
Cobia have shown up at Cape Lookout, with around a dozen reported last weekend. The water’s been somewhat dirty and the bait balls haven’t shown up in force yet, so most anglers are hooking the cobes while bottom fishing with dead baits around Barden’s Inlet. Once the water cleans up and the bait arrives, anglers should be able to sight cast bucktails to the bait balls and cruising cobia.
Boats making the run to blue water are connecting with some dolphin, wahoo, and a few tuna around the Big Rock and other local spots. Billfish sightings are also becoming increasingly common over the past few weeks.
Anthony Nelson, from Beaufort, with a 46.5 lb. cobia he hooked while bottom fishing in the hook of Cape Lookout.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that cobia have shown up around Cape Lookout, and the action should only get better in the coming weeks as there’re plenty of bait and more cobes being reported further south. Anglers can either fish dead baits on the bottom or sight-cast large bucktails with soft plastic trailers to fish they see around bait balls or cruising on the surface to hook up with the hard-fighting and delicious fish.
Chopper bluefish and red drum are feeding along Lookout Shoals. Anglers can find them by looking for bait, surface activity, or muddy spots in the water and then casting bucktails or other large lures to hook up. The blues will also take an interest in topwater plugs.
King mackerel are feeding around structure in the 20 mile range and should be moving closer to the beaches as May wears on.
Speckled trout and puppy drum are feeding in the marshes around Swan Island, Point of Marsh, and other nearby spots. Soft plastic baits or a variety of MirrOlures will tempt them to bite.
Thomas, of Dancin’ Outlaw Charters, reports that there’s been some excellent gaffer dolphin fishing along hard temperature edges and grasslines offshore of Beaufort Inlet lately (with fish averaging 15-20 lbs. and some larger). The edge has been moving in and out lately. When anglers find it, they should find some fish. Trolled ballyhoo are accounting for most of the dolphin, and a few wahoo and occasional blackfin tuna are in the mix.
Pete, of Energizer Sportfishing, reports that the dolphin bite has been top shelf lately along offshore grass lines and patches on the edge of the Gulf Stream. Some wahoo and a decent number of blue marlin are feeding in the same areas, and all will attack ballyhoo trolled under sea witches, Ilanders, and other skirted lures.
Cobia have shown up around Cape Lookout, and anglers are catching them while soaking dead menhaden on the bottom. When the water clears and bait balls show up, sight-casting bucktails to the fish should also become a good way to catch them.
Anita, of Oceanana Pier, reports that plug casters are connecting with bluefish (some to 10+ lbs.) while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are hooking some pompano, pigfish, black drum, and speckled trout on cut shrimp.
