Morehead City May 23, 2013
Frances Barringer, of Atlantic Beach, with a 42 lb. cobia that struck a sight-cast bucktail jig along the beachfront near Beaufort Inlet. Weighed in at Chasin’ Tails Outdoors.
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are still finding some excellent action from the beach around Fort Macon. Puppy drum, black drum, sea mullet, and sheepshead are all feeding in the area. Anglers are hooking the puppies on cut baits and finger mullet, the sheepshead on fiddler crabs, and a little of everything on shrimp.
Casting Gulp baits in the same area has been producing some solid catches of flounder.
Gray trout and plenty of bluefish are still feeding around the railroad tracks and taking an interest in Stingsilvers and other jigging lures. Anglers are also catching some fat grays at night around the Atlantic Beach Bridge on Gulp baits and glass minnow lures.
Bottomfish like pigfish, sea mullet, spot, croaker, and more are feeding in the inlet and turning basin, and they have a tough time turning down bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Sheepshead have shown up around the port wall and other inshore structure, and anglers are hooking them on live fiddler crabs.
Speckled trout and puppy drum are feeding in the Haystacks marshes and around the Core Creek Bridge. Live baits, Gulps and other soft plastics, and topwater plugs will all tempt bites from both.
Some black drum are also looking for meals in Core Creek and taking an interest in shrimp. The flounder bite is turning on in the ocean around the AR’s and other nearshore structure. Gulp baits pinned to 2 oz. bucktails are fooling most of the flatfish in the ocean. Some large gray trout are in the same areas and also taking an interest in the bucktails.
Angler Jeff Martin and team “Early Out” with a 92 lb. wahoo that bit a ballyhoo under a green lantern skirt while they were trolling north of the Big Rock.
Cobia have made their big spring appearance, and anglers reported impressive numbers around bait balls along the beachfront last week. Casting bucktails or live baits around the bait balls will often tempt the cobia to bite. Some are also taking an interest in dead and cut baits that anglers are fishing on the bottom in the inlets.
Bottom fishermen are finding plenty of grouper action at structure around the 210, 240, 305, and 1700 rocks, and around the Atlas Tanker. Squid and cigar minnows are producing much of the action, and anglers are also hooking up with sea bass, triggerfish, beeliners, and other bottom dwellers.
Offshore trollers have had a banner week, hauling big numbers of dolphin and wahoo (some to 60+ lbs.) home in their fish boxes. Scattered yellowfin and blackfin tuna are in the mix, and boats also released some of the first sailfish and blue and white marlin of the year over the past few weeks. Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures are fooling most of the blue water predators.
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking good numbers of black drum (some to 8 lbs.) and some pompano (some 2+ lbs.) in the Atlantic Beach surf and from the pier. Shrimp and sand fleas are fooling both of the crustacean-lovers.
Some red drum (many over-slot) are also feeding along the shoreline and biting shrimp, sand fleas, and cut baits.
Bluefish (both large and small) are taking an interest in cut baits and metal lures worked in the surf and from the piers.
Jon Teague, of Mebane, NC, with a 10.69 lb. sheepshead that bit a fiddler crab near a Morehead City dock.
Spanish mackerel have shown up, and boats are putting together good catches when the water’s clean. Trolling Clarkspoons or casting metal lures to fish feeding on the surface is the way to connect with the spaniards.
Cobia are showing up (many to 50 lbs.) and biting live and dead baits in the inlets and just off the beachfront.
Flounder are also turning on inshore and in the surf. Live mud minnows and strips of squid have been tempting bites from the flatfish.
Offshore trollers are hooking big numbers of dolphin along with some blackfin tuna and wahoo. Boats also released a reasonable number of billfish while trolling the blue water last week.
Thomas, of Dancin’ Outlaw Charters, reports that the dolphin bite has been stellar over the past week. When southwest winds form up weedlines offshore, much of the action has been around the grass. Anglers are also hooking plenty whole trolling in open water as well.
Wahoo, blackfin tuna, and a few yellowfins are mixed in with the dolphin, and boats released some sailfish and blue marlin last week, too.
All the Gulf Stream predators are taking an interest in ballyhoo paired with sea witches and other skirted lures.
Houston, of Oceanana Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are hooking some sea mullet, pompano, croaker, and puppy drum while baiting up with shrimp and cut baits.
Sheepshead are also starting to show up around the pilings, and they will take an interest in shrimp or sand fleas.
