Morehead City May 27, 2010
Jonathan Flemer and Joseph Wooten, from Selma, NC, with a 40 lb. black drum and a 40 lb. cobia they hooked at Cape Lookout while sight-casting bucktails. Weighed in at Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that the cobia bite has slowed a bit around Cape Lookout, but there are still decent numbers of fish feeding between the cape and the Sheraton Pier. Casting 2-3 oz. Spro Bucktails with curlytail trailers to fish that anglers see cruising or around bait balls has been producing most of the fish. Anglers are also picking up a few fishing dead baits on the bottom in the inlets, and some fish are starting to show up inshore as well.
The flounder bite is picking up all over the area. Inshore, anglers are hooking up with flatties around docks, marshes, inlets, and in the surf. Off the beaches, the fish are stacked up at AR-315, 320, and 330. Using 1-3 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits is producing the best results at the offshore structure, and Gulps, as well as live shrimp and mud minnows, are doing the trick inshore.
The sheepshead bite has gotten started for the summer, and anglers had some good catches last week around the port wall and the high-rise bridges. Clam and fiddler crab baits are producing most of the action.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding along the beaches, and anglers are hooking up with both while trolling Clarkspoons and casting metal lures to the feeding schools.
There’s been a spotty king mackerel bite offshore, with most of the fish falling for baits that anglers are trolling for dolphin.
The dolphin fishing is on fire (with fish to 47 lbs. recently), and boats are putting together big catches around the Big Rock, Swansboro Hole, and other Gulf Stream hotspots, with scattered action further inshore.
Some wahoo and yellowfin tuna have been in the blue water mix as well, and skirted ballyhoo are fooling all three fish.
Dwayne Smith, of Greenville, NC, with a 29" red drum that fell for a Strike Pro Hunchback topwter plug in a marsh near Morehead City.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the dolphin bite has been excellent lately, with good catches coming from a temperature break just offshore of the 14 Buoy last week and plenty of fish further offshore. Rigged ballyhoo are fooling most of the ‘phins.
Cobia are still feeding on the schools of pogies cruising just offshore of Cape Lookout, and anglers also encountered some around AR-315 last week. Live and dead baits and bucktails will all attract attention from the cobes when anglers can find them.
The flounder bite has gotten much better, and anglers are hooking up with the flatties while drifting the channels in the sound and fishing from the piers and surf, particularly around Fort Macon. Live mud minnows are fooling many of the fish, and anglers are also picking up good numbers on shrimp and cut baits while bottom fishing in the surf.
Some black drum, whiting, and spot are mixed into the catch in the surf.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel (some to 6 lbs.) are feeding just off the beaches, and anglers can hook them by trolling Clarkspoons and other lures or casting Shore Lure jigs around fish feeding on the surface.
Shane, of Second to None Charters, reports that the dolphin bite has been automatic lately, with fish showing up from 17 fathoms on out up and down the break. A few wahoo and sailfish are mixed in with the ‘phins along the break.
A bit further off, there’s been decent blue marlin action offshore of the Big Rock in 150-250 fathoms. Ballyhoo rigged under Blue Water Candy Witches and Jags in blue/white and pink/white are producing the lion’s share of the action.
Pete, of Energizer Charters, reports excellent dolphin fishing from the 14 Buoy on out to 200 fathoms. A few wahoo are mixed in, and some sailfish are starting to show up.
King mackerel have finally shown up a bit closer to the beaches, and anglers caught good numbers around the 210 and 240 Rocks last week while trolling Drone spoons and sea witch/strip combos.
Karen Cartlidge, of Starling Marine Morehead City, with a 49 lb. cobia that fell for a Clarkspoon while she and her husband were trolling for spanish mackerel off Beaufort Inlet. She landed the cobe after a 30+ minute battle on spanish tackle.
Charley, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that the big (10-12 lb.) Hatteras bluefish have shown up around Cape Lookout, and anglers can hook them on topwater plugs or Yo-Zuri Tremble Edge lures in the shallows or on diving plugs around the shoal drop-offs and bottom structure.
King mackerel have moved in towards the beaches and are following pods of bait around in the area.
Dolphin shouldn’t be far behind the kings in making a move towards shore, and anglers can hook both on live pogies slow-trolled around structure in 50-100’ of water.
Cobia are still in the area, and they should be around for a few more weeks.
Inshore, there are plenty of puppy drum schooling in the sounds and bays, and they’ll respond to a variety of baits and lures.
Some speckled trout are beginning to show up in the South River.
Royce, of Sheraton Pier, reports that the spanish and bluefish bite is on for anglers casting Gotcha plugs from the planks.
Bottom fishermen are finding action with whiting at night, a few pigfish, and good numbers of flounder in the daytime (up to 4 lbs.).
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that plug casters are catching plenty of bluefish and spanish mackerel from the planks.
