Added on Thursday, May 29, 2008  Gary Hurley

Morehead City May 29, 2008

Matt, of Chasin Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are beginning to hook up with decent numbers of cobia around Beaufort Inlet and in the hook of Cape Lookout. Live mullet and pogies have been scarce, so anglers are fishing dead mullet, pogies, and live crabs and bluefish with success with the cobia, both on top and on the bottom.

Large spanish mackerel (4-5 lbs.) are feeding along the beaches and especially well around AR 315 and 320 in the early mornings. Trolling with gold and silver #00 Clarkspoons, squid rigs, and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers will get attention from the big spanish.

Anglers are also starting to see decent numbers of flounder at the AR’s. Carolina-rigged live baits or 1-2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits will draw strikes from the offshore flounder.

Inshore flounder fishing is improving as well, and live baits on Carolina rigs fished in the marshes, inlets, and channel drop-offs will produce results with the flatfish inside.

Red drum are feeding well from the cape to Bear Island, with seemingly larger fish in the Swansboro/Hammock’s Beach area than up around Morehead. Plenty of 3-4 lb. reds are feeding around Morehead, but the 6+ lb. tournament fish are more prevalent to the southwest. The drum will strike a variety of lures including Gulp baits, spinnerbaits, and topwater plugs, and anglers can also draw strikes by still fishing cut mullet or live baits on Carolina rigs.

Speckled trout action has been good inshore as well (with fish up to 9.5 lbs. weighed in last week), and the majority of the good trout fishing has been in the creeks and other shallow areas.

Gulp baits or live mud minnows should produce plenty of bites from the trout.

Sheepshead have begun to take up residence around hard structure throughout the area’s inshore waters. The bridges and the port wall have been surrendering good numbers of the striped fish (some up to 9 lbs. recently). Anglers can score plenty of action with the sheeps by fishing with live fiddler crabs, but the largest fish are showing a preference for sea urchin baits.

King mackerel are still holding offshore at the Big 10/Little 10, Jerry’s Reef, and the Northwest Places. Trolling dead cigar minnows and Deep Divers will draw strikes from the kings.

Dolphin action has been excellent lately between the 90′ Drop and the Big Rock. Some wahoo are feeding in the same areas, and skirted ballyhoo will get strikes from both (darker colors are best for the wahoo).

 

Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that boats are finding good numbers of cobia around Cape Lookout and along the beaches. Live or dead baits fished on the surface and bottom will attract the hungry fish.

Spanish mackerel are also feeding well along the beaches when the water is clean. Boats can hook up with the spaniards while trolling Clarkspoons and squid/bird rigs or while casting Gotcha plugs and Stingsilvers to the feeding fish.

A few flounder are coming from both the inshore waters and nearshore structure in the ocean.

The nearshore structure is also holding plenty of spanish and blues.

King mackerel are feeding out around AR 330.

The dolphin bite has been excellent over the past week when boats can make it out past the 90′ Drop.

 

Shane, of the Fight N Lady, reports that stellar dolphin fishing continues, and the action has moved inshore to the 15-18 fathom areas. The fish are numerous and large, with plenty of 20+ lb. gaffers in the mix. There are also some wahoo holding in the same areas. The dolphin are falling for ballyhoo under smaller skirted lures, and color seems to make little difference when they’re this plentiful.

Out further, the blue marlin bite has been one of the best in recent memory around the 100 fathom line. His boat released one in the 600 lb. class last week, and big numbers have been reported by the fleet daily when they can make it out. Large chuggers and other lures are drawing attention from the big blues.

 

Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that plug casters are hooking up with some bluefish.

Bottom fishermen are landing pigfish and a few croakers and drum on shrimp.

The water temperature is around 70 degrees.