Morehead City November 15, 2012
Carmen Raspatello, of Newport, NC, with a 6.68 lb. black drum she hooked on shrimp near the Morehead Port wall. Weighed in at Chasin’ Tails Outdoors.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are seeing the best speckled trout action in memory all over the Morehead area right now, with fat, healthy fish feeding just about everywhere. Anglers are connecting with them in all the local marshes, around the jetties and other structure, in the surf zone, and in the local creek and river systems. Incoming tides seem to be producing just as well as falling ones, with the only slower bite during slack tides.
Live shrimp and mud minnows are virtual guarantees to speck success right now, and anglers can also hook up on a variety of soft plastics and hard baits like Bomber SS’s and Yo-Zuri 3D Shrimp.
More specks are still being caught in the Outer Banks, so the fishing should stay hot for some time as those fish work their way south.
Big numbers of puppy drum (most 15-19”) are feeding alongside the specks and falling for the same baits and lures, with Gulp baits as especially effective artificials.
False albacore are schooled up off Beaufort Inlet and on over to Lookout Shoals. Anglers who spot a school feeding on top should have little trouble hooking up on metal casting jigs like Sea Striker Jigfish.
Sea mullet action is still going strong in the shipping channel and around the Dead Tree Hole (with some fish to 2+ lbs.). Spec rigs tipped with shrimp and bloodworms are the best bets for the mullet.
Gray trout are in the same areas and inshore to the turning basin, and they will respond to spec rigs, live shrimp, and jigging lures.
A few flounder are still coming from the port wall and bridge areas. Most are falling for live mud minnows.
Offshore, anglers have been finding some king mackerel on the east side of the shoals. Bait has been tough to locate, so most have been trolling dead cigar minnows with success.
Patrick and Tom Flanagan, of Greensboro, NC, with a 33″, 12.5 lb. red drum that bit a finger mullet in the Pine Knoll Shores surf.
Wahoo and blackfin tuna are still feeding out around the Big Rock and taking an interest in skirted ballyhoo.
Paul, of Freeman’s Tackle, reports that anglers are seeing some amazing speckled trout action in the Atlantic Beach surf right now. The Fort Macon jetties, areas around the piers and former piers, and beachfront sloughs are all holding big numbers of specks and smaller puppy drum (most 15-18”). Most anglers are casting MirrOlures, but Gulp baits and other soft plastics have also proven productive recently.
The Radio Island and Cape Lookout rock jetties have also been hosting some excellent trout action for anglers fishing live baits and casting lures.
Not many anglers have been speck fishing in the marshes. Since the beach bite has been so good, most aren’t bothering with their boats.
Sea mullet are providing consistent action for anglers soaking baits along the edges of the shipping channel and in the Dead Tree Hole. Spec rigs tipped with shrimp are producing most of the fish.
False albacore are still feeding between Beaufort Inlet and Cape Lookout, but the schools are starting to become more scattered and spooky. When anglers find the fish feeding on the surface, metal casting jigs and other artificials will tempt them to bite.
Offshore trollers are still hooking up with wahoo, blackfin tuna, and some late season dolphin, but the bite has slowed a bit with the warm weather last week. Another cold front should kick the wahoo and blackfin bite back into gear.
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some puppy drum, speckled trout, sheepshead, and black drum from the pier. Soft plastic grubs and fresh shrimp are producing most of the action.
