Morehead City November 8, 2007
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that gray trout and a few whiting are feeding in the inlet and around the Turning Basin. The trout will bite a spec rig tipped with pieces of cut shrimp to make it a bit more appealing.
Anglers are catching good numbers of spot around the Beaufort Drawbridge, and bloodworms are the top spot baits.
Speckled trout are beginning to feed with their typical fall abandon. Anglers are finding them in the Haystacks, Middle Marsh, North River marshes, and the fish are beginning to stack up at the Cape Lookout Rock Jetty as well. Most of the trout that anglers are connecting with right now are stout fish (3-5 lbs.), and live or Gulp Shrimp fished under floats are the best baits.
In the Middle Marsh and Haystacks, red drum are feeding alongside the specks, and they will fall for live shrimp or mud minnows beneath a popping cork or Gulp shrimp and jerk shads fished on light jigheads. Many of the reds are sub-18” rats, but there are decent numbers of 24-25” slot fish around as well.
Flounder fishing remains good along the Port Wall, in the inlet, behind Shackleford, and along the surf line. The lion’s share of the finger mullet have migrated south for the year, and consequently most of the flounder are falling for live mud minnows on Carolina rigs.
Pier and surf anglers are catching spot and whiting on shrimp and bloodworms.
A few specks are also feeding in the surf zone, and the surf speckled trout bite should improve greatly over the next few weeks. MirrOlures are the top lures for surf trout fishing, and the TT808, Greenback, and Mardi Gras colors are especially productive.
There are still some kings feeding around the AR’s and other nearshore structure, although the spanish mackerel have headed south. The king bite should stay good until around Thanksgiving if the current weather trends hold.
Bottom fishermen are landing beeliners, triggerfish, and some grouper at ledges out past the 90’ Drop.
Not many boats have been to the Gulf Stream recently, but those that have are still finding some wahoo and sailfish.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the fall speckled trout bite has begun. Anglers are finding the specks in the Haystacks and Middle Marsh, along the surf, and they’ve begun to feed around the Cape Lookout rock jetty as well. The biggest fish weighed in over the past week (5-6 lbs.) have been coming from the marshes, but anglers are weeding through the smaller fish to find some fat trout at the jetty as well. Live shrimp fished beneath floats are producing the largest and most trout inshore and at the jetty.
In addition to the trout, surf anglers are catching good numbers of black drum and whiting on fresh shrimp.
Around Fort Macon, fishermen are also landing good numbers of red drum in the surf, but most are either under or over-sized. Cut baits and finger mullet are producing most of the surf drum.
Anglers are also landing some drum in the marshes, but most are incidental catches while they are targeting trout.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with whiting and gray trout inside and outside the inlets. Inshore, the turning basin and channel are holding good numbers of fish. In the ocean, boats are finding the whiting and grays around the Dead Tree Hole, Cape Lookout, and the shipping channel. Ether inside or out, a spec rig tipped with shrimp will attract plenty of attention from the trout and whiting.
Spanish mackerel seem to have moved on for the year, but boats are still finding good numbers of kings around the Hutton wreck and other similar spots.
Shane, of Second to None Charters, reports that though the winds kept most boats off the water last week, the wahoo bite is still good when they can get out. A few sailfish should still be around as well.
The best bite remains to the south of the inlet around the Swansboro Hole, with the most action in around 40 fathoms of water. Ballyhoo rigged underneath Blue Water Candy Mini Jags and Witches in purple/black, blue/white, and pink are getting the most strikes.
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers are catching black drum, whiting, and a few spot while fishing with bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
Some flounder are coming over the rails as well, but anglers must weed through the undersized fish in order to find keepers.
Plug casters are catching good numbers of bluefish.
