Morehead City October 15, 2009
Terry Wright with a fat citation-class red drum that fell for a live pogy in the Pamlico Sound south of Hobucken while he was fishing with Doug Dameron.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that the speckled trout bite is improving and the cooler weather this week should get the fishing even hotter. Anglers are finding action with the specks in Core Creek, the Haystacks, and other marsh areas, and a few have already been reported from the Lookout jetties. Live shrimp, MirrOlures, and Gulp baits are producing most of the trout action.
The flounder bite’s been on as well (and fish to 11 lbs. have been weighed in over the past week). Anglers are finding the flatties around the port wall, the inlet, behind Shackleford Banks, and out at AR-315. Live mud minnows and finger mullet on Carolina rigs are fooling most of the fish, and anglers are picking some up on Gulp-tipped bucktails as well.
Red drum are feeding in the Haystacks, Core Creek, the Newport River, and at ICW docks and other structure. Live baits, spinnerbaits, topwater plugs, and Gulps are fooling the reds.
Gray trout are feeding in the deep water around the railroad tracks, the Coast Guard station, and Radio Island, and they’ll take an interest in spec rigs tipped with shrimp or Stingsilvers and other jigging lures worked just off the bottom.
Anglers are still catching a few sheepshead on fiddler crabs around inshore structure like bridge and dock pilings.
Spot are feeding heavily in the Beaufort channel and around the Coast Guard station, and bloodworms on bottom rigs will attract their attention.
The spanish mackerel bite is getting a little more hit-or-miss as the fish prepare to move south, but anglers are still finding solid spanish action around Lookout Shoals. Live-baiting and trolling Clarkspoons will fool the spaniards (with most of the larger, 5+ lb. fish falling for live baits).
King mackerel anglers are reporting wide open fishing on both sides of the shoals, and live baits like pogies are the best choices. The bite’s been hot around the Summerlin Reef, the rock jetty, the Dead Tree Hole, the Beaufort Inlet shipping channel, and the Trawler Wreck.
The wahoo bite has tapered off a bit, but anglers are still hooking decent numbers of ‘hoos offshore of the Big Rock. Some sailfish are mixed in, and both will fall for ballyhoo rigged under skirted trolling lures.
Bottom fishermen are reporting an excellent sea bass and beeliner bite at offshore structure, with a few groupers in the mix as well.
Richard Ricks, of Goldsboro, NC, with a 7 lb. flounder he hooked on a live pogy in the Neuse River near Bayboro, NC.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the flounder bite has been picking up around the turning basin and in the deeper creeks, with good numbers of 3-4 lb. fish in the mix. Live finger mullet or mud minnows on Carolina rigs will fool the flatties.
The spot bite is still solid around Beaufort, and anglers are catching plenty on bottom rigs baited with bloodworms.
Gray trout are feeding in the turning basin, the inlet, and around the Coast Guard station. Jigging lures like Shore Lure Glass Minnows and spec rigs tipped with shrimp will draw bites from the grays.
The fall speckled trout bite hasn’t turned fully on yet, but anglers are picking up some fish in the Haystacks and the Middle Marsh, and can expect the fish to begin schooling up in the shallow creeks soon. Live shrimp or soft plastics and MirrOlures will fool the trout.
Spanish mackerel are feeding along the Lookout Shoals and around AR-315, and anglers are hooking them while trolling Clarkspoons and live baits (with the bigger 5+ lb. fish showing a preference for the live baits).
False albacore are chasing bait around Cape Lookout and along the beaches. Anglers can cast Shore Lure Glass Minnows or other metal lures to the feeding schools to hook up.
The king mackerel bite is improving, and anglers caught good numbers of solid kings (20-30 lbs.) around the Trawler Buoy and Cape Lookout last week. Live baits like pogies are the tickets to king mackerel bites.
Boats are still landing good numbers of wahoo out around the Big Rock while trolling ballyhoo.
Dwight Kinton, of Morehead City, with a pair of large flounder (the biggest 11 lbs.) he hooked on live finger mullet while fishing inshore near Morehead City. Weighed in at Chasin Tails Outdoors.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that the fall king mackerel bite is on, and anglers are hooking kings (up to 40+ lbs.) on live pogies at spots like the Trawler Wreck, Barge Wreck, Triple Nickel, and Dead Tree Hole. The pogies have been plentiful and large lately, so getting bait shouldn’t be a problem.
False albacore have shown up and are feeding in the hook of Cape Lookout. Anglers can hook them on metal casting lures, soft plastics, or by casting flies.
The speckled trout bite isn’t in full swing yet, but a few more weeks of cool weather will trigger the fish to begin feeding heavily. Anglers can expect the bite to be hot from the mouth of the Neuse River south through the sounds to the Cape Lookout rock jetty.
The puppy drum bite is on right now, however. Anglers are hooking the pups in the inlets and along the surf zone, and they’ll fall for a variety of baits and lures. Some large pompano are also feeding in the surf, and anglers can tempt them to bite shrimp baits.
Shane, of Fight N Lady, reports that anglers are catching good numbers of wahoo up and down the break while trolling ballyhoo under Blue Water Candy Mini Jags and Witches. Blue/white and red/black have been particularly hot colors lately.
Some sailfish are mixed in with the wahoo and will fall for the same baits.
The king and spanish mackerel bite has been excellent in the Beaufort shipping channel and nearby, and anglers are hooking the fish while trolling spoons and live baits.
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers are decking big numbers of spot on bottom rigs baited with bloodworms and fresh shrimp.
Some pompano are falling for the bottom rigs as well.
Anglers are catching some bluefish on Gotcha plugs and bottom rigs.
