Morehead City October 23, 2008
Luke and Timothy Glennon, of Morehead City, with 9 lb. 7 oz. and 7 lb. 1 oz. speckled trout. Photo courtesy of Freeman's Bait & Tackle.
Matt, of Chasin Tails Outdoors, reports that the speckled trout bite is turning on with the cooler weather. Anglers are hooking good numbers of trout in Core Creek and the Haystacks, and they’re starting to see a few around the Cape Lookout rock jetty. Live shrimp beneath floats are producing most of the fish, but anglers are also hooking up while casting Gulps, Halo shrimp, MirrOlures, and Fin-S-Fish soft plastics.
Red drum are still feeding in the marshes, but most are smaller fish (22-24″). The majority of the larger reds have moved out towards the ocean. Inshore, the fish are still taking an interest in topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, and Gulps.
Flounder are beginning to head toward the inlets as well, and surf fishermen had some nice catches last week on Gulp baits. A number of smaller fish are still feeding alongside the reds and specks inshore.
There are still some big sheepshead holding around rocks and other structure inshore, and they’ll take an interest in fiddler crabs, sea urchins, and other crustacean baits.
Anglers are starting to put together some good catches of gray trout from the turning basin to the Coast Guard station. Spec rigs tipped with shrimp and Stingsilvers are producing most of the action, but anglers are picking up the largest fish (some up to 4 lbs.) on Carolina-rigged Gulp baits. A few whiting are mixed in with the grays.
Spot are feeding around the Beaufort drawbridge, and anglers are hooking them on bloodworms and Gulp and Fish Bites imitations.
There are still plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish feeding in Beaufort Inlet and nearshore, and boats are hooking up with them while trolling small spoons and casting metal lures.
Good numbers of kings are also feeding in the inlet and at nearshore hotspots like the Dead Tree Hole, the Barge Wreck, AR-315 and AR-320. Live pogies are the top baits for the kings.
Larger kings (some up to 40+ lbs.) and some wahoo are feeding at spots on the east side of Lookout Shoals like the George Summerlin Reef. Trolling live baits like bluefish and pogies has been producing action with both fish.
The wahoo bite has also been solid offshore when boats can make it out to spots like the Big Rock.
Bottom fishermen are finding action with grouper, snapper, and other bottom dwellers at offshore ledges near the 90′ Drop.
Paul Heath, of Snow Hill, with a pair of specks including the 5.34 lb. fish that is leading the Chasin Tails Speckled Trout Challenge. The fish were caught in the Haystacks on a live shrimp fished under a float rig.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that inshore bottom fishing has been hot lately, with anglers catching plenty of spot around Beaufort and in Gallant’s Channel on bloodworms and imitation bloodworms.
Gray trout are feeding in the turning basin, around the Coast Guard station, and in the mouth of the inlet. Shore Lure Glass Minnows have been the most productive lures for the grays.
Anglers are also picking up some gray trout on live shrimp and Gulps around the marshes in the early mornings as they head back to deep water after feeding in the shallows at night.
Speckled trout are feeding in the Middle Marsh, the Haystacks, and in Core Creek, where some fish weighing up to 9+ lbs. have been caught lately. Live shrimp are producing the lion’s share of the action with the specks, but anglers are catching some smaller fish on artificials.
The king mackerel bite has been excellent nearshore on the Morehead side of the shoals lately, and anglers are catching most of them on live baits like pogies.
John Crowe, from Holly Springs, NC, with a catch including beeliners, a scamp grouper, and a 33 lb. king mackerel he hooked while light-lining 36 miles off Beaufort Inlet in 105' aboard the Carolina Princess.
Shane, of Second to None Charters, reports that the offshore bite has been excellent when the wind lets boats make the run. The best action has been south of the Big Rock in 35-45 fathoms lately, where boats are hooking good number of wahoo (some to 60+ lbs.), some dolphin, blackfin tuna, and decent numbers of sailfish. Rigged ballyhoo underneath Blue Water Candy Jags and Witches are producing most of the offshore action.
King mackerel fishing has been nearly nonstop nearshore in 50-60′ of water for anglers trolling Drone spoons and strip bait/witch combos behind planers. Good numbers of gag grouper are also falling for the king lures (the boat hooked 14 one day recently).
Joyce, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers are catching some spot, bluefish, and whiting on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
More blues and a few spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs.
The water is in the low 70’s.
