Morehead City October 9, 2008
Ryan Hill and Steven Smith, from Atlantic Beach, with a 48 lb. king, amberjacks to 63 lbs., a 7.5 lb. spanish mackerel, and more kings caught on the east side of Lookout Shoals on live baits. Fish weighed at Chasin Tails Outdoors.
Tim, of Chasin Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are catching speckled trout (some up to 5 lbs.) under the Atlantic Beach side of the bridge on float-rigged live shrimp.
Anglers are catching more trout and good numbers of red drum in the Haystack marshes, at the Radio Island rock jetty, and around lighted docks in the evenings. Topwater plugs are producing action early and late in the day, and live baits and Gulps are tempting bites all day.
Gray trout are feeding around the Morehead side of the bridge and the railroad tracks. Stingsilvers, Glass Minnow jigs, and Carolina-rigged live shrimp are attracting attention from the grays.
Gray trout are also mixed in with whiting and spot in the turning basin, and spec rigs tipped with shrimp and bloodworms are effective on all three.
The spot bite has been hot around the Beaufort drawbridge over the past week as well.
Bottom fishermen are catching spot, croaker, black drum (many 5-6 lbs.), and other bottomfish on fresh shrimp near the port wall.
Anglers are also still finding some flounder and sheepshead feeding along the port wall.
Surf fishermen are catching black drum, spot, pompano, and whiting while surf fishing with shrimp and bloodworms along the Fort Macon rocks.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding in Beaufort Inlet, and boats are hooking them while trolling Clark and Drone spoons and free-lining live finger mullet.
King mackerel are feeding nearshore at spots like the Dead Tree Hole, AR-315, and AR-320. Dead baits on Hank Brown rigs and live mullet are attracting attention from the kings.
Bigger kings are feeding at spots on the east side of the shoals like the 1700 rock and Atlas Tanker, and live baits are producing the biggest fish (some approaching 60 lbs.).
Bottom fishing is still good around the 210 and 240 rocks and the NW Places, where boats are finding action with grouper, triggerfish, and sea bass.
The Gulf Stream is finally turning back on, and the wahoo bite has been solid when boats make the run to blue water lately.
Paige Blair with a flounder she caught near the Duke Marine docks in the hook of Cape Lookout on a Carolina-rigged pogy. She was fishign with Dan, Alyce, and Ayden McDonald and Greg Blair.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are catching a lot of king mackerel starting very near the beaches. Many are in the 20-30 lb. range, and anglers are hooking most of the fish on trolled live baits.
Anglers seeking spanish mackerel are hooking up while trolling Clarkspoons and squid rigs from the inlet to nearshore structure like AR-315.
At structure on the east side of the shoals, boats are hooking wahoo and king mackerel while trolling live and dead baits.
Bottom fishing has also been good on the east side, with anglers reporting action with black sea bass and keeper gag groupers. Anglers are scoring with big triggerfish, beeliners, sea bass, and more groupers in deeper water to the south.
Surf fishermen have weighed in some large pompano (several exceeding 4 lbs.) and are also catching some whiting and other bottomfish. Fresh shrimp are producing most of the action.
Inshore, flounder are feeding well in the channels around Harkers Island and Shackleford, and Carolina-rigged live baits will get their attention.
Gray trout are feeding in the deep water near the Coast Guard station and the Turning Basin, and they’ll fall for metal jigs or other lures.
Whiting are showing up in the hook of the Cape and the Dead Tree Hole, and they will take an interest in spec rigs tipped with shrimp.
Anglers fishing marshes like the Haystacks are catching some speckled trout (most 2-3 lbs.), flounder, and puppy drum. Live baits, Gulps, and topwaters are all producing action in the marshes.
Lighted docks in the area are holding puppy drum and trout as well, and anglers are hooking most of them at night.
D.F. Bunting with an 8 lb. speckled trout that fell for a Gulp shrimp beneath a popping cork in the Neuse River. He was fishing with Capt. Rennie Clark of Tournament Trail Charters.
Shane, of Fight N Lady, reports that the wahoo bite is back on (and some fish are 60+ lbs.), and many boats are hooking up with limits. The action has been best to the south around the Swansboro Hole all week, with the hottest fishing in around 50 fathoms.
Both top and planer baits are drawing strikes, and black/purple and black/red are excellent colors for the wahoo.
Eddie, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers are catching some big spot, pompano, and whiting while bottom fishing with shrimp.
Plug casters are hooking bluefish and spanish mackerel.
The water is 74 degrees.
