Morehead City September 1, 2011
Shawna Frocke, of Newport, NC, with a 10.12 lb. flounder that bit a live mud minnow on a Carolina Rig near the Morehead port wall. Weighed in at Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that Hurricane Irene impacted the island’s oceanfront piers, but the remainder of the area’s fishing spots escaped damage for the most part.
The water is still a little dirty from the storm, but the turbid conditions have the bait on the move and may trigger some good fall fishing a little bit early.
All the area boat ramps survived the storm intact, and the pier at the Radio Island ramp is in good condition and ready for anglers. Fort Macon State Park will be open to shore fishermen by the holiday weekend as well.
Inshore, the flounder and sheepshead bite around hard structure should still be good when the water clears up a bit. Fishing live baits or Gulp-tipped bucktails on the bottom near structure like the port wall and bridge pilings is the way to go for the flatfish.
Fiddler crabs and sea urchins are top choices for the sheeps, and dangling them near the vertical structure is the way to go.
Scattered red drum were feeding in the area marshes before the storm, and they should be back on track soon. Live shrimp have been the most productive baits for them lately, but Gulps, spinnerbaits, topwater plugs, and a variety of other artificials will get attention from the reds.
As soon as the nearshore water cleans up a bit, the spanish mackerel fishing should be back on track. Anglers can hook the fish while trolling Clarkspoons, squid rigs, and other lures around Beaufort Inlet and the beachfront, and spanish can also be found while casting small metal jigs to fish feeding on the surface.
Surf casters can expect to find continued action with bottom feeders like flounder, black and red drum, sea mullet, spot, pompano, and pigfish. Shrimp, bloodworms, and cut baits will fool all these species and more.
Bottom fishing should still be solid at wrecks, ledges, and other structure 25-40 miles out. Anglers can expect to find grouper, grunts, triggerfish, sea bass, beeliners, and plenty of other fish feeding in those areas. Cigar minnows, sardines, northern mackerel, and squid wings will tempt them to bite.
The wahoo fishing in the Gulf Stream was good before the storm, and it should still be going on now. Decent numbers of gaffer dolphin were also brought in just prior to the weather. Trolling skirted ballyhoo between the 90’ Drop and Big Rock has been the most productive tactic and should help anglers locate the fish.
Cody, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that since the hurricane anglers have found some excellent action with bottomfish like sea mullet and spot in the surf zone. Bloodworms have been outproducing shrimp for both species lately.
The flounder bite is still decent at nearshore structure like AR-315, and anglers are hooking most of the fish out there on 2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits. The fish are also holding around the port wall, where live baits seem to be more effective than the bucktails.
Jack Elmore, of Raleigh, with a well over-slot red drum he sight-casted a MirrOlure soft plastic to in the Atlantic Beach surf and released after the photo.
Spanish mackerel fishing continues to be good for anglers trolling in Beaufort Inlet and nearby, and Clarkspoons and squid rigs are doing most of the damage. Anglers may also be able to cast small metal lures like Shore Lure Glass Minnows to schools of fish feeding on the surface with success.
Red drum and some speckled trout are feeding in the Haystacks and the Core Creek marshes. Live shrimp are the best baits, but they’re a little tough to find right now. Anglers can also hook up while casting Gulps and other soft plastics, topwater plugs, and other lures.
Offshore, anglers are reporting some action with wahoo between the 90’ Drop and the Big Rock. Skirted ballyhoo are fooling the ‘hoos.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that the big red drum fishing in the Pamlico Sound just keeps getting better (and will continue to do so as the September full moon gets closer). Fishing out of Cedar Island, anglers have a short run to productive shoals, oyster rocks, drop-offs, and other bottom irregularities that hold the big reds. Fishing large cut baits on circle hooks with short leaders and fixed weights is the way to connect with the drum, and anglers can expect plenty of bites.
Speckled trout and puppy drum fishing in the marshes and sloughs around Cedar Island is also productive right now. Anglers may be able to tempt the fish to bite topwater plugs early in the mornings. Later in the day, soft plastics and suspending hardbaits like MirrOlure MR17’s will get the job done, and it’s tough to beat cut menhaden or mullet for the pups.
