Morehead City September 25, 2008
Ray Lamb, of Chasin Tails Outdoors, with an 8.5 lb. flounder caught on a Gulp shrimp under a popping cork in 2' of water near Morehead City.
Matt, of Chasin Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers have caught some very large flounder (up to 11+ lbs.) over the past few weeks, with most coming from the deep water around the port wall, the high rise bridges, and the railroad tracks. There are still a few flounder at AR-315 as well, but most seem to have moved inshore. Live baits fished on Carolina rigs are fooling most of the flatfish.
Red drum are still feeding around area marshes and flats, but the large schools seem to have broken up. Most anglers are finding singles or pods of 2-3 fish. Topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, Gulps, and other lures should tempt the drum to bite, along with live finger mullet and mud minnows on popping cork rigs.
The speckled trout bite seems to be turning on for the fall, and the best fishing right now is still in the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound to the north, and the White Oak River to the south. Although, it should be improving by the week around Morehead. Anglers have already been landing a few specks on live shrimp in the Haystacks.
Sheepshead are still feeding around hard structure like the port wall and railroad tracks, and sea urchins have been producing some of the larger catches lately (4-9 lbs.).
Some gray trout are feeding around the railroad tracks, too, and they’ll take an interest in Stingsilvers, Tsunami Glass Minnows, and green grubs.
Spot are beginning to feed around the Beaufort drawbridge, and anglers made some excellent catches last week on pieces of fresh bloodworms.
Off the beach, boats are catching some of the largest spanish mackerel of the year, and some chopper-sized bluefish are beginning to make an appearance, too. Trolled Clarkspoons will fool the spanish and blues, but anglers can target the largest spanish more effectively by drifting, slow-trolling, or free-lining small live baits.
King mackerel are feeding around Beaufort Inlet, the Dead Tree Hole, and AR-315, but most of the fish are school-sized. The largest kings are still chasing bait at spots on the east side of Cape Lookout Shoals, where anglers can hook up with them on live baits like pogies and bluefish.
Very few boats have made it offshore lately, but there should be decent action with wahoo, sailfish, and a few dolphin when the weather’s calm enough to get out.Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that bluefish (some up to 5 lbs.) have inundated the area, and anglers are hooking big numbers in the turning basin, the inlet, and from the beaches and piers. Cut baits, live finger mullet, Gotcha plugs, Clarkspoons, and other baits are fooling the blues.
Spanish mackerel trollers have been putting together decent catches just offshore of the beaches while trolling Clarkspoons, mackerel trees, and squid rigs.
Gray trout and whiting are feeding in the deep water of the Turning Basin. Anglers are catching the grays on Shore Lure Glass Minnows and other heavy jigs, and the whiting (along with croaker, spot, pigfish, and other bottom feeders) on spec rigs tipped with shrimp.
Boats are finding some king mackerel while slow-trolling live baits around the Big 10/Little 10 and the 14 Buoy. Some sailfish are mixed in and falling for the live baits, and boats are also finding good numbers of sails around the 90′ Drop.
Dan McDonald with a 25" redfish caught on a large, live greentail shrimp at the Cape Lookout rock jetty.
Shane, of Fight N Lady, reports that not many boats have been to the blue water lately, but when they’ve made it, they are finding action with wahoo and sailfish up and down the break. There are still some scattered grass patches around, and most are sheltering a few late-season dolphin.
Ballyhoo under skirted lures are the best baits for the blue water predators.
Inshore, the spanish mackerel bite has been excellent, and boats are hooking up with good numbers of large spanish (up to 5 lbs.) and bluefish while trolling Clarkspoons and other lures.
Eddie Perry, from Raleigh, with a 48 lb. red drum caught and released in the mouth of the Bay River. The red fell for a live finger mullet on a slip-sinker rig while Perry was fishing with Russ Becker aboard the "Charlotte's Web."
