OBX/Northern Beaches – June 2024
Cameron, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers have been catching sea mullet and big bluefish (6-8 lb. class).
Sound anglers are finding that the action on speckled trout and red drum is picking up. The water temperatures rising has these fish hitting artificial baits, and the better action is in areas closer to the inlet.
Nearshore action has been the big news, with anglers targeting cobia and citation-class red drum out along the beaches. Anglers out sight casting are also seeing schools of spanish mackerel.
Offshore trips are starting to see mahi show up.
Aaron, of Carolina Sunrise Charters, reports that cobia season is on. Anglers are having success working up and down the beaches and sight-casting bucktail jigs to these fish as they migrate north through the area. This bite just started kicking off, so hopefully the action stays strong until mid-June.
Fishing inside has seen red drum and a bunch of larger speckled trout being caught with artificials, especially the No Live Bait paddle tail soft plastics.
Topwater plugs are also starting to see more success, mostly with puppy drum out on the flats.
Ben, of Salty Waters OBX, reports that speckled trout action in the sound has fired up. Soft plastics on jig heads are all that’s needed for targeting these quality fish in areas around the inlet.
Red drum are mixed in on the bite, though the reds are still a bit hit or miss as they work their way in from the ocean.
Cobia are moving up the beaches. When the area gets sunny conditions, the sight-casting action has been really good.
Steve Engel, of Ormond Beach, FL, found this 9 lb. 15 oz. , 30″ speckled trout in the sound southwest of Hatteras using cut bait. He was fishing with Capt. Doug Martin on the Hallelujah.
Gerry, of Fishing Unlimited, reports that cobia action has been the big news. Nearshore anglers getting out to target these fish are doing best when fishing south of Oregon Inlet.
A few scattered cobia have been caught off the piers. The local piers have also seen some great spanish mackerel fishing as more schools push into the area.
Bluefish are being caught off the piers and beaches in good numbers, too.
Bottom fishing in the surf and from the piers is producing croakers, sea mullet, and some spot.
Little Bridge anglers are catching speckled trout and bluefish.
The Bonner Bridge Pier has been producing sheepshead, black drum, bluefish, and some yearling-sized red drum.
John, of Drumbeat Charters, reports that there has been some good cobia fishing off the beaches. Schools of citation-class red drum are moving through as well, and they will strike the same bucktail jigs.
Fishing near and just inside the inlet is producing slot and just over-slot reds.
Spanish mackerel fishing is picking up. Both trolling spoons and casting metals (such as Hogy Epoxy jigs) will entice strikes.
False albacore are around, and they will hit the same metal casting jigs.
Nice-sized sheepshead are starting to show up around structure inshore, and bluefish (to 8 lbs.) are all over the place.
Jack, of Afishionado Charters, reports that the yellowfin tuna have begun to show up in really good numbers. Anglers are having the best success running Sea Witches, with recent hot color patterns being blue/white, blue, and black/purple. As a general note, it can help to switch to orange or brighter colored heads when the water is green, with blue water conditions seeing better action on darker colored heads.
Some gaffer mahi are mixed in the action.
The big news has been the epic blue marlin fishing from Morehead to Hatteras. This bite is really about watching the satellite shots to locate eddies coming up the coast. As for the spread, focus on keeping it simple. Ballyhoo, a couple teasers, and a couple dredges will help provide a higher hookup percentage than big lures.
Avery Strickland, of Lewisville, NC, landed this 29″ red drum fishing on the Rodanthe Pier using shrimp.
McKayla, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that the offshore tuna bite has been hot. The docks have been covered with a bunch of yellowfin tuna and some scattered large bigeyes.
Mahi are starting to show up.
Some boats have returned with blue marlin release flags, and scattered wahoo round out the offshore action.
Nearshore anglers are sight casting bucktails to groups of cobia that are moving their way north.
While searching out these cobia, anglers are also running across big schools of citation-class red drum and large bluefish.
Inshore trips have been doing very well catching red drum and the scattered (but larger) speckled trout.
Meredith, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that offshore anglers are returning with a bunch of larger yellowfin tuna, scattered bigeye, and mahi.
Both white and blue marlin are also starting to arrive.
Bottom fishing offshore has produced some tilefish.
Nearshore, the cobia bite has been really good. This can be a short-lived bite, so anglers need to take any opportunity to get out and enjoy it.
Anglers scouting the beaches for bait balls are seeing schools of spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Stan, of Nags Head Pier, reports that anglers are starting to have success casting plugs for spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Bottom-rigged baits are catching plenty of sea mullet.
Joe, of Avalon Pier, reports that bottom fishing efforts have been producing sea mullet.
Anglers are also catching speckled trout and bluefish.
Paul, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers are catching a bunch of bluefish. Other surf species have included red drum, sea mullet, and the occasional speckled trout.
Nearshore anglers have had a bunch of success targeting cobia and the scattered large red drum.
Schools of spanish mackerel and bluefish are starting to show up in better numbers.
