Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers hooked some healthy speckled trout and over-slot red drum last week while fishing around Little River Inlet. Both are taking an interest in live shrimp fished under floats along the inlet’s rock jetties.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are chasing finger mullet outside the inlet, particularly on falling tides. Anglers can tempt both toothy predators to bite topwater or suspending plugs sized close to the mullet, and short wire leaders will keep the fish from swimming off with an expensive lure.
Flounder fishing remains decent at nearshore structure like the Jim Caudle and Ron McManus reefs. Anglers are hooking the flatfish on live finger mullet and menhaden. Some cobia are still at the nearshore structure as well and surprising flounder fishermen.
Inshore, there’s still a good flounder bite in Tubbs Inlet when the water is clean. Targeting deeper holes in the inlet with live finger mullet has been producing most of the flounder.
Anglers fishing around the Little River Crossroads have seen some excellent black drum action over the past week (most 2-3 lbs.). The best bite has been around lower tides, and anglers are hooking some stout croaker and over-slot red drum as well. Shrimp are fooling all the bottom feeders.
Bobby Huber with a black drum he hooked on a live shrimp while fishing at Tilghman’s Point with Capt. Mark Dickson of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters.
Patrick, of Capt. Smiley’s Fishing Charters, reports that anglers continue to connect with speckled trout while working grass and shell banks between Little River and Calabash. Live shrimp drifted along the banks on float rigs are fooling the majority of the fish, but anglers may also be able to hook up while working soft-plastic shrimp imitations or other lures.
The flounder bite remains decent in Tubbs Inlet on most days. Live finger mullet fished on jigheads and Carolina rigs are fooling the majority of the fish in Tubbs.
Some red drum are also taking an interest in baits in Tubbs Inlet, and anglers are finding more around ICW structure and in the creeks and backwaters of Dunn Sound and Bonaparte Creek. Live shrimp or finger mullet will attract attention from the reds wherever anglers find them.
Ronnie, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with sea mullet, spadefish, croaker, pompano, and other panfish while bottom fishing with shrimp. Some black drum are falling for shrimp in the surf zone.
Anglers have released several large (40-45”) red drum at night recently.
Some large spanish mackerel have been falling for live baits that anglers are fishing from the end of the pier. Anglers working mackerel tree rigs are also hooking some spanish.