Northern Beaches August 1, 2013
Kevin Baker and friends from Elizabethtown, PA, with yellowfin tuna and a gaffer dolphin they hooked while fishing with Capt. Lee Collins on the charterboat “Strike ‘Em” out of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.
Betty, of TW’s Tackle, reports that surf casters are connecting with some spot, sea mullet, and bluefish from the shores of the northern beaches.
Pier anglers are hooking much of the same with a few puppy drum and croaker mixed in. Several cobia have also been landed from Jennette’s Pier recently.
Inshore anglers are still catching good numbers of speckled trout and some puppy drum while working soft plastic baits around the little bridge on the causeway. Those fishing in boats are also reporting excellent speckled trout action along with some flounder.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding along the beaches and around Oregon Inlet, and boats are catching good numbers of both while trolling Clarkspoons and other flashy lures.
Bottom fishing around wrecks and other structure between the beach and the blue water is producing triggerfish and limit catches of tilefish.
The offshore bite remains hot, with solid catches of dolphin and yellowfin tuna making their way home in the fish boxes. Some wahoo and bigeye tuna (to 275 lbs.) are mixed in, and boats have also released decent numbers of sailfish and blue and white marlin in recent days.
Ashley, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that anglers are seeing some excellent offshore action in the area. Yellowfin tuna and dolphin are still the main meat fish and providing steady action (with many yellowfins 40+ lbs. and some dolphin 35+) for boats trolling ballyhoo and skirted lures. Wahoo are also feeding offshore and taking an interest in boats’ trolling spreads, and most days anglers are also seeing some bigeye tuna in the mix.
Billfish like sailfish and blue and white marlin are also on the feed offshore, as boats have released decent numbers over the past week.
Bob Piasecki with keeper flounder and speckled trout he hooked in the surf at Duck. Photo courtesy of TW’s Tackle.
Closer to the beaches, red drum and cobia are feeding around Oregon Inlet and just offshore. Boats are sight-casting to both fish with bucktail jigs and live baits.
Bottom fishing at nearshore wrecks is producing plenty of tasty triggerfish.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding just off the beaches as well, and boats are connecting with solid numbers while trolling Clarkspoons and other small lures.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that the speckled trout action in the sounds around Roanoke Island remains stellar. Anglers are hooking plenty of the specks on soft plastics and live baits fished under popping corks, but there’s also been a solid topwater bite on some recent days, and not just in the early morning hours.
Rob, of Strike ‘Em Sportfishing, reports that anglers are still connecting with good hauls of yellowfin tuna while trolling offshore of Oregon Inlet. Ballyhoo and skirted lures are fooling most of the fish and are also attracting attention from gaffer and bailer dolphin, wahoo, bigeye and blackfin tunas, and sharks. More billfish like sailfish and blue and white marlin are appearing by the week as well, and they’re also taking an interest in the lures and ballyhoo.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with some triggerfish, sea mullet, sand perch, spot, croaker, and more. Shrimp, squid, and bloodworms are all producing action with the bottom feeders.
Bluefish are also feeding around the pier, and they’re biting bottom rigs and metal casting lures like Gotcha plugs.
Several cobia were caught by anglers pin-rigging live baits from the end of the pier last weekend.
