Northern Beaches – August 15, 2019
Betty, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that pompano fishing has been great, with areas around ramps 25 and 44 producing some huge fish (up to 4 lbs.). Sea mullet, croakers, and spot are hitting shrimp fished on bottom rigs, and a few bluefish are being hooked with Carolina rigs and smaller pieces of cut mullet.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are being caught while casting Stingsilvers and glass minnow style jigs from the beach to the feeding schools.
Nearshore anglers have been successful while trolling spoons just off the beach. They’re finding a mix of bluefish, ribbonfish, false albacore, and citation-sized spanish mackerel. Cobia are still around the beaches, and they’re hitting cut baits fished on the bottom around the inlet.
Nearshore structures are loaded with kings and large spanish, and both are hitting slow-trolled live baits. Bottom fishing these areas with vertical jigs has produced large amberjacks.
Offshore anglers are finding limits of mahi while trolling skirted ballyhoo and bailing fish out from under grass patties. Large wahoo (up to 50 lbs.) have been making a good showing, with many trips boating multiple fish, and sailfish and blue marlin are being caught on large plugs pulled around the temperature change out in the Stream.
Bottom fishing has been producing tilefish and large black sea bass.
Anglers fishing just inside the inlet have been catching a good number of bluefish and spanish mackerel while casting jigs.
Striped bass are hitting soft plastics fished on 1/2 oz. jigs (and bucktails) around bridge pilings. Flounder are biting Carolina-rigged live mullet fished on ledges and along deeper channels from the inlet up to Wanchese. Speckled trout fishing has been very good for anglers fishing soft plastics along deeper grass banks.
Joe White with a red drum caught using live bait at Ramp 4 at Oregon Inlet.
Bridgette, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that anglers are catching limits of gaffer and bailer-sized mahi.
Yellowfin and blackfin tuna are mixed in out at the temperature break. They’re hitting skirted ballyhoo. Large wahoo are being caught by anglers fishing baits and lures behind a planer.
A few sailfish releases are also being generated by those trolling ballyhoo.
Bottom fishing has been producing limits of good-sized tilefish and black sea bass.
Nearshore trips are finding large king mackerel while slow-trolling live baits around structure and ledges. Trolling spoons has been catching false albacore, ribbonfish, spanish mackerel, and bluefish.
Inshore trips are finding limits of speckled trout while fishing soft plastics under popping corks. A few flounder are mixed in for those bouncing soft plastics along the bottom, and bottom rigs with shrimp fished in the inlet have been producing good numbers of sea mullet and pufferfish.
Aaron, of Carolina Sunrise Charters, reports that mid-summer fishing has been great for speckled trout. The trout have been sitting in holes and along grass banks, and they’re hitting live shrimp fished under corks. Some anglers are also using lighter jig heads and soft plastics with success when casting to deeper channels.
Flounder are in similar areas (closer to the inlet), more often hitting the soft plastics worked along the bottom.
Red drum are on the flats and in the shallow bays, and they’re falling for both live baits and soft plastics.
Gerry, of Fishing Unlimited, reports that speckled trout fishing has been good for anglers casting Gulp soft plastics on lighter jig heads. Early mornings and evenings have been the best times, with the fish pushing deep during the hottest part of the day.
Bottom fishing has seen a variety of croakers, pinfish, black drum, and flounder being caught while keeping baits on the bottom.
Laurie, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that anglers have been catching limits of mahi while trolling and fishing cut baits under grass patties and floating debris.
Blackfin and yellowfin tuna are hitting skirted ballyhoo, and large wahoo made a good showing, hitting the same skirted baits.
Bottom fishing has been producing tilefish, triggerfish, and grouper.
Nearshore trips have been very successful while trolling off the beach and around local structure. A variety of spanish mackerel, ribbonfish, king mackerel, and peanut mahi are all coming back to the docks.
Anglers fishing in the sound are catching speckled trout and striped bass.
Andy, of Nags Head Pier, reports that sea mullet, spot, and pufferfish are hitting shrimp and Fishbites strips on the bottom.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are being caught with Gotcha plugs, and a couple of cobia (up to 41 lbs.) were recently landed.
Laurie, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers casting Gotcha plugs are catching good numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Fishing baits near the pilings has been producing sheepshead and triggerfish.
Bottom rigs with shrimp and Fishbites strips are catching sea mullet, spot, pufferfish, croaker, pigfish, pinfish, sand perch, and spadefish. A few good-sized black drum (up to 5 lbs.) have been caught on Carolina-rigged shrimp.
Flounder (up to 18”) are sitting in deeper holes just past the breakers. Pompano are in the same holes, and they’re feeding on sand fleas.
Justin, of Avalon Pier, reports that quite a few cobia (up to 28 lbs.) have been cruising by the pier. Anglers near the end are sight-casting to the fish with bucktails, and a few cobia have hit larger baits fished on Carolina-rigs.
Large king mackerel (up to 41 lbs.) are taking live baits off the end, and citation spanish mackerel (up to 6 lbs.) are hitting Gotcha plugs.
Bottom fishing is producing spadefish, spots, and sea mullet.
John, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers are finding sea mullet and pompano while casting baits into the deep holes off the sand, and bluefish are being caught with casting jigs in the morning.
Sound-side anglers have been finding great numbers of speckled trout while fishing soft plastics under popping corks.
Sheepshead are feeding on Carolina-rigged sand fleas and fiddler crabs around channel markers and bridge pilings.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers are catching sea mullet with bottom rigs. A few smaller flounder are mixed in and are also hitting soft plastics. Bluefish are falling for casting jigs in the mornings and evenings.
Nearshore anglers are landing false albacore, spanish mackerel, ribbonfish, and bluefish while trolling spoons.
