Northern Beaches August 2, 2012
Bob Salimbene with a 31" red drum he caught and released in the surf north of Ramp 4 near Oregon Inlet. Photo courtesy of TW's Tackle.
Betty, of TW’s Tackle, reports that anglers are connecting with sea mullet, spot, smaller puppy drum, and other bottomfish while casting double-hook rigs baited with shrimp, sand fleas, and other baits from the surf and piers. Some pompano have also been in the mix over that past week as well.
A few larger fish like yearling red drum and sharks are also prowling along the shoreline looking for meals, and they will bite cut baits.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are chasing bait along the beachfront, and pier anglers are hooking both while working Gotcha plugs and other metal lures from the local piers.
Some speckled trout have also been in the mix from the piers.
The specks are still feeding inshore, and anglers are hooking them from the Little Bridge pier, around Oregon Inlet, and from boats throughout the sound. A variety of natural baits or soft plastics like Gulps will tempt bites from the trout.
Anglers trolling small spoons around Oregon Inlet are still connecting with plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Offshore trollers are reporting that the solid billfish bite continues, with boats flying plenty sailfish and white and blue marlin release flags over the past week.
Yellowfin tuna and scattered dolphin and wahoo are all supplementing the billfish action, and naked and skirted ballyhoo are tempting the majority of the bites from the offshore pelagics.
Bill, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that the hot billfish action offshore of the inlet continues, with anglers tallying good numbers of releases of blue and white marlin and sailfish over the past week.
Yellow and blackfin tuna are also still providing consistent hookups for boats targeting them, and some dolphin and wahoo (including an 81 lb. fish last week) are in the mix as well. Skirted and naked ballyhoo along with baitless trolling lures are fooling the billfish and the meatfish.
Jeanne Keel, of Charlotte, with a dolphin that bit a ballyhoo near the Big Rock while she was fishing on the "Felix the Cat."
Bottom fishing around wrecks off the inlet is producing plenty of action with tasty black sea bass and triggerfish.
Plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish are still feeding around the inlet and along the beaches, and boats are connecting with big numbers while trolling Clarkspoons. A few cobia are also still cruising in the same area, and they will take an interest in bucktail jigs and live baits.
Anglers casting live baits and soft plastics in the sound continue to hook up with big numbers of speckled trout and a few puppy drum.
Dave, of Skiligal Sportfishing, reports that anglers are still connecting with yellowfin tuna (many in the 60 lb. range) offshore, but the big story has been the billfishing on many recent days.
Sailfish and white and blue marlin are on the feed in the offshore waters, and boats are seeing good numbers of all three.
Fair numbers of wahoo are also in the offshore mix, along with a few dolphin (but less than typical for this time of year).
Naked and skirted ballyhoo trolled in combination with teasers are producing most of the bites from all the blue water gamefish.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers are still connecting with bluefish and spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs and other flashy metal lures from the pier.
Bottom fishing has been producing some flounder, spadefish, spot, croaker, puppy drum, and more.
Anglers in the know are also hooking some sheepshead around the pilings on sand fleas.
