Northern Beaches August 30, 2012
Wakyn Feris, of Richmond, VA, with a 51 lb. cobia that bit a live bluefish he was pin-riggin off the end of Jennette's Pier. Photo courtesy of Daryl Law.
Betty, of TW’s Tackle, reports that anglers have been connecting with plenty of bluefish from the Nags Head and northern beach surf lately. Both metal casting lures and baited bottom rigs will tempt bites from the blues.
Bottom feeders like spot, sea mullet, croaker, and more are feeding in the surf as well, and they will strike double-hook rigs baited with shrimp, bloodworms, and other baits.
Inshore, the speckled trout bite is still good for anglers fishing from boats in the sound and from the Little Bridge. Live baits or a variety of soft plastic lures will tempt bites from the specks.
Some croaker, spot, black drum, and more are feeding around the little bridge on the Nags Head causeway and will bite shrimp.
Sheepshead are feeding around the Little Bridge and the Bonner Bridge. Anglers are tempting them to bite sand fleas in both spots.
The long-lasting cobia bite continues around Oregon Inlet and along the beachfront, and anglers are hooking them on live baits and while sight-casting bucktail jigs from the piers and boats.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still on the feed around Oregon Inlet and along the beaches. Boaters are hooking big numbers while trolling Clarkspoons.
The offshore fleet is still reporting some excellent billfish action, with plenty of white marlin, nearly as many sailfish, and a few blue marlin releases over the past week.
Yellow and blackfin tuna and dolphin are providing meatfish action for the offshore boats, and rigged ballyhoo are fooling the billfish and meatfish.
Bill, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that anglers are connecting with plenty of blackfin tuna, some healthy yellowfins, and scattered wahoo and dolphin.
Cody Griglak (age 8) with a 19" flounder he hooked on a Gulp bait in the Pamlico Sound while fishing with Rob Alderman of Outer Banks Kayak Fishing.
The billfish bite is just getting better, with boats reporting big numbers of white marlin releases along with plenty of sailfish and a few blue marlin. Ballyhoo trolled naked and under skirted lures are tempting the majority of the bites from the marlin, sailfish, tuna, wahoo, and dolphin.
Closer to shore, the cobia fishing remains good for boats searching for them near the inlet and along the beachfront. Sight-casting bucktails or live baits to fish that anglers spot cruising on the surface is the way to tempt bites from the tasty brawlers.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still feeding along the beachfront, where boats are catching plenty while trolling Clarkspoons and other small, flashy lures.
Speckled trout action remains solid in the sound, where live baits and soft plastics are tempting the trout to bite.
Anglers bottomfishing around Oregon Inlet are catching croaker, puffers, pigfish, flounder, and more.
Dave, of Skiligal Sportfishing, reports that meatfish action is going strong around the Point, where anglers landed big numbers of blackfin tuna along with wahoo and dolphin last week.
Some sailfish and scattered yellowfins are in the same area.
All the offshore gamefish are taking an interest in naked and skirted ballyhoo on the troll.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some bluefish and spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs and other metal lures from the pier.
A 51 lb. cobia fell for a live bait fished off the end of the pier last week.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with some puppy drum, croaker, pinfish, pigfish, spot, bluefish, and more. Shrimp and bloodworms are producing most of the action.
