Northern Beaches July 21, 2011
Russ, Anna, and Louise Sheridan, of Pittsburgh, and Ray, Dee, and Daniel Brinson, of Virginia Beach, with dolphin, yellowfin tuna, and a big wahoo they hooked while trolling ballyhoo offshore of Oregon Inlet on a charter trip out of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.
Seth, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that plenty of east wind last week made for a good bluefish and spanish mackerel bite for boats trolling spoons along the beaches and around the inlet. Pier anglers also got into the fish while working Gotcha plugs when the clean water was within casting distance.
Bottom fishing from the surf and piers has been producing plenty of action with spot, croaker, and sea mullet. Shrimp, bloodworms, and sand fleas are the go-to baits.
Anglers are still catching good numbers of flounder around Oregon Inlet and from the beaches, with live baits, cut baits, and scented soft baits like Gulps producing most of the action.
Sheepshead are feeding around the pilings of Bonner Bridge and will take an interest in sand fleas dangled near the structure.
The speckled trout bite is still solid in the sound for anglers working Gulps and other soft plastics (but most of the fish are still on the small side).
Offshore, the dolphin bite remains consistent, and some bailers have been hook as close as 8 miles off the inlet. Further out, boats have been finding good billfish action, releasing decent numbers of sailfish and white marlin along with a few blue marlin.
A handful of yellowfin tuna are still in the offshore mix as well. Skirted and naked ballyhoo are the way to go for all the blue water predators.
Amberjacks are feeding around the nearshore and offshore wrecks and towers, and live baits are tough for them to pass up.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are catching good numbers of flounder in and around Oregon Inlet and from the surf. Live baits and Gulps are solid choices for the flatfish.
Bottom fishing in the surf has been producing action with croaker, spot, and sea mullet recently.
Bluefish and some spanish mackerel are feeding near the shoreline as well, and anglers are hooking them early and late in the day while working metal lures from the beaches and trolling spoons from boats.
Amberjacks and triggerfish are feeding at the nearshore wrecks. The jacks will have a tough time resisting live baits like bluefish. Bottom rigs baited with squid or cut baits are the way to go for the triggers.
Offshore, there’s been a solid white marlin bite for the fleet running out of Oregon Inlet lately. Boats are also encountering good dolphin fishing, a few yellowfin and bigeye tuna, and an occasional wahoo. Naked and skirted ballyhoo will fool all the offshore pelagics.
Ava Ciummo(age 4), from PA, with her first speckled trout, a 15.5" fish that fell for shrimp on a bottom rig in the marsh near Wanchese.
Korin, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that the billfish bite is heating up for the offshore fleet, with white marlin making up the majority of sightings and releases, but some blue marlin are in the mix as well. Good numbers of dolphin (including some big gaffers) are still feeding offshore, and some yellowfin tuna (50 lb. class) and fat wahoo are rounding out the catch. All the offshore predators are taking an interest in skirted and naked ballyhoo.
Inshore, the spanish mackerel and bluefish bite continues around the inlet and along the beaches for boats trolling Clarkspoons and other small, flashy lures.
Triggerfish and black sea bass are feeding at bottom structure not far from the beaches.
Fishing the sound and in Oregon Inlet is producing some action with speckled trout and flounder.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that bottom fishermen have found action with spot, croaker, sea mullet, gray trout, black drum, and some flounder over the past week. Most of the bottom feeders are falling for shrimp and bloodworms, and small live baits are attracting attention from the flounder.
Some bluefish are biting metal lures worked from the pier.
