Northern Beaches – July 30, 2015
Justin, of TW’s Tackle, reports that anglers are still hooking a summertime mix of bottomfish while casting baits in the surf of Nags Head and the northern beaches. Some puppy drum and bluefish have been in the mix for anglers fishing south of Oregon Inlet.
Some puppy drum, flounder, and speckled trout are feeding in the sound and biting baits and lures like spoons and soft plastics anglers are casting.
Those fishing the little bridge are hooking some croaker, sea mullet, and puppy drum while bottom fishing and saw some action with bluefish and spanish mackerel on casting lures over the past weekend.
Sheepshead are feeding around the Oregon Inlet bridge and biting sand fleas and other baits anglers are fishing near the pilings.
Boaters trolling around Oregon Inlet and along the beaches are hooking spanish and king mackerel along with bluefish.
Some red drum have been feeding in the same areas and biting lures like bucktails.
The offshore fleet is still seeing plenty of dolphin along with some yellowfin tuna and wahoo. Billfish are around as well and boats released decent numbers of white and blue marlin last week.
John Robinson, of Martinsville, VA, with 22″ and 17″ flounder he landed while fishing from Outer Banks Pier.
Gabby, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that boats trolling offshore out of Oregon Inlet are hooking plenty of bailer and gaffer dolphin (with fish to 55 lbs. recently) along with some healthy wahoo and yellow and blackfin tuna.
Nearshore trolling is producing plenty of action with spanish mackerel and bluefish along with some king mackerel.
Red drum, cobia, and sharks are also feeding along and just off the beaches and biting for the nearshore fleet.
Bottom fishing in the inlet is producing plenty of action with sea mullet, croaker, flounder, spot, pigfish, gray trout, and more.
C.J. Rice, of Roanoke Island, with a pier-record 65 lb. king mackerel that attacked a pin-rigged live bluefish off the end of Jennette’s Pier.
Dave, of Skiligal Sportfishing, reports that anglers continue to catch solid numbers of dolphin (many gaffers) while pulling naked and skirted ballyhoo offshore of Oregon Inlet. Well-formed weedlines are holding most of the action but anglers are connecting when the grass is scarce or scattered as well. Some tuna and wahoo are still in the mix, and all three are taking an interest in naked and skirted ballyhoo.
There’s been a good white marlin bite just to the north of the area this week, so it shouldn’t be long before the billfish action off Oregon Inlet is going full bore.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are primarily hooking spot along with some pigfish, sand perch, and triggerfish.
Some bluefish and spanish mackerel have been falling for casting lures anglers are working from the pier.
Those fishing live baits off the end of the pier landed some large spanish mackerel and several cobia over the past week.
The water is 79 degrees.
