Northern Beaches June 14, 2012
Ryan Rhodes with a black drum he hooked while kayak-fishing in the sound. Photo courtesy of TW's Tackle.
Seth, of TW’s Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking plenty of bluefish from the Nags Head’s surf and piers. Cut baits and other offerings on bottom rigs will fool the blues, and anglers can also hook up while casting Gotcha plugs, diamond jigs, and other flashy metal lures when the water is cleaner.
Sheepshead are feeding under the Oregon Inlet Bridge, and anglers are hooking some from the catwalk while dangling sand fleas next to the pilings.
Trolling around Oregon Inlet and just off the beaches is producing plenty of action with bluefish, spanish mackerel, and a few false albacore, with most of the fish falling for Clarkspoons.
Some cobia are in the same vicinity. Live eels or bucktail jigs will tempt bites from the big fish when anglers spot them cruising on the surface.
Bottom fishing at wrecks and other structure just off the beaches is producing some action with triggerfish and black sea bass.
Speckled trout fishing has been good in the sound lately, and anglers are hooking the fish from boats and the Little Bridge Pier. Soft plastic baits are producing most of the trout action.
Offshore trollers are still putting together good catches of yellowfin tuna, and the large bigeye tunas (many 100-200 lbs.) are steadily in the mix as well. Gaffer dolphin also continue to produce plenty of action for the local offshore fleet. Blue and white marlin are feeding in the same areas as the tuna and dolphin. Most of the fish are falling for skirted and naked ballyhoo.
Bill, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that the yellowfin tuna bite is still strong off the inlet, and boats also found good numbers of hungry bigeye tuna last week (many 100-200+ lbs.).
Some gaffer dolphin are still in the mix with the tunas, along with a few wahoo, and boats are tallying good numbers of blue and white marlin releases as well.
Closer to the beaches, there’s been a good cobia bite. Anglers are hooking most of the fish while casting bucktail jigs and live eels to fish they spot cruising on the surface.
Anglers trolling along the beachfront and around the inlet are hooking big numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Inshore boats are finding solid speckled trout fishing back in the sound (with better numbers of keepers mixed in with the throwbacks lately).
Linda Hollowell, of Winterville, NC, with her first yellowfin tuna, a 56 lb. fishthat bit a ballyhoo near The Point while she was trolling out of Oregon Inlet with Capt. Paul Lester on the "Osprey."
Dave, of Skiligal Sportfishing, reports that offshore trollers are still catching big numbers of yellowfin tuna while trolling off Oregon Inlet. The past week also saw a solid bigeye tuna bite (with most fish 100-200+ lbs.).
Gaffer dolphin are still producing action as well, with most of the fish coming from weedlines along temperature breaks offshore.
A few blue and white marlin are also falling for baits that anglers are trolling off the inlet.
Naked and skirted ballyhoo are tempting most of the bites from the blue water gamefish.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of bluefish and some spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs and other metal lures from the pier.
Some spot, pigfish, spadefish, and assorted other bottom dwellers are taking an interest in shrimp on double-hook bottom rigs.
A large cobia was caught and released from the pier last week.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers are hooking up with solid numbers of bluefish (most 2-3 lbs.) along the northern beaches. Good numbers of sea mullet, spot, and croaker are mixed in, and a few speckled trout are also biting. Bottom rigs baited with shrimp, bloodworms, and cut baits will get attention from all the surf dwellers.
Trolling small spoons around Oregon Inlet and just off the beaches is producing plenty of action with spanish mackerel and bluefish.
A few cobia are around the same areas as the spanish and blues, and anglers can hook them by sight-casting large bucktails or live eels to fish they spot cruising on the surface.
Offshore, the yellowfin tuna and dolphin bite remains strong for boats trolling around the Point and to the north. Skirted and naked ballyhoo will tempt bites from both.
