Northern Beaches June 27, 2013
James Varner, of Columbia, SC, landed this 200+ lb. bigeye tuna after a 3 hour fight while trolling southeast of Oregon Inlet with Capt. Lee Collins aboard the “Strike ‘Em” out of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. The party also connected with some yellowfins.
Betty, of TW’s Tackle, reports that southwest winds have made the local surf bite a bit slow on many recent days, but on calmer days anglers are finding some action with bluefish and bottom feeders like spot, croaker, and sea mullet. Shrimp, bloodworms, and cut baits will all attract attention from the fish feeding in the suds.
Back in the sound, anglers are connecting with big numbers of speckled trout, both from boats and while wading and fishing from the little bridge on the Manteo Causeway. Anglers are also connecting with some speckled trout and puppy drum, and all three will take an interest in Gulp baits, other soft plastics, and live baits.
Black drum and sheepshead are feeding around the pilings of the Bonner Bridge, and anglers are hooking both on sand fleas and other crustacean baits.
Flounder are also on the feed around Oregon Inlet, and they will take an interest in Gulps or live baits.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding in cleaner water around Oregon Inlet, and anglers are connecting with both while trolling flashy lures like Clarkspoons around the inlet and along the beachfront.
Some cobia are also still patrolling the beachfront and around the inlet, and boats are hooking a few while sight-casting live baits and bucktail jigs.
Bottom fishing between the beach and the offshore grounds is producing catches of tilefish and triggerfish, and anglers are also connecting with amberjacks while live-baiting around offshore structure.
The offshore fleet continues to put limit catches of yellowfin tuna in the boats on many recent days. Bigeye tuna are making a showing as well, and boats are also connecting with gaffer dolphin and releasing blue and white marlin while trolling ballyhoo offshore.
Ashley, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that limit catches of gaffer dolphin and yellowfin tuna have been showing up among the fleet on many recent days. Large (to 200+ lbs.) bigeye tuna are also joining the action, and boats have been releasing sailfish and blue and white marlin as well. A few wahoo are also finding their way into the fish boxes. Most of the pelagic predators are taking an interest in naked and skirted ballyhoo.
Mate Cat Peele leaders a 350 lb. class blue marlin caught by angler Dustin Peele, of Denver, CO, while they were trolling off Hatteras Inlet with Capt. Jay Kavanagh on the “Bite Me.”
Some cobia are still feeding nearshore around Oregon Inlet and along the beachfront, but dirty and rough ocean conditions have made them a bit tough to find on several recent days. When boats can spot the fish cruising on the surface, casting bucktail jigs and live baits is tempting them to bite.
Bottom fishing is producing some action with triggerfish and tilefish. Boats are also connecting with some amberjacks while live-baiting around offshore structure like the towers.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are on the feed nearshore, and boats are pulling in big catches of both while trolling Clarkspoons and other small, flashy lures.
Rob, of Strike’Em Sportfishing, reports that offshore fishing in the area has been incredible lately. The action’s been hot from due east of the inlet all the way down to Hatteras, and boats are encountering big numbers of yellowfin tuna and gaffer dolphin, along with an occasional bigeye tuna (some to 200+ lbs.) and wahoo. Blue and white marlin along with a few sailfish are feeding in the same areas and taking an interest in boats’ ballyhoo baits as well.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that the speckled trout action in the sounds around Manteo remains stellar, with limits on every recent trip and big numbers of releases (and fish from sublegal to 22-23”). Most are falling for Z-Man soft plastics fished on jigheads in deeper water and beneath popping corks on the flats.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers have been connecting with steady numbers of bluefish along with some spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
One cobia also fell for a Gotcha last week, and an angler landed an 81 lb. cobe while live-baiting. A keeper striped bass also fell for a live bait off the end of the pier last week.
Bottom fishermen are hooking some sand perch, triggerfish, sea bass, sea mullet, and more.
