Northern Beaches June 6, 2013
Mark Alverson with a 75 lb., 8 oz. cobia he hooked on a pink bucktail north of Oregon Inlet while fishing with with Capt. Reese Stecher of Beach Bum Charters out of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.
Justin, of TW’s Tackle, reports that the cobia bite has been on fire along the beachfront recently when the weather is calm. There’s been action both north and south of Oregon Inlet, but the area around the inlet itself produced the best fishing last week. Most anglers are sighting cruising or feeding fish, then casting bucktail jigs or live eels to tempt the fish to bite.
Surf casters are connecting with sea mullet and some spot, croaker, and other bottom feeders while baiting up with shrimp and bloodworms.
Inshore, the speckled trout and puppy drum bite has been stellar from Oregon Inlet to several miles north of the Currituck Bridge. Gulp baits are fooling most of the fish and are also starting to attract attention from some flounder.
The offshore fleet has been finding big numbers of yellowfin tuna in recent days. A few gaffer dolphin are also in the mix, but the yellowfins have been the big thing going of late.
Ashley, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that the yellowfin tuna bite off the inlet has been stellar lately, with many boats returning early with limit catches and full fish boxes. A few larger bigeye tunas have been mixed in.
Gaffer dolphin are also feeding in the blue water offshore and taking an interest in trolled ballyhoo and other baits.
Cobia have been feeding along the beachfront and around the mouth of Oregon Inlet, and boats are sight-casting bucktails and live baits to them with excellent results whenever the water’s clear enough to spot the fish.
Trolling along the beachfront and around the inlet is also producing solid catches of bluefish and spanish mackerel.
Anglers casting soft plastics and live baits in the sound are catching good numbers of speckled trout.
Evan Reed, of Virginia Beach, VA, with yellowfin tuna and dolphin that struck ballyhoo while he was trolling the Gulf Stream off Oregon Inlet with Capt. James Byrd of Hatt’ras Bound Sportfishing.
Rob, of Strike’Em Sportfishing, reports that yellowfin tuna have stolen the show from dolphin as the main offshore action out of Oregon Inlet this week.
Anglers are still hooking gaffer dolphin, but big hauls of yellowfins have been taking an icy ride home in the fish boxes recently. A few bigeye tuna are mixed in, but the bigeye bite hasn’t quite taken off in earnest yet.
Trolled ballyhoo and lures are attracting most of the attention from the dolphin and tuna.
Dave, of Skiligal Sportfishing, reports that boats are finding some excellent yellowfin tuna action east and just to the south of Oregon Inlet, with limit catches on several recent days.
Some gaffer dolphin are mixed in with the tunas, and both are falling for naked and skirted ballyhoo.
Cobia are cruising closer to the beaches, and they’re feeding around menhaden schools, tidelines, and floating objects. Anglers can sight-cast bucktail jigs or live baits to cobes they spot swimming on the surface.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with a mixed bag of sea mullet, spot, bluefish, pigfish, croaker, gray trout, and more while baiting up with shrimp, squid, bloodworms, and other baits. Some triggerfish have been spotted feeding around the pier, but not hooked.
Bluefish are also taking an interest in Gotcha plugs and other casting lures that anglers are working from the pier. The water temperature is 68 degrees.
