Northern Beaches May 31, 2012
Wes Morton with a catch of speckled trout that he and Jerry Baker put together while casting D.O.A. Shrimp around Manns Harbor.
Seth, of TW’s Tackle, reports that offshore trollers are still catching solid numbers of yellowfin tuna and gaffer dolphin while dragging ballyhoo and skirted trolling lures. Some wahoo and decent numbers of blue marlin have been mixed in as well, and a bigeye tuna was also caught this past week.
Closer to shore, cobia are cruising just off the beaches, and boats are hooking them while sight-casting bucktails and live eels or chumming and bottom fishing.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are also feeding not far from shore, particularly to the south of the inlet. Trolling small spoons is putting plenty of both in the boat.
Some flounder and speckled trout are feeding in Oregon Inlet, and soft plastics or small live baits will fool both.
The trout bite has also been solid around the sound, and anglers are still catching good numbers from the little bridge pier in Nags Head.
Some black drum and croaker are feeding in the same area, and shrimp on double-hook rigs will tempt bites from both of the bottom feeders.
Surf casters are mostly finding action with bottom fish like sea mullet, spot, and croaker, and fresh shrimp are fooling all three.
Denise, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports the yellowfin tuna bite is still going strong off Oregon Inlet (with many limit catches). Bigeye tuna are beginning to show up as well (most 100-200+ lbs.). Big numbers of gaffer dolphin are also feeding offshore, a bit to the south of where the tuna have been.
Some wahoo and billfish (blue and white marlin and sailfish) have also been mixed into the offshore catch lately, so just about everything that feeds in the Gulf Stream is a possibility right now. Ballyhoo and skirted trolling lures are tempting bites from all the offshore gamefish.
Closer to the inlet, the cobia bite has turned on along the beaches, and boats are sight-casting bucktail jigs and other lures to the cruising fish to hook up (with some fish to 70+ lbs.).
The boats trolling small spoons along the beaches and around the inlet are connecting with big catches of bluefish and spanish mackerel.
Bottom fishing in the inlet and just offshore is producing some solid flounder catches for the headboat.
And open boats fishing in the sound are finding steady speckled trout action, mostly while casting soft plastic baits.
Dave, of Skiligal Sportfishing, reports that the gaffer dolphin bite around the Point and just to the south is still stellar, with big numbers of the brightly-colored acrobats riding home in the fish box lately.
Yellowfin tuna continue to feed a bit further to the north and, like the dolphin, they’re taking a healthy interest in skirted and naked ballyhoo.
The billfish bite continues to heat up, and trolling offshore of the tuna and dolphin is producing some action with blue marlin and a spearfish the boat released last week.
Britton Stewart, Kayla Manning, and Hayley Watson with dolphin they hooked while trolling off Oregon Inlet. Photo courtesy of TW's Tackle.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some bluefish and speckled trout while working metal jigs and other lures from the pier. A small cobia was also caught and released this week.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with a variety of species, including spot, sea mullet, croaker, pigfish, flounder, and plenty of skates and dogfish. Shrimp, squid, and cut baits are fooling most of the bottom feeders.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that surf casters on the northern beaches are connecting with some bluefish (many 4-5 lbs.), gray and speckled trout, sea mullet, spot, and croaker. Shrimp and cut baits on bottom rigs are producing action with all of the fish in the surf.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding around Oregon Inlet and taking an interest in trolled spoons.
Some cobia have also been feeding around the inlet and along the beaches and offering sight-casting opportunities to anglers. Large bucktails with soft plastic trailers are fooling the cobes.
The speckled trout bite is still going strong back in the sound, with soft plastic baits producing most of the action.
Offshore trollers are still catching big numbers of yellowfin tuna (with many days producing limits). Gaffer dolphin are also on the feed offshore, with the best action a bit to the south of the tunas. Both the dolphin and yellowfins are taking an interest in skirted ballyhoo.
