Northern Beaches – May 8, 2014
Scott Cooley, from Fredericksburg, VA, and family with yellowfin tuna and a mako shark that they hooked while trolling ballyhoo off Oregon Inlet with Capt. Dave Peck of Skiligal Sportfishing.
Betty, of TW’s Tackle, reports that there’s been some excellent puppy drum fishing along the Nags Head beaches recently. Anglers are hooking the pups on bottom rigs baited with shrimp and cut baits, as well as soft baits like Gulps pinned to jigheads. Anglers have also seen some big numbers of puppy drum from the local piers.
Some speckled trout have been mixed in with the reds, and anglers have also had some solid catch-and-release trout action from the little bridge on the causeway.
Surf fishermen to the south are hooking bluefish and reporting some of the first pompano of the year.
The puppy drum action has also been solid for inshore boats fishing the sound around Manteo and Oregon Inlet, primarily while casting soft plastics.
The offshore fleet is finding some dolphin and yellowfin tuna while dragging ballyhoo in the blue water. Boats dropping bottom rigs offshore are connecting with plenty of tilefish.
Kandyce Harrison with a sand tiger shark that bit a cut bait in the surf at Salvo. Photo courtesy of TW’s Tackle.
Denise, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that boats are seeing some of the first gaffer dolphin action of the year while trolling offshore.
Several bluefin tuna were landed and released last week, but the big tunas have likely made their way north for the season.
Yellowfin tuna and a few mako sharks are joining the dolphin action offshore of the inlet, and they’re falling for the ballyhoo and trolling lures in the boats’ wakes.
There’s been an excellent tilefish bite when anglers drop baited bottom rigs to the seafloor.
Nearshore action hasn’t quite heated up yet, but anglers are hooking some dogfish.
Dave, of Skiligal Sportfishing Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with yellowfin tuna while trolling offshore of the inlet, primarily on skirted ballyhoo.
Garry Oliver, of Manteo, with a 24″ puppy drum that bit a green Saltwater Assassin soft plastic off of Outer Banks Pier.
Gaffer dolphin have also made their spring appearance and are falling for ballyhoo as well. Some mako sharks have been joining the action as well.
Bottom fishing offshore is producing quick limits of blueline tilefish.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some sea mullet, puppy drum, pufferfish, and other bottom feeders while soaking shrimp and cut baits from the pier. Some over-slot yearling drum are mixed in with the smaller slot fish.
Some bluefish are also falling for the bottom rigs and casting lures that anglers are working.
The water is 54 degrees.
