Northern Beaches – October 11, 2018
Betty, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers on southern Hatteras beaches are catching sea mullet and croakers while bottom fishing with shrimp. Pompano around Ramp 48 are also biting small pieces of fresh shrimp.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding on the surface around Buxton, and they’re hitting glass minnow jigs and Stingsilvers. A few small speckled trout are being caught on soft plastics.
Anglers out at the Point are finding puppy drum and a couple citation reds while bottom fishing with Carolina-rigged mullet. Some large 5+’ sharks are also biting Carolina-rigged baits.
The northern Nags Head area beaches are also seeing good action on the bottom for spot, mullet, and croakers. Bluefish have been schooled up well around the piers and are biting casting jigs.
Puppy drum are hitting Carolina-rigged mullet in the Nags Head surf, and anglers fishing lighter action rods with soft plastics are finding speckled trout around Kitty Hawk.
Spanish mackerel are feeding well up in Carova, along with some larger bluefish.
Inshore anglers are seeing the classic fall pattern of red drum, trout, and flounder. Most of the fish are still up on the flats and have been caught on spoons and soft plastics.
Nearshore boats are finding good numbers of spanish mackerel (as well as a few false albacore mixed in) while trolling Clarkspoons. When the schools have been feeding strong, sight-casting glass minnow jigs has worked well for both species.
Some king mackerel are being caught on dead bait rigs and Drone spoons.
A few schools of citation drum have been cruising just off the beach, and they’re biting bucktails with soft plastic trailers.
Mark, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that the dolphin bite has been really good, with close to limits of bailer to gaffer-sized fish coming in.
Yellowfin have made a strong early showing, with steady numbers of 35-50 lb. fish.
A few citation-sized wahoo (40+ lbs.) are being caught.
Blue and white marlin have been showing now that the water is cleaned up, and a few sailfish releases are coming off some of the same temperature breaks on skirted ballyhoo.
Nearshore trips are catching spanish and king mackerel, as well as some of the abundant bluefish in the area.
Inshore anglers are finding spanish mackerel and some late-season cobia around the inlet.
Just off the beach, citation red drum are being caught by sight-casting bucktails.
Some legal-sized flounder are on the bottom around structure, and they are feeding on Carolina-rigged live mullet and soft plastics.
Tyler Chabot, Rosa Bestmann, and Nate Rice with some bailer mahi caught offshore of Oregon Inlet. They were fishing with Mate Garrett Balmatier and Capt. Jay Cavenaugh on the charter boat Bite Me.
Aaron, of Carolina Sunrise, reports that the fall speckled trout bite has begun, with some legal-sized fish coming around the flats in the sound. Anglers have had success with popping cork rigs matched with Z-Man paddletails and 1/4 oz. Meathog jig heads.
Slot red drum are mixed in with the trout and have been hitting gold-colored Johnson spoons.
Flounder are underneath the trout and are preferring soft plastics bounced along the bottom.
The deeper channels are holding some citation red drum. Carolina rigs with large chunks of mullet have been the key to getting a few bites from the big reds.
Walter, of Fishing Unlimited, reports that speckled trout have been biting well on soft plastics in the sound.
A good number of slot red drum are being caught on the same flats using the same paddletail and scented soft plastics.
Stripers are being hooked around structure at the local bridges.
Anglers fishing the little bridge in Manteo are catching bluefish (to 18”), spot, croakers, and smaller stripers.
Laurie, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that the billfishing has been good, with multiple releases of the three sought-after species (blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish) reported on most days.
Mahi have continued to bite well through the storm. Good numbers of bailer and gaffer fish are coming back to the docks.
Some larger blackfin tuna have been mixed in around the mahi, and they’re hitting skirted ballyhoo.
The nearshore trips have found a few cobia hanging around the inlet. When not sight-casting, those nearshore boats are loading up with spanish mackerel by pulling Clarkspoons behind planers.
Inside the inlet, anglers are catching flounder and striped bass around the bridge pilings and natural structure, and a few nice sized speckled trout have been landed around oyster beds on the flats.
Julia, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers fishing on the bottom are finding no shortage of sea mullet, spot, and pompano. Fresh shrimp has been the bait of choice.
Anglers casting spoons to fish feeding on the surface have been rewarded with some bluefish and spanish mackerel.
A nice showing of citation red drum have come off the end of the pier on large chunks of cut mullet.
Andy, of Nags Head Pier, reports that sea mullet and spot are biting well on fresh shrimp.
Large numbers of bluefish are being caught by anglers sight casting Gotcha plugs to feeding fish.
There are some citation red drum in the area for anglers fishing Carolina-rigged baits off the end.
A few flounder have been caught in the suds.
Justin, of Avalon Pier, reports that citation red drum have been biting on large Carolina-rigged baits.
Bluefish are being caught by sight-casting to schools feeding on the surface.
Anglers bottom fishing with shrimp are getting bites from all the sea mullet and spot around.
John, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that bottom fishing has been good for sea mullet and spot.
Some legal flounder are being caught around the drop-offs on soft plastics.
Speckled trout have been a new addition to the surf action. They prefer soft plastics fished with a steady retrieve.
Some smaller bluefish are schooled up and feeding on all the bait in the area.
Keith Houck with a Cobia that he landed while surf fishing on Pea Island.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers are finding a lot of action on the northern beaches since the storm passed. Bluefish and spanish mackerel have been feeding within casting distance on glass minnow jigs.
Bottom rigs tipped with shrimp are getting bites from spot, sea mullet, and croakers in the area.
Some speckled trout have shown up in the surf and are biting soft plastics fished with 1/4 oz. jig heads.
Boat anglers are finding strong nearshore action with citation red drum, king mackerel, spanish, and bluefish.
Offshore trips are producing large numbers of mahi.
