Northern Beaches October 13, 2011
Rick Rogers, an advanced fishing instructor for Jennette's Pier, with a speckeld trout that bit cut mullet in the surf zone from the pier just before dawn.
Jess, of TW’s Tackle, reports that pier anglers around Nags Head are hooking up with some speckled trout and bluefish on various baits and lures. Bottom fishermen are also picking up some spot, pompano, and other panfish on shrimp and bloodworms.
More bluefish, black drum, and pompano are rewarding surf casters, and some speckled trout have also been caught lately from the beach in the early mornings.
Inshore, boats casting artificials and fishing live baits in the sound and inlet are hooking good numbers of bluefish, speckled trout, and flounder.
The offshore fleet is finding some excellent tuna fishing right now, with good numbers of dolphin mixed in many days, but the billfish action is beginning to slow down.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers along the northern beaches are starting to catch some citation-class (40”+) red drum at night.
Smaller puppy drum, bluefish, and some speckled trout are biting in the surf in the daytimes. Cut mullet baits are producing most of the action in the surf.
Inshore, the striped bass bite is turning on around the sound bridges, where anglers are hooking fish on live baits like spot, croaker, and eels.
The speckled trout bite has been decent around Oregon Inlet, where anglers are hooking up while casting Gulp baits and other lures.
Outside the inlet, there have been some schools of false albacore working baits 4-5 miles offshore, and trolled Clarkspoons will get plenty of attention from them.
Blue water trollers are finding a solid yellowfin and blackfin tuna bite offshore of the area many days, with tough fishing on some others. Naked and skirted ballyhoo are tempting bites from the tunas.
Korin, ofOregonInletFishingCenter, reports that the docks have been rebuilt and the fleet is back home.
Since their return, there’s been some excellent yellowfin tuna fishing (with boats catching limits several days) along with plenty of blackfin tuna. Boats have also found some solid catches of bailer and gaffer dolphin. Some scattered wahoo and billfish have been mixed in with the tuna and dolphin, and all are taking an interest in skirted and naked ballyhoo.
Justin Carlson with a 31" red drum he caught and released from the Corolla surf on a cut bait. Photo courtesy of TW's Bait and Tackle.
Boats trolling just outside the inlet and along the beaches are connecting with big numbers of bluefish.
Inshore, the striped bass fishing in the sound is turning on, and some boats are connecting with limits of stripers. Good numbers of speckled trout, flounder, and bluefish are all in the mix inshore as well.
Dave, of Skiligal Sportfishing, reports that the fall tuna fishing is turning on, with several limit catches recently. Both yellowfins (some to 70+ lbs.) and blackfins (some to 25+ lbs.) are filling up the fish box. Good numbers of dolphin have been mixed in some days as well, and some scattered wahoo are in the area, too. All the blue water gamefish are taking an interest in trolled ballyhoo.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are hooking some pompano, black drum, bluefish, speckled trout, croaker, spot, puffers, and more. Shrimp, cut baits, and bloodworms are proving effective on the bottom rigs.
Anglers are also hooking some bluefish on metal lures.
