Northern Beaches October 25, 2012
Kyle Berry and Nick Preziotti with a pair of citation-class red drum they caught and released off Jennette’s Pier. Cut baits fooled the big reds.
Betty, of TW’s Tackle, reports that the speckled trout fishing from the little bridge on the Nags Head causeway has been phenomenal lately, and anglers are putting together limit catches (with fish to 3 lbs.). Soft plastic baits like Gulps and hard plugs like MirrOlures are fooling most of the fish.
Surf casters along the northern beaches are connecting with bottomfish like spot, croaker, and sea mullet, along with some bluefish and red drum (ranging from under-slot to a few 40”+ citation fish). Shrimp and bloodworms on double bottom rigs are the way to go for the panfish, while cut baits on fish finder rigs will tempt bites from the larger drum.
Pier anglers are connecting with much of the same, with greater numbers of the big drum and a few speckled trout in the mix.
Boats fishing the sound and inlet are also getting in on the speckled trout bite.
Trolling around the inlet and just offshore is producing plenty of action with bluefish and some false albacore.
The offshore fleet is finding action with meatfish including blackfin and yellowfin tuna, wahoo, and some dolphin that are still in the area. An occasional billfish is also in the mix. Trolled ballyhoo are fooling all the blue water predators.
Bill, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that the wahoo fishing offshore of the inlet is some of the best it has been in recent memory. Skirted ballyhoo rigged on wire leaders are fooling the majority of the ‘hoos.
Good numbers of blackfin tuna and some yellowfins are in the mix with the wahoo, and they are also taking an interest in trolled ballyhoo.
Some dolphin and an occasional marlin or sailfish are feeding alongside the wahoo and tunas and taking an interest in the same baits.
Tom McGrady with a 19.5″ speckeld trout that bit a Gulp swimming mullet in the sound behind Kitty Hawk.
Bottom fishing around wrecks and other structure offshore is producing some tasty tilefish to add to the fish boxes.
Boats fishing the inlet and sound are connecting with a solid mixed bag of gray and speckled trout, flounder, puppy drum, and more.
Bluefish and false albacore are taking an interest in small spoons trolled around the inlet and just offshore.
Dave, of Skiligal Sportfishing, reports that anglers are connecting with solid numbers of wahoo many days (with some 40+ lb. citation fish).
Blackfin and yellowfin (some to 70+ lbs.) tunas are also providing plenty of action. Gaffer and bailer dolphin are still around as well, so it’s a fine time to connect with a meatfish slam out of Oregon Inlet.
Several blue marlin (to 500 lbs.) have also been released in recent days.
Naked and skirted ballyhoo are producing the lion’s share of the action with all the offshore pelagics.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that pier anglers have caught a little of just about everything over the past few weeks. Bottom fishermen have been connecting with spot, black drum, puffers, pompano, sea mullet, puppy drum, and more. Shrimp, bloodworms, and other baits are tempting the bites from the bottom feeders.
Some keeper flounder are around. They’ll bite nearly anything at times, but smaller live baits are the best bets for anglers looking for a flatfish.
Anglers are still catching and releasing some citation-class red drum from the pier, primarily on large cut baits pinned to fish finder rigs.
