Northern Beaches – September 29, 2016
Betty, of TW’s Tackle, reports that there have been lots of throwback drum up and down the beaches, as well as scattered sea mullet, black drum, and bluefish north of the inlet. A nice drum bite was also reported at Oregon Inlet.
Anglers on the Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway reported small trout as well as some keeper-sized puppy drum, black drum, and croakers.
On the local piers, anglers are catching a mixed bag of species including smaller drum, bluefish, spanish mackerel, and a few pufferfish that have started to move into the area. There have also been reports of sea mullet both off the pier and in the wash.
Nearshore vessels have caught spanish mackerel, blues, amberjack, and albacore, while the inshore vessels have recently caught speckled trout, gray trout, bluefish, flounder, red drum, and at least one cobia.
Anglers on board the local head boats have reported a huge variety of fish that included gray trout, pufferfish, bluefish, black sea bass, flounder, puppy drum, sea mullet, croaker, spot, and more.
Offshore, anglers have been bringing in some great yellowfin tuna catches, with many vessels landing their limits, and a couple yellowfins weighing in at 70 lbs. or more. There have also been good numbers of blackfin and wahoo, which included a recent 55 lb. wahoo catch.
The dolphin has been steady as well, and there have been a number of billfish releases.
John Cain, of Raleigh, with speckled trout caught while wading with jerk bait in 4′ of water. The fish were caught near Oregon Inlet.
Denise, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that offshore anglers are catching limits of yellowfin, as well as hooking blackfin and big eye tuna, wahoo, and releasing both white and blue marlin.
Nearshore anglers heading 1-5 miles out are catching spanish mackerel and bluefish, while inshore boats have been getting flounder, speckled trout, and a number of citation red drum releases.
Travis Kemp, of Currituck, with a citation red drum that was caugth and released from Jenette’s Pier. The fish fell for cut mullet. Photo courtesy of Jennette’s Pier.
Lulu, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers have been catching a wide variety of species off the pier, including puppy drum, black drum, red drum, sea mullet, pompano, bluefish, croaker, spanish mackerel, and speckled trout.
Robin Stewart, of TWs Tackle, with a red drum caught near the Oregon Inlet. The fish fell for menhaden.
Brian, of WaveRunner Fishing Charters, reports that there has been great offshore dolphin fishing for the past few days. There have also been several white and blue marlin releases.
Tim, of Nags Head Pier, reports that anglers have been catching a little bit of everything including spots, croakers, blues, spanish mackerel, trout, pufferfish, small sharks, and scattered puppy drum.
Blane, of Avalon Fishing Pier, reports that the fishing has been steady. Red drum are hitting on the end, and blues, spanish mackerel, sea mullet, and speckled trout are biting up and down the rails.
On recent days when the water temps have been around 77 degrees, anglers have also caught a few pompano off the pier.
John, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that fishing has been a mixed bag as anglers have been catching blues, red drum, scattered trout, spot, croaker, whiting, and flounder all along the beaches. Flounder fishing has been steady in the sound side waters as well.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that there are plenty of puppy drum around the northern beaches. Bluefish are also in the mix, and croaker and spot have been plentiful along the shoreline. Trout and flounder are showing up when the conditions are right, and there have been a lot of small black drum caught as well. Anglers are catching this mixed bag of species on fresh mullet, shrimp, and bloodworms.
Big drum are showing up at night, with several measuring at or above the 40” ciatation mark.
Inshore boats are still catching spanish mackerel, bluefish, bonita mackerel, and false albacore. Anglers are also catching jacks over the wrecks, and the yellowfin tuna and mahi fishing offshore has been excellent.
