Northern Beaches – November 13, 2014
Sadie McCreery, of Roanoke, VA, with a 44″ red drum she caught and released from Jennette’s Pier after it struck a large cut bait.
Betty, of TW’s Tackle, reports that anglers are finding action with sea mullet, bluefish, and black and red drum (ranging from puppies to 40”+ citations) while casting lines from the local beaches. Shrimp are fooling most of the smaller fish, while cut baits are attracting attention from the larger blues and red drum.
Speckled trout are also beginning to move into the surf zone, and anglers are hooking them while casting artificials like MirrOlures and soft plastic baits.
Inshore boaters are reporting some solid striped bass action in the sound, with the Manns Harbor bridge producing some of the best catches. The stripers will bite a variety of artificial lures including soft plastics and diving plugs.
The offshore fleet is still coming home with some solid catches of blackfin and yellowfin tuna on most days, and some dolphin have still been feeding in the area as well. Wahoo (some citation fish), king mackerel, and even a few blue marlin are also feeding in the blue water and finding anglers’ baits. Ballyhoo paired with skirted lures like sea witches are producing most of the action with the offshore predators.
Ayra, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that the tuna are still feeding off Oregon Inlet and boats are returning with solid hauls of yellowfin and blackfin tuna when they’ve got the weather and clients to run offshore. Some wahoo, dolphin, king mackerel, and an occasional blue marlin are feeding alongside the tunas and also taking an interest in anglers’ baits.
Terry Dailey landed this 7 lb., 8 oz. flounder after it struck a cut bait while she was fishing in Oregon Inlet with Capt. Aaron Kelly of Rock Solid Charters.
Not many anglers have been fishing inshore recently, but the last boats to go reported solid action with bluefish and puppy drum while working lures in the sound.
Dave, of Skiligal Sportfishing, reports that the yellowfin tuna bite has still been excellent recently for the few boats fishing offshore of Oregon Inlet. Anglers are also still seeing good numbers of blackfin tuna along with some dolphin, wahoo, and a few straggler billfish. All the blue water predators are taking an interest in ballyhoo trolled behind skirted lures like sea witches.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers are hooking solid numbers of sea mullet, along with some pufferfish, black drum, and other bottom feeders.
Good numbers of speckled trout have been coming over the rails, but most are undersized.
Bluefish, puppy drum, and sharks have also been making an appearance around the pier and taking an interest in anglers’ baits.
