Ocean Isle August 1, 2013
Brent Maxwell, of Bel Air, MD, with a 6.5 lb. sheepshead that bit a live shrimp at the Little River jetties while he was fishing with Capt. Mark Stacy of OceanIsleFishingCharters.com.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that anglers are still seeing some solid king mackerel action at local spots in 60-70’ of water. Most are schoolies, but some larger fish are in the mix and feeding in as shallow as 30’ as well. Live menhaden are fooling the lion’s share of the larger fish, but anglers can hook the school fish on dead cigar minnows. There have been plenty of menhaden on the beach for anglers looking for live baits.
The dolphin bite has slowed down, and boats haven’t reported any in the past week in less than the 100’ depths. Some cobia are still around and mixed with the kings from 30’ on out to 100’ and deeper. A few sailfish have also been feeding alongside the others in 50’ and deeper.
Spanish mackerel action is still slow on the beach, but anglers continue to find large schools feeding at spots in 40-60’ of water and fool them on Clarkspoons and sometimes while casting metal lures.
Mark, of OceanIsleFishingCharters.com, reports that anglers are hooking good numbers of speckled trout around the Little River jetties while drifting live shrimp under floats. The high, falling tides have been producing the best action around the rocks.
Katelyn Kincer, Amy McMullan, and Debra Lathem with a king mackerel that bit a live menhaden in 65′ of water off Ocean Isle. They were fishing with Capt. Brant McMullan of the Ocean Isle Fishing Center.
Some red and black drum are mixed in with the specks, and some larger red drum are also feeding on the bottom in the inlet. Anglers are hooking the bigger reds on live menhaden while drifting through the inlet.
Inshore, anglers are still connecting with red and black drum and flounder in the creeks, with lower tides producing the best action. Oyster rocks and deeper holes are where to look for the fish, and anglers are hooking them on live finger mullet and shrimp pinned to jigheads.
At higher tides, drifting live shrimp under floats along shell banks in the ICW and larger creeks is also fooling red drum, black drum, speckled trout, and flounder.
Kyle, of Speculator Charters, reports that anglers have been catching solid numbers of speckled trout and red drum over the past week. Drifting live shrimp on float rigs is fooling the majority of the fish, and anglers are hooking up at a variety of spots inshore, with Calabash Creek and the Little River Crossroads particularly productive recently.
Landon Brice with a 28″ red drum that bit a live bait in less than a foot of water in Tubbs Inlet.
The trout and red bite has also been on when drifting live shrimp at the Little River jetties, and anglers are hooking some larger reds at the jetties as well. Live menhaden fished on the bottom in the inlet are tempting most of the bites from the bigger reds.
Flounder fishing remains decent in Tubbs Inlet (with good action and a reasonable number of keeper fish). Live finger mullet or mud minnows are fooling most of the flatfish.
Trey, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with speckled trout and flounder on small live baits fished under the pier.
Bottom fishermen are decking some spot on shrimp and bloodworms.
