Ocean Isle August 4, 2005
Brant, at the Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the menhaden have stayed on the beach. There has been a reliable supply found on all of the Brunswick County beaches this past week.
The king bite is decent but a little scattered. On the beach in 30-40′ of water, you can find some bigger kings, but there aren’t that many to be found.
If you go off to 55-70′ of water, there are plenty of kings, but they are mostly in the 10-15 pound range. Then in 110-130′ of water there is another mass of kings with mixed sizes from 10-40+ pounds.
The bottom fishing has been good with grouper in 110′ or so of water.
Tarpon have been spotted on the beach, but they haven’t really been fishable.
Big reds are on the Little River jetties, with fish from 30-40+ inches.
Sails are in the area. Dolphin are scattered, but you can expect regular encounters. And boats continue to pick up a cobia here and there.
Will, at Ocean Isle Beach Pier, reports a good bite of red drum and flounder this week. The reds are running up to 27 inches and the flounder up to 19 inches. Most are being caught on live shrimp and mud minnows. Anglers using barnacles and sand fleas are snagging some sheepshead, and those bottom fishing are picking up whiting, croaker, and a few spadefish.
Hunter, at The Rod and Reel Shop, reports good fishing this week, especially for spanish mackerel along the beaches. King mackerel fishing has picked up as well, anywhere from just off the beach out 30+ miles.
A few dolphin are being caught as close as 18 miles, but no sailfish reported. The gulf stream has been rough, so no reports from there.
Inshore, the whiting and spots are coming out of the surf. You can also find flounder, black drum, and red drum in the surf and in the rivers.
