Ocean Isle August 8, 2013
Warren Nunnelley, of Jasper, AL, with an African pompano that bit a cigar minnow on a Mean Green Pirate Plug near Frying Pan Tower while he was fishing on the “Beer Run.”
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that there’s still a solid king mackerel bite at local spots in around 65’ of water like the Shark Hole. The fish are getting bigger as well (averaging around 15 lbs. with some fish over 30 lbs.). Both live baits (like menhaden) and dead cigar minnows will fool the kings, but live baits are more effective on the larger fish.
A few scattered cobia are mixed in with the kings, but most seem to have moved on.
The inshore dolphin bite has likewise slowed down, but anglers are seeing plenty of smaller fish out towards the break.
Spanish mackerel are still hit-and-miss along the beachfront around Ocean Isle, but anglers are finding schools (with some fish 5-7 lbs.) feeding at live bottoms and structure in the 50’ depths. Small, live menhaden or dead cigar minnows will get attention from the big spaniards.
Bottom fishermen are reporting a slow bite, but some scamp and gag grouper have been landed in the 100-120’ depths near Frying Pan Tower. Divers are reporting cool, murky water on the bottom that likely has hurt the fishing.
Kyle, of Speckulator Charters, reports that anglers are finding solid numbers of flounder feeding around nearshore structure like the Jim Caudle Reef. It’s been tough to find appropriate-sized baits for the flatfish, but anglers are landing them even on king mackerel-sized menhaden.
Kelsey-Anne Norton with a king mackerel that bit a live menhaden 25 miles off Ocean Isle Beach while she was fishing with Jonathan Davis.
Spadefish are also schooling up around nearshore structure, and they can be tempted to bite pieces of cannonball jellyfish.
Some large spanish mackerel are feeding just outside Little River Inlet. Anglers can fish live baits on light-wire leaders to fool the bigger (and wary) spaniards.
There’s still an excellent bite at the Little River jetties, where anglers are hooking speckled trout (some to 4+ lbs.), red drum (to 30”), black drum, and sheepshead while drifting live shrimp beneath floats along the rocks. Lower stages of falling tides have produced the best action at the jetties recently.
Anglers are also finding action with red and black drum, trout, and sheepshead around some spots in the creeks, with higher tides producing the best fishing. Live shrimp are getting the job done inshore as well.
Flounder fishing is a bit slower than it has been inshore, but anglers are connecting with some keepers around Lockwood Folly, Tubbs Inlet, and the Ocean Isle canals. Live baits like finger mullet are fooling most of the flatfish.
Nate Snyder, of Ft. Wayne, IN, with a 29″ red drum he caught and released in the ICW near Tubbs Inlet while fishing with his father-in-law Joe Zurad. The red struck a live finger mullet.
Mark, of OceanIsleFishingCharters.com, reports that anglers are connecting with sheepshead, speckled trout, and black and red drum around the rock jetties at Little River Inlet. Most are falling for live shrimp fished under float rigs, and they’ve been biting on most any tide recently. Some larger reds (to 30+ lbs.) are feeding on the bottom in the inlet and biting live and cut menhaden.
There’s been an excellent flounder bite around the Jim Caudle Reef and at other nearshore structure in recent days. Most of the flatfish are falling for large menhaden, as that’s all anglers have been able to get their hands on recently.
Inshore, speckled trout, flounder, and red and black drum are feeding around oyster bars and along the banks of the ICW and creeks. All four are taking a hearty interest in live shrimp drifted along under floats.
Trey, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers landed some spot, sea mullet, and spadefish while bottom fishing from the pier with shrimp last week.
Some flounder are falling for small live baits fished on the bottom.
And anglers also hooked some speckled trout early last week on live shrimp.
