Ocean Isle July 19, 2012
Joy Benton with a 26" red drum she hooked in Tubbs Inlet.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that there’s been a good king mackerel bite at spots in 60-80’ of water off Ocean Isle (with good numbers of 20 lb. fish and a few to 40-50 lbs.). Live menhaden are the best bets for the biggest kings, but anglers can also score hookups while trolling dead cigar minnows.
Some dolphin and cobia are in the same areas and taking an interest in live and dead baits as well.
The menhaden have been plentiful along the beaches in 15-35’ of water, so anglers shouldn’t have much trouble finding some live baits to take offshore.
Spanish mackerel are feeding around the menhaden schools, especially around the mouth of the Cape Fear River. Trolled Clarkspoons will tempt plenty of bites from the spaniards.
John "Tripp" Blazer with a 6.5 lb. sheepshead that bit a float-rigged live shrimp near an oyster bar in the Shallotte River while he was fishing with Capt. Jacob Frick out of the Ocean Isle Fishing Center.
Mark, of OceanIsleFishingCharters.com, reports that there’s been a solid red drum bite lately around the rock jetties at Little River Inlet (with most fish 24-30”, and some larger). Drifting along the rocks with live menhaden is fooling the majority of the reds.
Some speckled trout are also feeding along the rocks, and anglers are hooking them while drifting float-rigged live shrimp close to the structure.
Red drum are also feeding around Sunset Beach Bridge and other hard structure in the ICW. Live shrimp, finger mullet, or menhaden on Carolina rigs are tempting plenty of bites from them.
More (but smaller) reds and some black drum are looking for meals around oyster rocks and deeper holes in the local tidal creeks. The same baits will fool both drum in the creeks, but jigheads or popping cork rigs are a better choice in the shallower water.
There are still good numbers of flounder feeding in Tubbs Inlet and at other spots in the area, but dirty water has made them a bit tough to target for much of the last week. Wherever anglers can find clean water, dropping live mud minnows, menhaden, or Gulp baits to the bottom is likely to produce some flatfish action.
Jeremy Love, of Iron Station, NC, with a 10 lb. sheepshead that bit a sand flea at some inshore structure near Southport.
Trey, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers have seen some spot runs from the pier over the past week. Some sea mullet have been mixed in, and both are falling for shrimp and bloodworms on bottom rigs.
A few black drum are also taking an interest in shrimp on the bottom.
Flounder are feeding under the pier, and anglers are hooking a few on small live baits.
