Ocean Isle July 4, 2013
Jacob Gentry, of Lansing, NC, with a 6.5 lb. speckled trout that inhaled a live shrimp on a float rig in the ICW near Ocean Isle. He was fishing with Capt. Kyle Hughes of Speckulator Charters.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the wind and rain conspired against anglers spending much time on the water last week, but those who did still found some action. The all-around bite should improve over the coming week as the winds moderate and the water cleans up.
King mackerel have been feeding at spots in the 65’ depths like the Jungle (most snakes on up to teenagers). Big numbers of cigar minnows have moved into the area, and live cigars have been tempting the kings to bite.
Amberjack are schooled up around bottom structure in 80’ and deeper, along with a few kings. They’ll also pounce on live cigar minnows, but menhaden, pinfish, and other live baits are effective as well.
Boats found some spanish mackerel in 35-40’ of water last week, as the clean water was pushed of the beach a bit. Once the water clears up, the spanish should become more prevalent and feed a bit closer to the beaches. Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and torpedo weights is the best bet for anglers looking to hook up with the spaniards.
Mark, of OceanIsleFishingCharters.com, reports that anglers are connecting with speckled trout in the ICW at many Ocean Isle and Sunset Beach spots better known for a fall bite. Live shrimp fished under float rigs are producing the vast majority of the action with the specks.
Capt. John Floyd, of Ocean Isle Beach, with a pair of flounder he hooked in the Shallotte River on live menhaden.
There’s also been a good trout bite around the Little River jetties when the weather lets boats fish out there. Good numbers of red drum (in mixed sizes to well over-slot) are feeding alongside the specks and biting live shrimp as well.
Some red and black drum are feeding in the creeks at the lower tides. Deeper potholes and oyster bars offer the best odds of finding the fish, and anglers can fool them with live mud minnows and shrimp pinned to jigheads or drifted along under floats.
Dirty water has made the flounder bite a bit slow throughout most of the area, but anglers are finding some flatfish action whenever they can find pockets of cleaner water. Live mud minnows on jigheads are getting attention from the flatfish.
The menhaden that were in the area have become scarce, but anglers looking for live baits have been able to find some shrimp in the marshes with a bit of effort.
Devon Kendrick with a 10.5 lb. sheepshead that bit a fiddler crab under an Ocean Isle Beach dock.
Kyle, of Speckulator Charters, reports that there’s been a solid speckled trout bite all over the area over the past week. Anglers have been connecting with the specks from the Calabash River to Holden Beach (with mixed sizes but fish up to 7 lbs. last week). Live shrimp are fooling the majority of the fish, and anglers are hooking them primarily around docks and along shell banks on the moving tides.
Some red drum are mixed in with the specks and also taking a hearty interest in live shrimp.
Flounder are still feeding in Tubbs Inlet, and anglers caught several around Ocean Isle docks last week as well. The area’s finger mullet are just getting large enough to be decent flounder baits, but anglers can also use mud minnows or menhaden with success.
Bob, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some spot and sea mullet while bottom fishing with shrimp.
A few speckled trout are taking an interest in live shrimp fished near the pier.
