Ocean Isle June 17, 2010
Ron Adams, of Oak Island, with a 7.6 lb. black drum he hooked on a live mud minnow from Oak Island Pier.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the Gulf Stream dolphin bite has improved off the area, but it’s still a bit slower than typical for this time of year. The fish are up and down the break from the Blackjack Hole to the Winyah Scarp, and most are falling for skirted ballyhoo. A few sailfish are mixed in as well.
Bottom fishermen are reporting a solid grouper bite at bottom structure in around 100’. Anglers are picking up good numbers of scamps, some fat gags, and a surprising number of warsaw grouper (some to 40 lbs.). Live baits like pogies, cigar minnows, and greenies are producing most of the action.
The king mackerel bite has also been decent in around 100’, with action scattered from there inshore to the beach. Most boats have been king fishing in 50-65’ of water at spots like Lighthouse Rocks, the 90/90, and the Jungle. Decent numbers of cobia (to 30 lbs.), some small dolphin, and a few sailfish are mixed in.
Pogies have been tough to come by lately, but anglers are finding and jigging up schools of cigar minnows and greenies, and dead-baiting with cigars has been effective lately as well.
Capt. Keith Logan, of Feedin' Frenzy Charters, with a scamp grouper that fell for a live pogy in 90' of water at some bottom structure offshore of Holden Beach.
Kyle, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the red drum and speckled trout bite has been solid over the past week. Anglers are finding action with the fish at deeper holes and structure in the creeks and off the ICW. Float-fishing with live shrimp has been the most effective method for both species lately. The shrimp are plentiful in the creeks, so anglers shouldn’t have a hard time finding some bait.
The red and trout action has also turned on at the Little River jetties, though it seems the bite will be either specks or reds on a given tide and day, not both. Live shrimp will fool both fish along the rocks, but bottom fishing with live or cut pogies can be even more effective on the reds.
The flounder bite’s also been solid in the area, with the best action around Tubbs Inlet and Sunset Beach Bridge. A fewer, but larger fish, are coming out of the Lockwood Folly and Shallotte rivers. There’s also been a decent flounder bite on the rising tide in Little River Inlet. Live pogies, mud minnows, and finger mullet are the baits of choice for the flatfish.
Mario Giammatei, Jr., from Raleigh, and Ray Bowling, from Southport, with a pair of dolphin they hooked near the Steeples on Calcutta trolling lures while they were fishing with Capt. Joe Jenkins of Chase-N-Fins Charters out of Southport.
Patrick, of Twister Charters, reports that anglers are finding some solid spanish mackerel fishing along the beaches while trolling Clarkspoons. The bite was best off Long Beach last week in around 30’.
Plenty of blacktip, bonnethead, and other sharks are feeding along the beaches as well, and fresh cut baits will attract fast attention from the sharks.
The king mackerel bite has been decent around Christina’s Ledge and the 90/90’s lately, and most of the fish are falling for dead cigar minnows.
Further offshore, anglers are catching some cobia and big numbers of amberjacks while live-baiting in around 85’.
The scamp grouper bite has been decent in around 100’ for anglers dropping live baits to the bottom.
Ian, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are catching a few whiting and plenty of small sharks while bottom fishing with shrimp.
