Ocean Isle June 28, 2007
Brant, of the Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that Gulf Stream fishing has improved after slowing down for a few weeks. Big wahoo and dolphin are both feeding out in the blue water, and skirted ballyhoo will attract attention from both species. There was a particularly good bite at the 100/400 last week.
Kings and dolphin are feeding to the southwest of Frying Pan Tower, and they will hit live baits or dead cigar minnows.
King mackerel are chasing bait everywhere between the beach and the break. Live baits will get strikes from the bigger kings, but anglers should be able to hook up with good numbers of kings on cigar minnows.
Grouper fishing has been excellent in 100-150’ of water. Anglers are catching gag, red, and scamp groupers. While the grouper will hit a variety of baits, any type of live baits is out fishing the dead stuff.
On the beach, boats are still finding a few spanish mackerel, but the spanish action has slowed somewhat.
Kyle, of the Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that area flounder fishing is excellent. The fish have finally put on some weight, and most are falling in the 2-4 lb. range.
Tubbs Inlet is still the go-to spot for numbers of flounder, and anglers are finding larger ones in Lockwood Folly and Shallotte Rivers. As usual, the flounder will have a tough time resisting mud minnows, peanut pogies, or finger mullet on Carolina rigs.
The past week has been the best one so far this year for red drum fishing, but most of the drum are smaller puppies on the low end of the slot limit and even smaller. ICW docks are holding the drum, and anglers should work different docks until they find one holding the fish. Carolina-rigged finger mullet and peanut pogies are the top drum baits.
Trout are also feeding on the ICW docks and holding shallow along with the drum. Anglers are finding specks at the Sunset Beach Bridge, too. The trout will hit the same baits anglers are fishing for drum and flounder.
Boats are finding a few spanish mackerel; however, the water is dirtier than it was several weeks ago, and the spanish fishing has suffered.
Josh, of the Ocean Isle Beach Pier, reports that anglers are catching plenty of speckled trout in the mornings on live shrimp fished beneath floats.
Bottom fishermen are hooking pompano and whiting in the daytime and sharks at night. Shrimp are the best bottom baits.
Plug casters are decking lots of bluefish.
A 20 lb. king mackerel was caught last week.
