Ocean Isle – May 8, 2014
Brayden and Capt. Barrett McMullan, of the Ocean Isle Fishing Center, with a wahoo they hooked while trolling the break off Ocean Isle Beach.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports blue water trollers found a good dolphin bite at a variety of spots along the break last week, with action just about everywhere anglers fished. Wahoo and blackfin tuna are sprinkled in with the dolphin, and all are falling for ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures. Scattered grass made trolling a bit tedious out there, but it’s a good sign for the dolphin bite over the coming month.
Vertical jigging along the break has been producing plenty of action with amberjacks along with some cobia encounters.
King mackerel have made their much-anticipated spring appearance along the Brunswick County beachfront, and anglers are also seeing the first menhaden schools of the year as well, a good thing for anglers as the nearshore kings find a live menhaden tough to pass up.
Dave Roseman with a 26 lb., 5 oz. cobia that fell for a live bait off the end of Ocean Crest Pier.
Kyle, of Speculator Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the best news on the area fishing front is that the flounder bite continues to improve and anglers are catching good numbers in Tubbs Inlet and Cherry Grove. Most of the usual flatfish haunts from Shallotte to Little River are holding some fish now, and the action will only improve. There are still big numbers of undersized fish around, but anglers are starting to connect with some legal and larger fish (with a few 4-5 lb. flatties recently). Live mud minnows on Carolina rigs are the way to go for the flounder.
Red and black drum are feeding in the creeks and around docks and other structure on the ICW. Chunks of blue crab on Carolina rigs are fooling both types of drum.
More reds are feeding around the Little River jetties, but the bite is hot one day and dead the next.
Anglers haven’t seen the big speckled trout show up at the jetties yet, but they continue to catch a few in the creeks and ICW.
Spanish mackerel also made their spring appearance last week, and anglers trolling Clarkspoons along the beachfront encountered good numbers.
Kevin, of Rigged and Ready Charters, reports that anglers found some fast action while working vertical jigs along the break last week, hooking big numbers of amberjack and a healthy cobia near the Blackjack Hole.
Bottom fishing in 115’ of water produced limits of big black sea bass, beeliners, triggerfish, and other tasty bottom dwellers. Squid and cut baits are the way to go for the bottom feeders.
Robbie, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some sea mullet and smaller flounder on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Plug casters are connecting with a few bluefish.
