Ocean Isle – October 26, 2017
Jeff, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that inshore fishing along the waterway has picked back up. Flounder and slot-sized redfish have been feeding well along the docks and in the creeks. Live finger mullet has been the best bait for the flatfish and reds.
Just off the beach, the bull redfish bite has improved a little. Targeting pogie pods has been the best way to hook a few of these trophy fish.
Derek, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that anglers looking for kings have had success close to the beach around structure and out to the 10-20 mile range. Live pogies have been the best bait, and most fish landed have been in the 20-30 lb. range. A few large spanish and false albacore have also been in the mix.
In the 10-20 mile range, the bottom bite for black sea bass has been solid.
Out in the 20-45 mile range, the gag grouper bite has heated up. Those dropping grouper rigs with live pinfish or pogies have found the most fish. A few grunts are in the mix as well, and dead cigar minnows should do the job.
Out past the 45 mile mark, the wahoo bite has picked up. Rigged ballyhoo with dark skirts has been the ticket to landing a few wahoo. Some dolphin and blackfin tuna have also been in the mix.
Amy Hartz, of Davidson, NC, with a 20 lb. king mackerel. The king struck a live pogie at the Shark Hole. She was fishing with Capt. Kevin Sneed, of Rigged and Ready Charters.
Shane, of Fin-Fisher Charter Service, reports that the speckled trout bite remains strong. Anglers have had the most success floating live shrimp around marsh banks and points, but topwater plugs have worked well, too.
Those looking for redfish have found a consistent bite in the marsh. Cut bait, live mullet, live mud minnows, and soft plastics have all gotten the job done. Most fish have been in the slot.
The king bite has heated up just off the beach. Slow trolling live baits has produced good numbers of quality fish.
Kevin, of Rigged and Ready Charters, reports that the spanish bite remains strong along the beach. Anglers trolling Clarkspoons on #1 planers have landed good numbers of fish. Around nearshore structure and bait pods, bull redfish have started to show up. Those using cut menhaden on drum rigs have had the best success.
Trolling live baits nearshore has produced a few large cobia and good numbers of quality kings. Most kings have been landed near Shallotte Inlet and have been in the 20-45 lb. range.
Good numbers of kings have also been landed in the 20-40 mile range over live bottom. Dead cigar minnows have worked best in this range.
In the 40-50 mile range, anglers have found plenty of grouper, and dropping live pinfish to the bottom has been the best way to hook them.
Dale Sechrist with a big red drum that ate a chunk of cut bluefish in the surf at Ocean Isle.
Stewart, of Rod and Reel Shop, reports that surf fishing has picked up. Anglers fishing from the suds and from the piers have found good numbers of flounder, bluefish, and spot. Bloodworms and cut bait have been the top baits.
The inshore flounder bite has picked up along the waterway and in the marsh. Anglers using live finger mullet and mud minnows on Carolina rigs have had the most success.
Just off the beach, the big red drum have started to show up in better numbers. Large cut baits have worked best on the reds.
The king bite is still hot along the beaches. Anglers slow trolling live baits have caught the biggest numbers of fish.
Kyle, of Speckulator Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that a few bull redfish have shown up around the jetties, but the numbers aren’t great. Most of the bigger reds have held around bait pods a few miles off of the beach.
The false albacore and spanish bite has been strong near the beach. Trolling spoons or casting jigs to busting fish has worked best.
Anglers targeting red drum inshore have found good numbers of fish in the creeks. Live minnows on Carolina rigs have been the best bet. A few keeper-sized flounder have been in the mix with the reds.
The speckled trout fishing has heated up. Anglers have had the most success with live shrimp, and the bite should continue to improve in the coming weeks.
Bre, of Ocean Isle Beach Fishing Pier, reports that anglers are still finding good numbers of spot when using bloodworms. A few black drum have also been landed.
Anglers fishing with cut bait have picked up a few keeper-sized flounder.
