Ocean Isle – September 11, 2014
Jakob Puskas with an African pompano that bit a live bait near Frying Pan Tower while he was fishing with his uncle Brian.
Kyle, of Speckulator Charters, reports that anglers are seeing some solid action with a variety of inshore predators between Ocean Isle and Little River.
The speckled trout bite is turning on, and anglers can expect it to get better and better as air and water temperatures begin to drop with the onset of fall. Most of the specks that anglers have been hooking lately are feeding along flooded grass edges and oyster bars between Calabash and Little River. Drifting live shrimp on float rigs along the edges of the banks has been producing the lion’s share of the specks recently, but anglers are also hooking some fat fish on topwater plugs.
A few are feeding around the Little River jetties as well and also biting live shrimp.
There have been decent numbers of puppy drum feeding in the same areas as the specks, and anglers are fooling them with the same baits.
More reds are showing up by the week at Little River Inlet as well (most 25-32” but some 40”+). Drifting through the inlet with live mullet and menhaden on the bottom is the way to connect with the reds, and the bite will also be improving as summer fades to fall.
Katelyn Kincer, of the Ocean Isle Fishing Center, with a red drum she hooked in Tubbs Inlet while fishing with Taylor Henkel. The red fell for a live finger mullet.
Flounder are feeding around the same inshore spots where they’ve been all summer, and anglers continue to connect with decent numbers in Tubbs Inlet and around ICW structure. Live baits like menhaden and finger mullet are tough to beat for the flatfish. The flounder bite is still going well around nearshore structure in the ocean as well, but heavy pressure has made the fish a bit tougher to fool than earlier in the year. Live baits are the way to go for the ocean flounder as well.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that bottom fishermen are reporting some solid beeliner (vermillion snapper) action around bottom structure in 90’ of water and deeper. Some gag and scamp grouper are feeding in the same areas and will bite live baits.
Boats making the run to the Gulf Stream are reporting some solid wahoo action around the Winyah Scarp. The ‘hoos will bite traditional spreads of skirted ballyhoo or baitless high-speed lures that anglers are trolling.
Renee Bennett, of Asheboro, NC, with a 20″ flounder she hooked on a Gulp shrimp in Shallotte Inlet.
Bob, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with some spot, sea mullet, and black drum while baiting up with shrimp and bloodworms.
Some flounder are falling for live baits fished under the pier.
Bluefish are biting bottom rigs and casting lures that anglers are working from the pier.
