Ocean Isle September 25, 2008
Tony Hartnett, of Graham, NC, caught and released this sailfish on pogy beneath a pink Blue Water Candy skirt at the Shark Hole. He was fishing with Frollie Hughes, Eric Hughes, and his son Adam.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that anglers are finding a red hot spanish mackerel bite along the beaches, where trolled Clarkspoons and other lures should produce plenty of action, despite the strong NE winds.
The king mackerel bite has finally recovered from Tropical Storm Hanna’s ill effects, and it first turned on at spots in around 60′ early last week. As the week progressed, the action moved in closer to the beaches, with anglers eventually putting together some nice catches in the Cape Fear River channel, around Yaupon Reef, and at the Lockwood Folly and Shallotte Inlet sea buoys. Mullet are starting to run the beaches, and anglers are hooking up with the kings while slow-trolling live mullet or pogies. The pogies have been most plentiful up towards Cape Fear recently.
The cooling weather should trigger a solid gag grouper bite, with the fish moving a bit inshore of their summer haunts. Anglers should be able to hook up with some solid gags while fishing structure in around 80′ over the next few weeks. Large live baits are the ticket to hookups with the biggest grouper.Kyle, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that anglers are hooking up with a few flounder around the Little River jetties on Carolina-rigged live baits.
Red drum are also feeding along the jetties and in the inlet channel (in a variety of sizes from 16-36+”). Drifting live finger mullet in the channel and along the rocks should produce action with the reds.
There are also plenty of reds cruising for meals around docks in the ICW and other inshore waters, and Carolina-rigged finger mullet should be equally effective on these fish.
The speckled trout bite is still solid around inshore structure like the Sunset Beach and Ocean Isle bridges and the Little River jetties. The fish are starting to move into their fall haunts in the Lockwood Folly and Shallotte rivers as well. Live shrimp fished under floats will fool the specks.
Nearshore reefs and wrecks are holding a lot of gray trout right now. Live finger mullet on Carolina rigs or Stingsilvers and other jigging lures will produce action with the grays.
Chase Davis with a dolphin caught on a light-lined peanut pogy.
David, of Capt. Hook Outdoors, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been good just off the beaches lately. Anglers trolling Clarkspoons behind trolling weights and planers should be able to find action with the spanish.
Big numbers of mullet are starting to run along the beaches, and king mackerel have moved nearshore to feed on them. Boats are hooking up with good numbers of the kings (though few large ones) 300-400 yards off the beach while slow-trolling live mullet and pogies.
Structure just off the beach is holding good numbers of gray trout, and anglers are hooking them on Carolina-rigged finger mullet.
The cooling air and water temperatures are starting to kick off some great fall fishing. Anglers can expect to see the inshore speckled trout bite heat up over the coming weeks, and bottom fishing for grouper will be getting hot closer to the beaches as well (in the 25 mile range).
Will, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are catching bluefish and spanish mackerel on Gotcha plugs and bottom rigs.
Cut shrimp baits fished on the bottom are producing action with some whiting.
