Added on Thursday, August 13, 2009  Fish Post

Southport August 13, 2009

Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that the fishing’s been excellent despite the hot weather lately.

Boats making the run to the Gulf Stream recently have been rewarded with some action with wahoo and blackfin tuna. Skirted ballyhoo are producing most of the action with the blue water predators.

Grouper are feeding well at offshore structure in 100’ of water and deeper. Live baits, cut baits, and cigar minnows will fool the grouper.

The same structure is holding plenty of black sea bass, triggerfish, snappers, and porgies. These smaller bottom feeders will take an interest in squid and cut baits.

Amberjacks are schooling up on nearly every ledge, rock, and wreck in the area, and anglers should have little trouble hooking the jacks on live baits.

African pompano are feeding around Frying Pan Tower and at other structure, and they should also take an interest in live baits.

There are still decent numbers of dolphin and sailfish feeding at local offshore structure. They’ll fall for live pogies or dead baits like cigar minnows.

King mackerel are feeding from the beaches out to offshore structure. Live pogies or dead cigar minnows will get attention from the kings.

The spanish mackerel bite has been excellent close to the beaches, especially up towards Carolina Beach. Trolled Clarkspoons and mackerel tree rigs will fool the spaniards.

Inshore, anglers are catching good numbers of flounder and red drum, and the piers have been giving up some speckled trout.

 

Tommy, of Southport Angler Outfitters, reports that the king and spanish mackerel bite is still a bit off, but anglers have begun to catch a few since the water’s calmed down and cleared up this week.

Anglers found a fairly good flounder bite around Yaupon Reef last week. Live finger mullet on Carolina rigs are the best way to target the flatfish.

Inshore, there’s been decent action with speckled trout and flounder in the creeks off the lower Cape Fear River. Live finger mullet are attracting attention from the specks and flatfish, and there’s been no shortage of mullet in the area for anglers looking for baits.

Tarpon have shown up in the Cape Fear and on the shoals out in the ocean. Anglers are seeing the fish, but they’ve been hard to hook lately.

 

John, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that while the king mackerel bite is still a little off from what it should be right now, anglers live baiting for kings in the river channel caught some big spanish mackerel last week (up to 10 lbs.). Live pogies fooled the big spanish.

Anglers also caught some solid spanish (up to 4 lbs.) from the piers and while trolling Clarkspoons just off the beaches.

The flounder bite is cranking up at Yaupon Reef, and anglers are starting to land decent numbers of flatfish while dropping Carolina-rigged finger mullet and other live baits to the structure. Pier anglers also landed decent numbers of flounder last week.

 

Avery, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers hooked good numbers of flounder last week. Live finger mullet on Carolina rigs fooled most of the fish.

Some pompano and speckled trout also hit the decks last week. Live shrimp are fooling both.

Live baiters hooked a large cobia last week, but they lost it before it could be gaffed.

 

Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that anglers are catching good numbers of flounder (some to 4 lbs.) on live shrimp and finger mullet.

There are still some speckled trout feeding around the pier in the early mornings, and anglers are hooking them on live shrimp.

Live and cut shrimp have also been fooling some whiting and fat pompano (up to 2+ lbs.) lately.

Plug casters are hooking up with a few spanish mackerel on Gotchas, and anglers are also catching some larger spanish (up to 4+ lbs.) on live baits pinned to king rigs.