Added on Thursday, August 14, 2014  Fish Post

Southport – August 14, 2014

Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that the flounder bite keep getting better, and anglers are hooking big numbers (and fish to 8+ lbs.) around the Southport waterfront, Bald Head Island, Caswell Beach, and other known flatfish hotspots in the area. Live menhaden and finger mullet are fooling most of the fish, but anglers can also hook up while working Gulps and other soft baits.

The weather hasn’t let many boats get out there, but the flounder action on Yaupon Reef has been excellent lately as well.

Speckled trout are still feeding in the creeks and around Southport in spots like Battery and Strikers islands. Anglers are catching some fat specks on topwater plugs early and late in the day and hooking good numbers of smaller fish on soft plastics when the sun’s high.

Anglers are encountering red drum in most of the same places where they’re finding the specks and flounder, and the reds are taking an interest in live baits and a wide variety of artifcials.

Sheepshead are looking for meals around docks, rocks, and bridge pilings in the area, and the dirty water from recent rains doesn’t seem to have slowed the bite much. Live fiddler crabs, sand fleas, and barnacles fished tight to the structure are the best bet for anglers looking to connect with the sheeps.

A few spanish mackerel are feeding along the beachfront, and anglers are hooking them while trolling Clarkspoons from boats and working Gotcha plugs from the piers. Some larger spaniards are feeding around nearshore structure like the new Jim Knight Reef (some 4-6 lbs.), and anglers are tempting them to bite live finger mullet and peanut menhaden.

A 43 lb. king mackerel was also landed nearshore last week.

Annette, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are still hooking some spanish mackerel on the piers and from boats trolling along the beachfront.

Anglers casting finger mullet and artificials from the point at Caswell Beach are connecting with some flounder, bluefish, and spanish mackerel.

The speckled trout action remains solid inshore (with fish to 28” last week), but they seem to bite at a different time every day. Topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits like shrimp are attracting attention from the specks.

Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that despite the dirty water, trollers are finding a few spanish mackerel feeding off the beachfront at Oak Island. Plenty of large sharks are in the same areas and will pounce on live, dead, and cut baits.

Bottom fishing in the 40 mile range has been producing some impressive hauls of black sea bass, red porgy, grunts, beeliners, and more. Some large gag and scamp grouper are feeding in the same areas. All the bottomfish will bite cut baits, squid, and cigar minnows.

Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with some large sharks while drifting live and cut baits just off the Oak Island beachfront.

The bottom fishing around structure in the 100’ depths has been excellent lately, with big catches of grouper, triggerfish, beeliners, and more. Live baits are producing most of the action with the larger grouper, with squid and cut baits tempting bites from the smaller bottom feeders.

King mackerel are feeding in the same areas and will bite live baits or dead cigar minnows.

Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are still hooking some speckled trout while fishing with live shrimp in the early morning hours.

Anglers bottom fishing with cut shrimp and bloodworms are hooking spot, sea mullet, and other panfish.

A few spanish mackerel and bluefish are falling for casting lures that anglers are working from the pier.

A 43 lb. king mackerel was also landed from the end of the pier last week after it struck a live bait.