Southport August 18, 2011
Christy Evans, from Southport, with a 27", 8 lb. flounder that bit a live finger mullet near the Southport waterfront.
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that spanish mackerel are feeding along the beaches in large schools (and most are larger fish). Trolling 00 Clarkspoons behind #1 and #2 planers is the best way to find and hook the schooling spaniards.
A few king mackerel have shown up at spots from Lighthouse Rocks on offshore. They’ll bite frozen cigar minnows pinned to dead bait rigs, but live baits like menhaden will often outfish the dead cigars.
Offshore bottom fishing is still producing plenty of action at rocks, wrecks, and other structure in 80’ of water and deeper. Gag, red, and scamp grouper and smaller bottom feeders like black sea bass, triggerfish, beeliners, grunts, and more are all feeding around the structure. Live baits will offer anglers their best odds of grouper hookups, and the smaller fish will readily bite squid and cut baits.
Teresa, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are catching good numbers of flounder in the local backwaters. Live mud minnows and white Gulp baits are doing most of the damage.
Speckled trout are feeding in the backwaters and around the Oak Island piers, and anglers are hooking up with the specks while baiting up with live shrimp.
Jordan Floyd, of Columbia, SC, with a fat red drum that bit a live finger mullet near Bald Head Island while he was fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters.
Spadefish have shown up on Yaupon Reef. Chumming with cannonball jellyfish and using small pieces of the jellies as hook baits is the way to hook up with the unusual fish.
The spanish mackerel bite has been solid up and down the Oak Island beachfront recently. Trolling small Clarkspoons behind planers and torpedo weights is the way to put the spaniards in the boat.
Tommy, of The Tackle Box, reports that the flounder bite has been in full swing at Yaupon Reef lately. Anglers are catching most of the flatfish on live finger mullet and peanut menhaden fished on Carolina rigs.
Some large spanish mackerel are also feeding in the same area, and light-lining the mullet and menhaden on the surface should tempt them to bite.
Bubba, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are catching some large spanish mackerel off live baits free-lined near the end of the pier.
Some speckled trout are falling for live shrimp in the early mornings.
Live mud minnows and finger mullet fished on the bottom are attracting bites from some flounder.
Bluefish are biting bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Dane Sellers (age 7) with a 6 lb. flounder that bit a live finger mullet in the Cape Fear River.
Vance, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that anglers are catching solid numbers of spanish mackerel on small live baits fished on the surface.
Some keeper flounder and speckled trout are biting live shrimp and finger mullet.
