Southport August 20, 2009
Jim Bartis, from Apex, with a stringer of flounder and a redfish caught near Southport using live peanut pogies. He was fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters out of Oak Island.
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that anglers are catching good numbers of African pompano on live baits from beneath Frying Pan Tower when they can get to the structure before it’s covered up with boats.
Amberjacks are schooled up and feeding on the offshore reefs and wrecks, and live baits are the tickets to bites from them. Anglers may also be able to hook up with the AJ’s on jigging spoons.
King mackerel are feeding from the beaches on out to offshore structure. Anglers should search for schools of bait and troll around them with live or dead baits for the best odds of hooking up with the kings.
Offshore bottom fishing has been tough lately due to extremely strong currents.
Spanish mackerel fishing along the beaches and nearshore structure has been excellent recently, with anglers putting together excellent catches between Yaupon Pier and Lockwood Folly Inlet, off the Oak Island lighthouse, and near the Hot Hole over the past week. Trolling with Clarkspoons and mackerel tree rigs will fool the spaniards.
Nearshore structure is holding plenty of flounder right now, and anglers are hooking them on finger mullet and smaller pogies pinned to Carolina rigs. The pogies are producing slightly better results lately.
Some gray trout are also showing up on the nearshore structure, and smaller jigging spoons will fool them.
Cooper Triplett, of Lenoir, NC, with a 7.0 lb. flounder he hooked on a live finger mullet while fishing from Oak Island Pier.
Keith, of Stand’N Down Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel action has been hot on the beach recently. Most of the spanish are 2-4 lb. fish right now, and limit catches have been common recently. Trolling #00 Clarkspoons behind #1 planers has been fooling the lion’s share of the spanish.
Offshore, the king mackerel bite’s been good around structure in the 100’ range (most fish in the mid-teens). Frozen cigar minnows are producing most of the action with the kings.
Bottom fishing at structure around 50 miles offshore has produced limit catches of beeliners along with decent numbers of triggerfish and black sea bass lately.
Tommy, of Southport Angler Outfitters, reports that anglers are catching some beeliners and plenty of amberjacks at offshore structure in the 30-40 mile range.
Closer to the beaches, the flounder bite is still solid on Yaupon Reef, where anglers are hooking the flatfish on live finger mullet and pogies on Carolina rigs.
Some teenage king mackerel have been feeding along the beaches recently as well, and live pogies are producing most of the action with the kings.
Kamaron Owens, from Richmond, VA, with a 26" red drum she hooked on a finger mullet while kayak fishing Lockwood Folly Inlet.
John, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that pier anglers are picking up decent numbers of flounder while fishing live baits on the bottom.
Some spot and speckled trout are also coming over the rails, but the action’s a little slower than it was a few weeks ago.
The flounder bite has been solid on Yaupon Reef lately, with some anglers reporting double digit numbers of keepers in a day. Live baits on Carolina rigs are the top choices for the flatties.
Anglers trolling Clarkspoons and other lures nearshore have been finding excellent spanish mackerel fishing lately (and they’ve been ranging from just legal to over 4 lbs.).
Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that the flounder bite’s been good this week (with fish to around 5 lbs.). Small live baits are fooling most of the flatties.
Bottom fishermen have been hooking good numbers of pompano, some whiting, red drum, and a few black drum.
The spanish mackerel bite has been decent lately (with many of the fish in the 2-4 lb. range). Live baits have been fooling most of the spaniards.
King mackerel are in the area, but they have been reluctant to bite the king rigs lately. Anglers are also seeing good numbers of tarpon from the pier but haven’t had much luck getting them to bite.
Bubba, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers caught some fat flounder this past week (including a 7 pounder). Live shrimp and finger mullet are fooling the flatties.
Some speckled trout are also falling for the live shrimp.
Anglers bottom fishing with shrimp and bloodworms are hooking some spot.
Anglers caught good numbers of spanish mackerel and one 29 lb. king on live baits over the past week.
