Added on Thursday, August 21, 2008  Gary Hurley

Southport August 21, 2008

Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that boaters are finding good action with spanish mackerel close to the beaches lately. Trolling spreads of #00 Clarkspoons behind #1 and #2 planers, 1-2 oz. trolling weights, and bird rigs or mackerel trees will produce plenty of bites from the spanish. A lot of small king mackerel are feeding with their smaller cousins, so anglers should be careful to correctly identify fish under 24″ (legal size for a king) before throwing them in the cooler.

Spadefish are schooled up on the nearshore reefs and structure. Anglers can tempt the spades to the surface with a few cannonball jellyfish tied to a rope and then use small pieces of the jellies as hook baits to get them biting.

The king mackerel bite has been solid around Frying Pan Tower lately. Frozen cigar minnows trolled on jighead rigs and live baits slow-trolled or drifted through the area should get attention from the kings.

Last week’s full moon made the grouper fishing a little tough, but the bite should be back on by now. Anglers fishing structure in 80′ and deeper with squid, cut baits, live baits, or Gulps should be able to put together some nice catches of grouper and other bottomfish.

 

Tommy, of Southport Angler Outfitters, reports that the red drum bite has been good in the creeks and bays off the Cape Fear River. Live finger mullet fished on Carolina rigs are fooling the reds.

Flounder fishing is still pretty good in the creeks, and the finger mullet are also tempting the flounder to bite.

Tarpon are feeding on the shoals near the river mouth, and anglers are hooking up with some while fishing dead pogies and other baits on the bottom. Plenty of sharks are feeding in the same areas, and they will also fall for dead and cut baits fished on the bottom.

 

Richard, of Get Reel Charters, reports that the king mackerel bite is still on around Frying Pan Tower, and trolling dead cigar minnows has been fooling plenty of the kings. The bite was especially good to the southwest of the Tower last week.

Bottom fishing the live bottoms and structure near the Tower has been productive as well, with anglers landing big beeliners, sea bass, some grouper, and other bottomfish. Cigar minnows and squid pinned to the bottom rigs are producing good results.

Inshore, the spanish mackerel bite has been excellent within a few miles of the beaches. Some days have been producing fast limits for boats trolling Clarkspoons through the area.

There are plenty of sharks around nearshore as well, and anglers who can find a shrimp boat culling its catch will be able to find action with the sharks.

 

Billie, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are catching black drum and spot from the surf and piers. Sand fleas are fooling most of the black drum, and the area around Yaupon Pier has been particularly productive lately.

Spanish mackerel are feeding well along the beaches, and boats trolling Clarkspoons shouldn’t have much trouble finding action with the spaniards.

Inshore, anglers are finding good trout and flounder fishing in the Cape Fear and nearby.

 

Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are hooking up with a mixed bag including black drum, spot, whiting (some up to 2.5 lbs.), pompano, and some spadefish. Shrimp are drawing plenty of bites on the bottom rigs, and the black drum bite has been best near the pilings.

Good numbers of flounder are falling for small live baits fished near the bottom.

Plug casters are hooking up with some spanish mackerel on Gotcha plugs.

A 22.8 lb. king mackerel fell for a live bait fished from the end of the pier last week.

The water is 85 degrees.