Southport – August 4, 2016
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that the bite is on the slow side, with flounder in particular slowing down. There are larger fish being weighed in (5-7 lbs.), but fewer in general, especially of the 3-4 lb. variety. The flatfish will take finger mullet or peanut pogies on Carolina rigs, as well as bucktails and Gulps bounced off the bottom.
Speckled trout fishing is good in the early morning and late in the afternoon on topwaters. During the heat of the day, the fish will hit curly tail grubs, Salty Bay Baits, and Cocahoe Minnows. The Jimmy Price collection of Falling Tide Lures have also been successful.
The sheepshead bite has slowed down, with only smaller fish between 12-14” being weighed in. Fiddler crabs and sand fleas should be your go-to baits for this crustacean lover.
There are quite a few black drum in area waters, such as Dutchman’s Creek and Elizabeth River, and they will bite bait shrimp fished on bottom rigs.
The red drum bite is decent, with many slot fish coming to the scales, and several caught that are too big to keep.
The spanish are off the beach and can be easily hooked in numbers trolling a Clarkspoon. The kings have moved 10-14 miles offshore into cooler waters, and they can be found near markers like Lighthouse Rock.
There are still cobia every now and then, and they will take live bait that is light lined, or Al Gag’s Whip-It Eels.
Averie Bach (age 8), of Eaton, OH, with her first spanish mackerel. She caught it while fishing with Capt. Mark Green of Angry Pelican Charters.
Annete, of Dutchman Creek, reports that anglers are connecting with flounder inshore and off the pier. Live mud minnows or mullet on a Carolina rig will fool the flatfish.
Anglers have been connecting with spanish off the beach and the piers. Trolling Clarkspoons will work for the spaniards, as well as casting Gotcha plugs or light lining live mullet minnows.
A few speckled trout have also been reported off the pier. They are taking live shrimp in the early mornings, before the heat sets in.
Kadie Green, with her uncle Adam Green, caught her first keeper flounder on a mullet minnow while fishing near Lockwood Folly.
Mark, of Angry Pelican Charters, reports that although the fishing has been challenging over the past few weeks, the spanish mackerel bite has been fantastic. Silver and gold Clarkspoons with a few extra feet of leader, trolled fast and deep, will get the job done.
The flounder and trout bite in the backwater has been steady, and finger mullet and live shrimp are working on both species.
The slot red drum have been a little harder to come by, so anglers should target deep holes, as well as the mouths of feeder creeks during the falling tide.
In addition to the smaller king mackerel that have taken up residence along the beaches, there have been some juvenile sailfish reportedly mixed in.
Sydney Osbourne with a 37 king mackerel caught while fishing at the Lighthouse Rocks.
Wally, of Oak Island Charters, reports that the fishing has been a bit slow with the heat and winds. Red drum are biting live mullet on a Carolina rig, and flounder will take the same bait as the reds.
Spanish mackerel are still off the beach, and they will fall for Clarkspoons trolled behind a #1 planer. Anglers can expect a variety of sizes of the fish, with a few 2-3 lb. fish mixed in, and maybe a citation or two.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that strong winds have kept anglers inshore and in the back waters. Anglers will need patience in the inshore waters with the hot temperatures, which have slowed the bite. Working live mullet on Carolina rigs can yield flounder and trout. Many of the fish are undersized, as most of the fish are well under 5 lbs.
A few schools of reds are also still in the area despite the heat, and they will also take live bait.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with a variety of panfish, such as whiting and croaker. Pompano have also been landed off the pier, and flounder and speckled trout are providing some action in the mornings.
Steve, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that the hot water is making anglers work for the bite. Speckled trout have been around early in the morning and they, along with a few flounder, are taking live bait.
The spanish have been making scattered runs, and anglers are using live bait to connect with them as they pass through the area.
A few panfish, such as whiting, are mixed in, but anglers are having to soak bottom rigs for longer periods of time to connect with these species.
The water temperature is in the mid-80s.
