Southport August 5, 2010
Wendy Conley, of Weirton, WV, with a 10.5 lb. black drum she hooked on squid from Oak Island Pier.
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that anglers are finding decent spanish mackerel fishing along the beaches and within a few miles of shore. Trolling Clarkspoons and mackerel tree rigs is the way to find action with the spanish.
Sharks are still feeding well nearshore, and anglers can hook them while drifting with large cut baits in the same areas where they’re spanish fishing.
Flounder are chewing on the nearshore reefs, where they’ll take an interest in small live baits. Some red drum and early season gray trout are also in the mix at nearshore structure.
Spadefish are feeding in the same areas, and anglers can chum and bait up with pieces of cannonball jelly to pique their interest.
Offshore, the bottom fishing remains excellent. Anglers are catching good numbers of grouper at structure in 90’ and deeper on live and cut baits. Some of the largest beeliners in recent memory are feeding in the same areas, and they will fall for squid or small cut baits.
Amberjacks are on most high-relief structure offshore of the area and will take an interest in live baits, vertical jigs, and more.
Some king mackerel and dolphin are feeding in the same areas as the bottomfish, but for some reason the bite’s slower than normal.
Tommy, of Southport Angler Outfitters, reports that the red drum bite is improving in the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear. Anglers are hooking most of the fish on live shrimp and finger mullet, but they’ll fall for topwater plugs, soft plastics, and even flies as well.
Good numbers of flounder are mixed in with the reds, and they’re taking an interest in the live baits and soft plastics as well.
The spanish mackerel bite just off the beaches is turning back on, and anglers can hook the fish while trolling Clarkspoons and other lures.
Offshore, bottom fishing boats are reporting a fairly solid grouper and beeliner bite.
Jake Ludwig, from Cinncinnati, OH, with an over-the-slot- red drum caught and released near Bald Head using a live pogie. He was fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters out of Oak Island.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are catching solid numbers of speckled trout on live shrimp. Some healthy pompano (1-2 lbs.) are falling for live and fresh shrimp.
Fresh shrimp are also fooling whiting and some spot.
Anglers fishing live mud minnows and finger mullet on the bottom are catching decent numbers of flounder.
Spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs and small live baits fished from the pier.
Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that the pompano bite is getting fired up off the planks. Anglers are catching the fish on cut and live shrimp, and they may also be fooled into biting Gotcha plugs.
Some speckled trout, black drum, and puppy drum are also falling for the shrimp.
Flounder (to 3 lbs.) are taking an interest in small live baits fished on the bottom.
The spanish mackerel bite remains solid, and anglers are hooking the fish on plugs and live baits.
