Southport July 19, 2007
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that red grouper fishing has been excellent. Limits of reds aren’t uncommon, and the fish are showing an interest in live and frozen cigar minnows, live pogies, and large cut baits.
Any good bottom structure in 80-100’ of water without too strong a current should be holding plenty of black sea bass, vermillion snapper, grunts, triggerfish, jolthead porgies, and other bottom fish. Hooks baited with squid or cut baits will prove irresistible.
Anglers should keep an eye out for dolphin when bottom fishing, as many will swim up to investigate the boat. Small squid pieces fished on light spinning rods will tempt the dolphin to bite, and anglers who leave a hooked fish in the water should be able to keep the school near the boat.
The king mackerel bite has been solid at many established hotspots such as the Horseshoe, 15 Mile Rock, the Jungle, and the 90/90. Live pogies are the top baits for the kings, but anglers who can’t find pogies should still be able to get some king bites by trolling dead cigar minnows on Hank Brown rigs.
Shark fishing has been excellent around the shoals and along the beach. Many of the sharks are too big to land on even 150 lb. line, but anglers have caught good numbers of manageable sharks (in the 100 lb. range). Large baits fished on 10-12/0 circle hooks will get attention from the sharks.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been spotty, with the bite best a long way off the beach at the 90/90 and the Jungle. Go with #00 Clark spoons trolled behind planers at 6-7 knots to get the spanish interested. Boats will have the best luck by trolling around flocks of white terns feeding on the glass minnows that the spanish drive to the surface.
Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are decking pompano, whiting, and black drum. Those baiting up with shrimp are catching the most fish.
Flounder fishing remains consistent, and many of the fish are fat, 3+ pounders. Live shrimp, finger mullet, and mud minnows are fooling the majority of the flounder.
Speckled trout fishing is still good for anglers baiting up with live shrimp and fishing early and late in the day. The trout are averaging 2-3 lbs.
Sheepshead are still hanging around the pier’s pilings, and they will fall for a variety of baits including barnacles and fiddler crabs. Some of the fish are bruisers (up to 10 lbs.), but anglers who expect to land these big sheepshead need to come equipped with stout tackle.
A few large spanish mackerel are hitting live baits on king rigs.
King mackerel fishing was solid early in the week, but the stormy weather slowed down the king bite for a few days. A few days of stable weather should turn the kings back on.
The water temperature is approaching 90 degrees some days due to the scorching afternoon heat.
Jimmy, of Wreck Hunter Guide Service, reports that speckled trout fishing is still hot. The best action has been around grass islands and in the river bays, but specks are coming from all over area waters. The trout are falling for a variety of soft plastic baits and topwater plugs.
While the artificial lures will produce plenty of strikes, a live shrimp fished under a float should prove near-irresistible to the specks.
Red drum are feeding in Dutchman’s and Walden’s Creeks, and they will also fall for soft plastics and topwaters, as well as live and cut baits. Most of the drum holding in the creeks are in the 4-6 lb. class, but there are a few better fish (up to 15 lbs.) in the mix.
Larger drum (20-40 lbs.) are feeding at the deep ledge near Fort Caswell. Anglers are hooking up with these big reds by baiting Carolina rigs with whole crabs and mullet heads.
Black drum and sheepshead are holding tight to the structure at the ADM and Pfizer docks, and at the Oak Island Bridge. Anglers can fool both of the striped fish by fishing with sand fleas, fiddler crabs, or other crustacean baits.
Flounder fishing is hot at a variety of inshore spots, but most notably at the Southport Waterfront. Flounder anglers can hook up either by casting Carolina-rigged live baits or by bouncing bucktails tipped with soft plastics or strip baits off the bottom.
The flounder action is solid off the beach as well, and anglers are putting together good catches at the Yaupon and McGlammery Reefs. Live baits and bucktails will also work on these ocean flounder.
Some large spanish mackerel (up to 6 lbs.) and kings are still feeding at the nearshore reefs, but the main mackerel bite has pushed offshore a bit.
Boats are catching plenty of kings around the Lighthouse Rocks.
Jon, of Haag and Sons Seafood, reports that king mackerel and amberjack are providing most of the action for local boats this week. The most productive fishing has been out in the vicinity of Frying Pan Tower, but anglers are hooking up with kings from the sea buoys to the break.
Dolphin are few and far between, and most are small.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with red grouper and beeliners far offshore near the break, but the gag grouper bite has been slow.
Inshore, flounder fishing has improved a bit, and anglers are landing flatfish on the nearshore reefs, from the piers, and in the backwater creeks.
