Southport July 25, 2013
Lee Singleton with a 9 lb. flounder that bit a 4″ Gulp shrimp in the backwaters of the lower Cape Fear River near Fort Fisher.
Steve, of The Tackle Box, reports that anglers are still seeing a surprisingly good speckled trout bite around Southport. The fish are spread out throughout the inshore waters, with good action around creekmouths, oyster bars, rocks, docks, and other structure. Anglers are fooling the specks on topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits.
Red drum are feeding in many of the same areas and have also been feeding in flooded marsh grass on the recent high tides. Topwater plugs, live baits, and soft plastics have been producing plenty of action with the reds.
Black drum are feeding around heavy inshore structure and along grass and shell banks and oyster bars. Anglers are hooking big numbers of the tasty striped drum on fresh and live shrimp.
Sheepshead are feeding around bridge and dock pilings and other hard structure inshore. The crustacean-lovers have a tough time turning down a live shrimp or fiddler crab.
Whenever anglers can find clean water, they should be able to find some spanish mackerel action within a few miles of the Oak Island beachfront. Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and torpedo weights is the way to put the spaniards in the boat.
Not many boats have been offshore recently, but there should still be a decent king mackerel bite at spots in the 50-70’ depths. Live baits and dead cigar minnows will both fool the kings.
Jonathan Lanier, of Winnabow, NC, with a 5.34 lb. flounder he hooked near Bald Head Island.
Grouper are feeing around bottom structure in 90’ of water and deeper. Plenty of smaller bottom feeders like black sea bass are in the same areas as well. Anglers can hook up with the bass on cut baits and squid, while live baits like menhaden and pinfish are a better choice for the groupers.
Angie, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers continue to hook speckled trout from the Oak Island Piers. Live shrimp are the best bets for the specks, but a variety of artificials will fool them as well.
Black drum are looking for meals at all sorts of structure inshore, and they will take a hearty interest in fresh shrimp on bottom rigs.
Flounder are also feeding in the backwaters around structure and in the marshes. Both live baits and Gulps will attract attention from the flatfish.
There was a decent spanish mackerel bite last weekend, and anglers should be able to find more action with the spaniards when they can find clear water. Trolling Clarkspoons and other flashy lures is the way to tempt the little mackerel to bite.
King mackerel are also feeding off Oak Island, but a bit further off than the spanish. Live baits and dead cigar minnows will both attract attention from the kings.
T.J. Harrington (age 12), of High Point, NC, with a Roberta Grove, of Oak Island, with six speckled trout (the largest 3+ lbs.) that bit live shrimp off Oak Island Pier.
Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are still connecting with red and black drum, speckled trout, and flounder in the creeks and bays off the lower Cape Fear River. Creekmouths, oyster bars, grass edges, and rocky structure have all been productive lately, and all the fish have been showing a fondness for live shrimp. Casting the shrimp on float rigs allows them to drift with the tide until found by a hungry fish.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are hooking speckled trout from the pier on live shrimp and a few on artificial lures.
Some flounder are feeding under the pier and will pounce on live shrimp, finger mullet, or mud minnows.
Some bluefish are around the pier and biting Gotcha plugs when the water’s clean and bottom rigs when dirty.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with spot and sea mullet while baiting up with shrimp and bloodworms.
The water is in the low 80’s.
