Southport July 28, 2005
Dave, at Ocean Crest Pier, reports an excellent week of fishing with a big variety. Tons of bait has shown up, so the kings are right behind it. Kings in the 14 lb. range and spanish in the 3 to 5 lb. range are eating live baits. Tarpon are out there rolling as well, but none caught yet.
The flounder bite has picked up on live mullet, and it should only get better. Early in the morning the speckled trout are on fire eating live shrimp a few feet off the bottom, and fish are running 2 to 4 lbs. Pompano are eating live shrimp as well, with fish 1 to 2 lbs. and an occasional larger one.
Sheepshead are on the pilings if you want to fish for them with fiddlers or sand fleas. Spadefish are also around the pilings eating on cut shrimp.
Billie, at Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports slow fishing in the area with extreme temperatures, but the anglers on the piers are doing well on pompano and speckled trout. The Frying Pan Tower area has been very good for bottom fishing, as well as trolling for king mackerel and dolphin.
Bobby, at Long Beach Pier, reports the weather is hot and so is the fishing. Kings up to 28.5 lbs. are being caught, as well as some nice spanish mackerel. Spadefish, black drum, and sheepshead are eating in the suds and around the pilings.
The speckled trout are after the live shrimp, and some big pompano are eating the shrimp as well. The flounder bite has picked up now that there is plenty of live bait around to fish with.
Jimmy, at Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that lots of flounder were caught this past week. They weighed in several in the 3 and 4 pound class, and the biggest of the weekend was in the 6 pound class.
Most of the flounder came from Yaupon Reef, but there numbers caught at the Southport waterfront. Another angler did well with the flounder by bouncing a bucktail with a small minnow in Cape Creek and Cedar Creek.
There were a few speckled trout caught recently. With the heat and the higher water temps, go with live bait on the bottom, preferably in 8 to 12′ holes.
Reds continue to come from Battery and Striker’s Island. There was a big school of reds on the east side of Striker’s in a little pocket. You can also find a red fish bite in Dutchman’s Creek.
Good-sized spanish came in over the weekend, with several fish weighed in in the 4 to 6 pound class.
You can also find black drum at Phizer’s Dock and sheepshead at the Oak Island Bridge by the pilings.
