Southport July 28, 2011
Fred Foster, of Oak Island, with 4.8 and 5.1 lb. flounder that struck live finger mullet within an hour of each other under Oak Island Pier.
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that the SW wind has kept a lot of boats at the docks lately, but there was some solid action before the wind that should give anglers an idea of what to expect when it lays down.
Flounder fishing on the nearshore reefs has been good in recent weeks, and anglers are catching good numbers of flatfish on live finger mullet and peanut menhaden.
Spanish mackerel should be feeding along the beaches once the water clears back up a bit, and trolling Clarkspoons and mackerel tree rigs around working birds and surface activity is the way to hook them.
Sharks should be in the same areas and will take an interest in large cut and live baits.
Offshore, the king mackerel bite has been decent at spots in the 15-18 mile range, with a few dolphin mixed in. Live menhaden and dead cigar minnows will tempt bites from both.
Grouper, sea bass, snappers, and other bottom feeders are holding around structure in 80-100’ and deeper. Live baits are the way to go for the best odds at a big grouper, and cut baits or squid will tempt bites from the smaller bottom feeders.
Plenty of amberjacks are schooled up around high-relief structure in the same depth range, and they’ll pounce on vertical jigs or live baits.
Tommy, of The Tackle Box, reports that there was a good red drum bite on the flooded grass flats during higher tides last week. Soft plastic baits and streamer and crab-imitating flies have been tempting the reds to bite.
Speckled trout are beginning to turn up in greater numbers, and float-fishing live shrimp around grass islands, creekmouths, and oyster rocks in the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River is the way to hook up with them.
Some tarpon have moved in to the lower Cape Fear as well. Deeper channels and sloughs are the places to look for them, and cut or dead baits fished on the bottom will tempt them to bite.
Jerry Cook with an over-slot red drum that attacked a live menhaden near Bald Head Island while he was fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters.
Angie, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are picking up a few flounder in the backwaters and from the ocean piers (but the throwback/keeper ratio hasn’t been too good lately). Live mud minnows or Gulp baits will tempt bites from the flatfish.
Some red drum are feeding in the creeks and around inshore structure, and Gulps or live baits will get their attention as well.
A mixed bag of sea mullet and other bottom feeders are biting shrimp and bloodworms off the piers.
Boaters are connecting with some spanish mackerel, though the recent winds have dirtied the water and made the bite tough. Trolling Clarkspoons is the way to hook the spaniards when anglers find them.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are picking up some flounder from the pier (with several around 5 lbs. last week) on small live baits fished on the bottom.
Those fishing live shrimp are hooking an occasional speckled trout in the early morning hours.
Vance, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that live shrimp are fooling a few speckled trout in the early mornings.
A few sheepshead and flounder are coming over the rails.
Live baiters saw some action with large spanish mackerel early last week, but it’s slowed down due to dirty water.
