Added on Thursday, July 31, 2008  Gary Hurley

Southport July 31, 2008

Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that spanish mackerel are returning to the beaches now that the water is clearing up. The standard tactic of trolling #1 and #2 planers with #00 Clarkspoons in gold and silver should produce action with the spanish.

King mackerel are also returning to the beaches to feed on the abundant pogy schools.

The nearshore reefs are holding good numbers of spadefish, and anglers baiting up with strips of jelly ball should be able to tempt them to bite.

Tarpon are feeding on the shoals off Bald Head, and anglers may be able to hook up with one of the silver kings by fishing cut baits on the bottom and live pogies or other baits on top.

Amberjacks and barracuda are feeding on the higher profile offshore wrecks, and live baits will attract their attention. African pompano are holding around the same structure, and they may fall for the live baits as well.

Sailfish are feeding at many of the typical king mackerel spots, and they have been taking an interest in both live and dead baits lately.

Bottom fishing has been excellent at structure 30+ miles off shore. Anglers are hooking up with beeliners, triggerfish, porgies, grunts, and groupers while baiting up with cut baits, squid, and Gulp baits. A dead cigar minnow fished on a light line while bottom fishing may well attract attention from kings, dolphin, or African pompano.

 

Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been picking back up. Many of the fish are in the 2-3.5 lb. range, and Gotcha plugs have been fooling them.

The flounder bite is also on the upswing, and anglers fishing with small live baits landed a number in the 2-3 lb. range last week.

Bottom fishermen are catching decent numbers of pompano and spadefish while fishing close to the pier’s pilings with cut shrimp.

The speckled trout bite is petering out, but anglers are still picking up a few 1-2 lb. trout.

A few kings were landed from the end of the pier last week, with the largest weighing 21 lbs.

The water is 88 degrees.

 

Richard, of Get Reel Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been improving in the nearshore waters, and anglers landed good numbers of spanish while trolling Clarkspoons last week.

There are still plenty of sharks feeding off Bald Head, and anglers should be able to hook up with little difficulty on large cut baits.

King mackerel and some dolphin are feeding offshore of the Horseshoe, and anglers are hooking them while trolling dead cigar minnows.

Some sailfish are feeding in the same areas and falling for the cigars as well.

Bottom fishing has been solid at structure in 90-100′ lately. Cigar minnows and squid dropped to the bottom are drawing bites from grunts, big beeliners, and scamp and strawberry groupers.

 

Tommy, of Southport Angler Outfitters, reports that the king mackerel bite has been good around the Lighthouse Rocks over the past week. Live pogies are producing most of the action, and anglers landed kings to 25+ lbs. last week. Some cobia are also feeding in the area, and they should fall for pogies as well.

Spadefish are schooled up and feeding on the nearshore reefs.

Several tarpon have been hooked by anglers fishing live and dead baits around the Bald Head shoals, though not many have been landed. Live baits fished on top and mid-water, as well as dead baits on the bottom, will tempt bites from the tarpon.

There are also plenty of blacktip sharks feeding in the area, and they’ll provide acrobatic fights for anglers trying for tarpon.

Inshore, anglers are finding red drum feeding in the deeper creek channels, though they may have to try a few before they find the fish. There are also some flounder and a few large trout in the same areas, and anglers can hook up with all three while fishing Carolina-rigged finger mullet.

 

John, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are catching some speckled trout and flounder in Lockwood Folly Inlet on live finger mullet.

Some flounder, trout, and reds are also feeding in the back creeks.

Surf and pier anglers are catching some pompano and a few bluefish and speckled trout.