Southport – July 7, 2016
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that the flounder bite has picked up quite a bit, with the fish falling for a variety of baits, including live peanut pogies, bucktails, and artificials such as Gulps on a jighead. Most of the flounder have been weighing between 2-4 lbs., but 5 lb. fish are becoming common and a 7.5 lb. fish has been reported.
Anglers targeting red drum have been successful when using artificials, such as Gulp, or topwater lures in the early morning or late evening hours. Many fish have been reported as being in-slot, though several citations have been written for anglers catching and releasing the larger fish.
Speckled trout are preferring live baits to artificials, with shrimp, mud minnows, and smaller mullet minnows proving effective if you can net them. Peanut pogies are also working, and catching fish in the 2-4 lb. range is common, along with scattered citation fish.
Black drum have been reported in the Elizabeth River and in connecting creeks. Anglers can connect with these fish, now reaching 6-8 lbs., using fiddler crabs and sand fleas. The same bait will work on sheepshead, and anglers should look for them around structure such as the ADM Pier and the Oak Island Bridge.
The spanish bite is strong out in the ocean, and anglers can troll Clarkspoons when looking to target the fish. Several have been weighed in over 7 lbs., but the average size of the spanish are between 1.5-4 lbs. There are a few kings and cobia mixed in, but these two species have mostly moved into deeper and cooler water. Anglers looking for these fish should head out towards 15 Mile Rock.
Eli Jackson with a 28.5″ red drum he caught and released in the waters around Southport.
Annete, of Dutchman Creek, reports that red and black drum have been caught in the backwaters and creeks. Anglers looking to target these species should use live shrimp when available, but the fish will also fall for artificials such as soft plastics.
Surf anglers are connecting with pompano and trout, and pier anglers are reporting similar catches.
Nearshore, anglers are connecting with flounder and large red drum around nearby reefs, and they’re using live shrimp and artificials to tempt bites.
Anglers fishing offshore have hooked up with several mahi.
Mark, of Angry Pelican Charters, reports that inshore the flounder bite around docks and in the creeks has been pretty steady. Anglers are finding success with the flatfish using Carolina rigs tipped with peanut pogies.
Nearshore, cobia are still being sighted, but most have moved into deeper water. The spanish bite has been steady around tide changes, and the fish can be found in shallower water than in the past few weeks.
There have been an unusual amount of small kings feeding with the spanish schools, so anglers should take note when targeting spanish. Clarkspoons are working best on the fish, with gold being the favored color.
Greg Melton, of Wilmington, with a citation spanish mackeral he caught pitching live menhaden into bait balls, off Bald Head Island.
Wally, of Oak Island Charters, reports that the red drum and flounder fishing has picked up slightly over the past two weeks. Live menhaden on a Carolina rig is still the best way to target both species, and anglers have reported catching over-slot reds and larger flounder, around 5 lbs., when fishing the area.
Shark fishing has picked up off the beach. Anglers hoping to connect with species such as black tips should use cut bait and target waters 2-3 miles off the beach.
Offshore, grouper fishing has remained good, with scattered snappers also being hooked while bottom fishing. A few cobia have come up with the larger bottom fish, and they can be lured with bucktails once they come to the surface.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that the spanish bite has heated up, and the fish are getting bigger. Trolling along the beaches has yielded spanish between 17-22”, as well as a few small kings that are undersized and easily mistaken for spanish.
In the backwater, the flounder and red drum are biting, and anglers looking to target the fish can use mud minnows and mullet (which are finally big enough to catch in a cast net) on a Carolina rig.
The cobia have left the area, but large tarpon have been spotted. No reports yet, though, of any tarpon being landed.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are still connecting with whiting, croaker, and pompano. There are a few flounder and trout mixed in as well.
The water temperature is in the high-70s.
Steve, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with spanish and bluefish using Gotcha plugs. A few trout have been caught, too, and the trout have fallen for live shrimp on a bottom rig.
