Southport June 11, 2009
Vince Gubey and Phil Moseley, of Southport, with a white marlin they hooked near the Blackjack Hole aboard the "Yellow Rose." The white fell for a blue/pink jet head trailing a daisy chain and was released immediately after the photo.
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that plenty of spanish mackerel are feeding along the beaches. Trolling #0 and #00 Clarkspoons behind #1 and #2 planers will produce action with the spanish when anglers find the fish.
King mackerel are feeding at nearshore structure like Yaupon Reef, and live pogies are the ticket to bites from the bigger kings. The pogies are becoming more numerous by the week in the ocean and river, so anglers shouldn’t have much trouble finding baits.
Dolphin are mixed in with king mackerel out at offshore structure like the Horseshoe. Trolling frozen cigar minnows is producing plenty of action with both the kings and dolphin.
Cobia are cruising the same waters as the kings, and they will sometimes follow a king or dolphin to the boat. When that happens, leaving the hooked fish in the water to maintain the cobia’s interest, and then throwing a cigar minnow or bucktail to the fish will produce a hookup.
Bottom fishing is excellent right now, and anglers are loading up coolers with bottom feeders like sea bass, triggerfish, beeliners, grunts, and more while dropping squid, cigar minnows, and cut bait to offshore structure. Grouper are also biting well, but they seem to be showing a preference for live baits. Although, a few have been caught on cigar minnows recently.
Anglers trolling the Gulf Stream are still finding excellent dolphin fishing with a few wahoo, tuna, and billfish hookups to keep it lively. Skirted ballyhoo are the ticket to bites from the Gulf Stream predators.
Jack Elmore, from Raleigh, with a 27" red drum that fell for a topwater plug behind Bald Head Island while he was fishing with his father John.
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Keith, of Stand’N Down Charters, reports that anglers are still finding excellent dolphin fishing in the vicinity of the Blackjack Hole and other local Gulf Stream hotspots. Decent numbers of wahoo are mixed in, as each trip seems to produce at least one. Ballyhoo under South Chatham Tackle Pirate Plugs are producing most of the dolphin, while Blue Water Candy JAG’s are getting the job done on the wahoo.
Deep jigging near the Blackjack has produced hookups with red grouper lately, with Roscoe jigs getting the most attention.
Bottom bouncing further inshore in around 100′ has produced a consistent catch of triggerfish, sea bass, beeliners, American red snappers, and amberjacks. Squid, cigar minnows, and cut baits will all attract attention from the bottom dwellers.
The king mackerel bite is hot around 15 miles offshore (with most fish 12-15 lbs.), with live pogies drawing lots of bites.
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Angie, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that pier anglers are hooking up with spot and speckled trout.
Inshore, speckled trout and red drum are feeding in the creeks, but the flounder bite has been slow.
Boaters are hooking up with spanish mackerel just off the beaches while trolling Clarkspoons. King mackerel are feeding in the same area, and anglers are scoring king bites while trolling dead cigar minnows.
The dolphin and wahoo bite has been solid in the blue water when boats can make it out.
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Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that the speckled trout bite has been phenomenal lately. Anglers are catching limits of 3-4 lb. class specks on live shrimp beneath floats.
A few flounder are falling for live finger mullet fished on the bottom.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with spot and pompano (including a 4.5 lb. pomp weighed last week) on fresh shrimp.
Live baiters caught several king mackerel over the past week, along with several 15-18 lb. barracuda and some big chopper bluefish.
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Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that live baiters landed 18 king mackerel last week (the largest going 36 lbs.). Bluefish and pogies produced most of the bites.
Some spanish mackerel are mixed in on the king rigs, and anglers are catching a few on Gotcha plugs.
Speckled trout are feeding well beneath the pier, and anglers are catching them on live shrimp (many 2-4 lbs.). When it’s calm, Gotcha plugs are also producing good numbers of trout.
Anglers fishing small live baits on the bottom are hooking a decent number of flounder (up to 3 lbs.).
Bottom fishermen are decking some whiting, spadefish, and good numbers of pompano (1-3 lbs.) on fresh shrimp.
The water is 77 degrees.
