Southport – June 11, 2015
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have been weighing in big numbers of cobia at the shop over the past week (some citation fish but most 20-30 lbs.). The cobes are falling for live baits around nearshore structure off the beachfront and around schools of bait in the area.
King mackerel are also feeding close to the beach (with fish to 38 lbs. landed at Yaupon Reef recently) and biting live baits. Anglers have been reporting good action with kings from the nearshore spots out to Lighthouse Rocks and the Horseshoe area as well.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are looking for meals along the beachfront and pouncing on flashy trolling lures like Clarkspoons.
Ashton Fields (age 11) with her first king mackerel, a 15 lb. fish that struck a dead cigar minnow in 32′ of water off Oak Island.
Inshore, flounder fishing remains hot around structure like docks, in the creeks, and around the inlets. Anglers are hooking the flatfish on live baits, bucktail jigs, and soft baits like Gulps, Shrimpostors, and curlytail grubs.
The red drum action is red-hot in the creeks and marshes throughout the area. Slot and over-slot red drum are falling for live baits, Gulps, curlytail grubs, and gold spoons.
Speckled trout fishing has been excellent recently as well (with more citation fish this spring than any in recent memory). The largest specks are falling for topwater plugs and suspending hard baits like MirrOlure MR17’s, but anglers are hooking big numbers of the smaller fish on a variety of soft plastics and live baits.
Sheepshead are looking for meals around rocks and bridge and dock pilings in the Cape Fear River and ICW near Southport. Anglers can tempt the sheeps to bite fiddler crabs or sand fleas fished tight to the structure they call home.
Aaron Rockwell, of Raleigh, NC, with a 25″ red drum and a 25″ speckled trout that bit live baits near Oak Island while he was fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters.
Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with some large gag and scamp grouper while fishing offshore bottom structure in 100-200’ of water. Live baits like menhaden are fooling the larger groupers. Squid and cut baits are producing triggerfish, black sea bass, beeliners, and other tasty smaller fish.
Amberjacks and some cobia are schooling up in many of the same areas and also pouncing on live baits.
King mackerel are feeding at spots from the beachfront out to the 100’ depths. Anglers are also fooling the kings with live menhaden, but mostly while trolling or light-lining instead of dropping baits to the bottom.
Spanish mackerel are feeding just off the beaches, where anglers are hooking big numbers on trolled Clarkspoons.
Some large sharks are in the same area. They won’t take long to find a big cut bait fished from a drifting or anchored boat.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that anglers are still seeing a king mackerel bite along the beachfront at Oak Island, but it’s good one day and slow the next. Live menhaden are the best bet for the kings.
Dolphin are feeding well in the 20-30 mile range, where anglers can slow-troll with live baits or cigar minnows or pull rigged ballyhoo faster to hook up.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers caught several king mackerel while live-baiting from the end of the pier last week.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are around in excellent numbers and biting Gotcha plugs and straw rigs.
Anglers are still catching big numbers of speckled trout in the early morning hours with a smaller late afternoon bite. Live shrimp are fooling the majority of the specks.
Several sheepshead and black drum have been landed recently, and bottom fishermen are also hooking plenty of skates and dogfish. Shrimp and squid are fooling the bottom feeders.
The water is 79 degrees.
