Southport June 17, 2010
Dana Zeron with her first dolphin, a cow that fell for a live pogy a few miles southwest of Frying Pan Tower while she was fishing with her husband Bill on the "Bottom Line."
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that the area’s offshore bite is hot right now.
King mackerel are feeding on just about any rock or other structure that is holding bait, with particularly good action around the Horseshoe last week. Live pogies are the best baits, but anglers are also hooking up while pulling frozen cigar minnows.
Dolphin are feeding in many of the same areas and on out to the Gulf Stream. When anglers can find the fish, a bare hook baited with a piece of squid or cigar minnow will fool them. And keeping a hooked fish in the water will usually keep the school around long enough for anglers to hook a few.
Offshore bottom fishing has been producing plenty of action at most any rocks, wrecks, and other structure in 80’ or deeper. Squid and cut baits are attracting bites from grunts, sea bass, pinkies, beeliners, and more, and anglers should stay on the move until they find a good bite to maximize their catch.
Grouper are holding on the same areas. Anglers can hook them on frozen cigar minnows or cut baits, but live baits like pogies and cigar minnows are the best bets.
Fishing the same live baits around the area’s wrecks will produce plenty of back-breaking battles with amberjacks.
Spanish mackerel are feeding along the beaches, and they will take an interest in #00 Clarkspoons behind planers, trolling weights, and bird teasers. Casting small metal lures to feeding schools of fish will also produce action.
Tommy, of Southport Angler Outfitters, reports that the dolphin and king mackerel bite is on around the Horseshoe and other similar areas. Live pogies and dead cigar minnows will both attract attention from the kings and dolphin.
Bottom fishing in the area has been productive for scamp grouper and a variety of other fish like sea bass, pinkies, grunts, and beeliners. Live baits are top choices for the grouper, while squid and cut baits will fool most of the other fish.
Amberjacks are stacked up on wrecks and other high-relief structure in the area, and they will take an interest in live baits. The baits can also be used to chum the fish to the surface, where they can be targeted successfully with a fly rod.
Inshore the flounder and red drum bite has been solid in the Cape Fear River around Southport. Live finger mullet and peanut pogies or a variety of soft plastic baits will fool both fish.
Vince and Thomas Mounts, David Shields, Barry Stephens, Steve Hauser, and Brad Dix with amberjacks, a cobia, a king mackerel, and bottomfish they hooked while fishing near Frying Pan Tower with Capts. Butch and Chris Foster of Yeah Right Charters out of Southport.
John, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking up with decent numbers of speckled trout in the backwaters, mostly on live shrimp.
The flounder and red drum bite’s also been decent in the backwater creeks. Live pogies, Gulp baits, and other lures will attract their attention.
Anglers on the piers and trolling along the beachfront are hooking up with good numbers of spanish mackerel on Clarkspoons and Gotcha plugs.
Some king mackerel and cobia are also feeding along the beaches and at nearshore structure. Live baits like pogies are the best bet for both species.
Derek, of Yellow Dog Charters, reports that anglers are finding some solid action with amberjacks and grouper at bottom structure in 100’ of water. Live baits are the best bets for them, but pogies have been tough to come by lately. Fortunately, there’ve been good amounts of jig-able bait at the offshore buoys and structure.
Some dolphin (to 10 lbs.) and school king mackerel are feeding around the Horseshoe, and live baits are also producing the best results with them.
Spadefish have shown up at nearshore structure, and anglers can hook up with them on pieces of jellyfish.
The spanish mackerel bite has been solid along the beaches, and trolling Clarkspoons or casting Gotcha plugs is the way to hook them.
Inshore, anglers are finding some solid flounder fishing (with some limit catches). Live finger mullet are fooling most of the flatties, and the best action’s been in the Lockwood Folly and Shallotte rivers.
Dylan and Kyle Jefferys with a 30 lb. dolphin they hooked near WR4 on a pink Blue Water Candy Gaffer Candy. Weighed in at Island Tackle and Hardware.
Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that live-baiters are still hooking decent numbers of king mackerel and a few tarpon.
The spanish mackerel bite is off-and-on depending on the winds and water clarity, but anglers are still picking up some solid (to 3.5 lbs.) spaniards on smaller live baits and while casting Gotcha plugs.
The speckled trout bite is solid for anglers fishing live shrimp in the early mornings. Some black and red drum are mixed in.
Anglers fishing shrimp on bottom rigs are finding a summer mix of whiting, pompano, and other bottom feeders.
Sheepshead are feeding around the pier’s pilings, but lately not many anglers have been targeting them.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are decking some whiting and fat black drum on cut shrimp.
The speckled trout bite has been good in the early mornings, and live shrimp are fooling most of the fish.
The water is still full of bluefish, so much so that it’s tough to get a bait to the spanish mackerel also feeding nearby.
Anglers fishing barnacles next to the pilings are finding some action with fat sheepshead (to 6 lbs.).
