Southport – June 23, 2016
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait & Tackle, reports that the flounder bite is heating up quite a bit, with larger flounder up to 7 lbs. being weighed in, although the average is 2-4 lbs. The flatfish are biting peanut pogies rigged on Carolina rigs and bucktails with a flounder strip. The fish will also fall for Gulp with a big lead head.
The trout bite has also picked up, with the average fish being caught between 2-3 lbs., as well as a few citations mixed in. Target the fish with MirrOlures and topwater lures, such as Top Dogs, early in the morning and late afternoon. The fish will also bite soft plastics, such as curly tail Gulps. Red drum will hit the same lures as the trout, and they are also hitting gold spoons, Cajun topwater lures, and live baits (such as mud minnows). Look to target the reds with finger mullet in the upcoming weeks.
The sheepshead bite has increased. Anglers can look for these fish around piers, docks, or any structure with barnacles, and they can hook up with them using fiddler crabs and sand fleas. Black drum are swimming in the creeks and waterways around Southport, and they can be caught using bait shrimp on bottom rigs.
The spanish are right off the beach and can be hooked while trolling Clarkspoons. Most of the fish that are running are between 2-3 lbs., but 7 lb. citation fish have been weighed in in the past week. Kings have also come in close recently, and anglers wanting to target these fish should light line bait. This method can also yield a cobia hookup, and although the bite has slowed, a couple of 40-50 lb. cobia have recently been reported.
James Henderson and Bill Jones, of Raleigh, with a stringer of speckled trout and flounder caught near Bald Head Island using live bait. They were fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters.
John, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that the trout bite is still on during the morning hours. Live shrimp under a floating cork are tempting the fish, and they are beginning to see larger sizes being caught, with a 6 lb. fish recently weighed in.
There are small flounder in the backwaters around Southport. Small minnows and live shrimp on a Carolina rig will fool the flatfish.
Fishing in the surf has stayed consistent, with anglers using bottom rigs and cut bait to land croaker, whiting, and small spots.
Jason McQuage, of Boiling Springs Lakes, with a 32” red drum he caught on cut mullet while fishing in the Lockwood Folly Inlet.
Nesbitt, of The Tackle Box, reports that the flounder have started biting, and anglers can target them with live bait and artificials such as soft plastics. The redfish are also hitting soft plastics, rigged on jigheads, and anglers can expect to start seeing some slot fish being caught.
The cobia bite offshore has slowed, but anglers can still find them scattered around pogie pods.
Spanish are showing up more around the beaches and bait pods, and they can be targeted using Clarkspoons or umbrella rigs. A few are just barely regulation size, but some 5+ lb. fish have also been reported.
Offshore the bite has slowed for mahi and tuna, but bottom fishing has picked up, with the grouper and triggerfish bite proving successful for anglers.
Alice Cline, of Bolivia, with a mahi she caught on ballyhoo while fishing near Frying Pan Tower.
Mark, of Angry Pelican Charters, reports that the inshore flounder bite in the backwaters has picked up, and there have been keeper fish landed. Anglers looking to target the flatfish should fish peanut pogies on a Carolina rig.
Nearshore, there are a few cobia still hanging around the waters off the beach. They can be found in waters ranging from 10-35’, and some of the better fishing has been in the deeper water. Look for the bait balls to target the fish.
Bait balls are also holding large bluefish, spanish, and sharks, with black nose and spinners reported.
Erica Cooke, of Leland, with a 22″ flounder she caught near Bald Head Island.
Wally, of Oak Island Charters, reports that inshore the flounder and red drum fishing has been steady. Flatfish from 2-3 lbs. have been reported, and the fish are falling for live menhaden. Anglers looking to target reds can use the same bait.
Offshore, between 40-50 miles, grouper fishing has picked up.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that the spanish bite has slowed down this week, but the shark bite has picked up as the waters warm. Anglers are still connecting with a few cobia along the beach, and they should look for the bait balls to locate the fish.
The kings have moved into the 15-20 mile range, and trolling cigar minnows is the best way to hook up. A few mahi can be found mixed in.
Offshore, bottom fishing has produced grouper, triggerfish, black sea bass, and snapper in the 35-40 mile range.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking up with a variety of panfish, including whiting, croaker, and pompano. Flounder, pompano, and speckled trout have been mixed in.
The water temperature is in the mid-70s.
Steve, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that quite a few speckled trout are coming up over the rails. Anglers are using live shrimp on a floating cork to target the fish.
Bottom fish (such as croakers and whiting) are also being caught, and anglers should use bottom rigs tipped with shrimp.
