Added on Thursday, June 26, 2008  Gary Hurley

Southport June 26, 2008

Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that spanish mackerel fishing is red hot along the beaches to a few miles offshore. Size 00 Clarkspoons on #1 and #2 planers are drawing plenty of bites from the spanish, and mackerel tree rigs are also working well (sometimes producing multiple hookups).

Shark fishing has been good overall lately just off the beaches, with a few slow days. Fresh spanish mackerel are one of the best baits, and fresh baits will definitely increase anglers’ odds of a shark hookup.

King mackerel are feeding at nearly all the AR’s, ledges, and other structure in the area. Live pogies are the best king baits, particularly at the nearshore structure, but they’ve been tough to find since last week’s fronts. Offshore, frozen cigar minnows on king rigs are getting plenty of bites.

Dolphin are mixed in with the kings at the offshore spots, and they are readily biting the frozen minnows. There are also a few sailfish feeding in the same areas, so anglers might be surprised by a billfish when king trolling.

Bottom fishing is still good, with anglers landing groupers, black sea bass, snappers, and occasionally a hogfish or African pompano while baiting up with cigar minnows and squid. The area around Frying Pan Tower has been especially productive lately.

Nearshore, the reefs should produce solid action with spadefish and flounder for most of the summer. Anglers can target the spades by chumming with jelly balls and baiting up with small pieces of them.

A Carolina-rigged mud minnow with a 1-2 oz. weight should produce action with the flounder.

 

Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that the excellent speckled trout bite is still going on. Anglers are catching lots of trout while fishing live shrimp below floats and on the bottom. The bite has been best in the mornings.

The flounder bite has also been good. Live baits on the bottom will tempt the flatfish to bite.

Bottom fishermen are catching good numbers of whiting and some spadefish on cut shrimp.

Plug casters are hooking some spanish mackerel and plenty of bluefish on Gotcha plugs.

Anglers fishing large live baits from the end of the pier landed several king mackerel last week.

 

Richard, of Get Reel Charters, reports that bottom fishing is still excellent southwest of Frying Pan Tower. Anglers are hooking up with grunts, sea bass, triggerfish, beeliners, grouper, and other tasty bottom dwellers. Squid baits are producing the most action.

There are still some king mackerel feeding around the Tower, and also good numbers of kings at most of the ledges, rocks, and other structure inshore of it. Some dolphin are also feeding with the kings. Dead cigar minnows have been producing excellent results on the kings.

 

Billie, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that surf and pier anglers are landing some speckled trout, whiting, and spots. Shrimp should get attention from all three.

Offshore boats are coming back with good catches of dolphin, grouper, and kings.

 

Tommy, of Southport Angler Outfitters, reports that there are still plenty of spanish mackerel feeding just off the island’s surf, and that fly-casting has been productive for them over the past week.

Anglers are catching a few flounder in the Cape Fear.

There are some red drum feeding in Buzzard’s Bay. The drum will fall for a variety of baits, including live shrimp, finger mullet, and pogies, and lures like Redfish Magic spinnerbaits and Gulps.

The king mackerel bite has been excellent at the Horseshoe lately. Live cigar minnows jigged up from the structure have been producing the best results on the kings.