Southport June 27, 2013
Rick Troiano, of Atlantic City, NJ, with a healthy speckled trout that bit a live bait near Southport while he was fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters.
Steve, of The Tackle Box, reports that anglers have been finding some quality flounder (many 4-6 lbs.) around the Southport waterfront and in many of the local creeks, especially near Bald Head Island. Live menhaden and mud minnows are fooling most of the flatfish, but anglers are also connecting with a few while working soft plastics like Gulp baits.
The speckled trout bite has been on around shelly marsh banks and oyster bars on both sides of the river and ICW recently. Some healthy (20”+) specks are also coming from the Southport waterfront. Live shrimp are far and away the best bets for the trout, but anglers are also hooking good numbers while working soft plastics and suspending hard baits.
The recent cooler weather and rain seems to have the area’s red drum schooling up more tightly than they were a few weeks back. Most are feeding in the marshes and bays, and they’ve been responding well to topwater plugs in recent days. Gulp baits and live and dead shrimp have been producing results with the reds when they turn down the topwaters.
Anglers are hooking sheepshead from the Southport city pier and around other docks and structure inshore. Live fiddler crabs are tough for the sheeps to turn down.
Ladyfish have also shown up around Southport and the mouth of the river, and anglers hooked good numbers last week on a variety of artificial lures including flies.
A few king mackerel have been hooked along the beachfront recently, but the action’s been better at spots 10+ miles off the beach. Live menhaden and dead cigar minnows are both solid bets for the kings.
Grouper are still feeding around bottom structure in 90’ and deeper when the weather lets anglers get that far offshore. Live baits are the best bets for anglers looking to hook up with the larger grouper.
Further offshore, anglers are still finding some solid gaffer dolphin action, but the best bite is still out along the break. Trolling ballyhoo paired with skirted lures is the way to connect with the ‘phins.
Annette, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have been connecting with some spot while bottom fishing in the surf and from the piers this week. Most are falling for bloodworms and shrimp pinned to double drop bottom rigs.
Some flounder are also feeding around the pier pilings and inshore, and live mud minnows or other small fish will get their attention. Anglers can also work scented baits like Gulps with success on the flatfish.
Nicholas Deason with a citation red drum he caught and released at Yaupon Reef after it fell for a Gulp bait on a 2 oz. jighead.
Sheepshead are showing up under the ocean piers and around inshore structure, and they will take an interest in sand fleas or fiddler crabs.
Some speckled trout have also been feeding around the piers and docks and oyster rocks inshore. They have a tough time turning down a live shrimp fished under a float.
Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are catching solid numbers of red drum (with some to 30-32”) in the local creeks, with the waterways behind Bald Head Island particularly productive recently.
Some flounder and speckled trout are feeding alongside the reds, and all three are taking an interest in live shrimp fished under floats.
The ocean water is improving after the recent weather, and if the trend holds, the spanish mackerel bite should be back on track soon.
Large blacktip sharks are feeding just off the beaches and taking an interest in live menhaden.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some speckled trout on live minnows and shrimp.
Some flounder are also falling for the same baits.
Bottom fishermen are hooking some sea mullet and spot on shrimp and bloodworms.
Vance, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are decking good numbers of spot while bottom fishing with shrimp and bloodworms.
Some speckled trout are falling for live shrimp alongside the pier.
