Southport – June 5, 2014
Steve Dade with a 9.5 lb., 31″ spanish mackerel that struck a ballyhoo at Frying Pan Tower Reef while he was fishing on the “Mary B.”
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that the flounder action continues to heat up inshore (with several more citation fish weighed in this week). Anglers are finding the fish around inshore structure like docks and bridges and in the marshes and creeks. Live baits like mud minnows and peanut menhaden, as well as soft plastic baits pinned to jigheads, are fooling the majority of the flatfish.
Speckled trout action is still hot as well, but the season remains closed until June. Most of the fish are feeding around docks, bridges, islands, and oyster bars off the Cape Fear River and ICW, and anglers are fooling them on topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits.
Red drum are in many of the same areas as the specks and flatfish and also taking an interest in live baits, soft plastics, and topwaters.
Black drum and sheepshead are looking for meals around docks, bridge pilings, and other hard structure inshore. Anglers can fool both crustacean-lovers with fiddler crabs or shrimp fished close to their homes.
Shannon Clark with an amberjack she hooked on a topwater plug while fishing off Carolina Beach with her husband, Capt. Rennie Clark of Tournament Trail Charters.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still on the feed around the mouth of the river and up and down the beachfront. Anglers are connecting with plenty of both while trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and cigar weights.
Cobia have shown back up along the beaches, though not in the numbers they were a few weeks ago. Live menhaden and casting lures like Al Gag Whip-it Eels are attracting attention from the cobes.
King mackerel are also feeding a short distance offshore, and boaters hooked them at Yaupon and McGlamery reefs (along with Lighthouse Rocks) last week. Live menhaden have been attracting most of the attention from the kings.
Dolphin are starting to push inshore from the Gulf Stream, and anglers reported decent numbers of gaffers around the Horseshoe last week while dragging live and dead baits.
Annette, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has turned back on, and anglers are hooking the spaniards while trolling Clarkspoons from boats and working lures like Gotcha plugs from the piers. Plenty of bluefish are mixed in with the spanish.
A few cobia have also been caught by pier anglers and boats fishing nearshore over the past week. Offshore boaters are still reporting solid dolphin fishing along the edge of the Gulf Stream.
Inshore, anglers are connecting with speckled trout, red drum, and flounder in the creeks and around structure like docks. Most are falling for live baits or Gulps and other soft plastics.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that anglers have seen some solid grouper action around structure in the 100’ depths lately, with gags, reds, and scamps all hitting the fish box. Live, dead, and cut baits will all attract attention from the grouper.
Dolphin have pushed inshore to the Horseshoe, where they’re feeding alongside king mackerel. Both are taking an interest in live and dead baits.
There’s also been some solid king and cobia action around the nearshore reefs and bait balls just off the beachfront lately. Live menhaden are the way to go for both fish nearshore.
The spanish mackerel bite is still going strong, and anglers are putting together excellent catches while trolling Clarkspoons.
Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that bottom fishing has been excellent recently. Anglers dropping baits to structure in the 100’ range and deeper are connecting with good numbers of large gag and scamp grouper, along with a host of other bottom feeders like black sea bass, beeliners, triggerfish, and more. Live baits are producing most of the action with the larger grouper, with squid and cut baits fooling the smaller bottomfish.
Some dolphin and king mackerel are feeding in the same areas and biting light-lined live and dead baits on the surface.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some sea mullet and bluefish while bottom fishing with shrimp and cut baits.
Some flounder and red drum are also falling for live and cut baits on bottom rigs.
Plug casters are connecting with bluefish and spanish mackerel while working Gotchas and mackerel tree rigs.
Live-baiters fishing the end of the pier have hooked cobia and some large spanish mackerel over the past week.
