Southport May 12, 2011
Amy Carraway with her first over-slot red drum, a 30” fish that fell for a topwater plug near a Lockwood Folly dock while she was fishing with Steven “17” Lancaster.
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that the area’s Gulf Stream action has been excellent over the past few weeks. Anglers trolling ballyhoo and lures at local blue water hotspots like the Blackjack Hole and Steeples have been hooking up with good numbers of wahoo, dolphin, blackfin tuna, and a few yellowfins and white marlin.
Offshore bottom fishing has also been very good recently. Grouper are feeding hard, and they are back open for anglers to keep. Other tasty bottom dwellers like beeliners, grunts, porgies, and more are also joining the catch.
Anchoring up on structure like rocks, ledges, and wrecks in 80-100’ of water or deeper is the way to hook up with the bottomfish. Live baits are top choices for the groupers, and anglers can connect with the smaller fish on squid and small cut baits.
Light-lining while bottom fishing has been drawing bites from king mackerel, false albacore, and cobia, and it shouldn’t be long until the dolphin begin moving inshore of the Stream towards the bottom hotspots.
Closer to the beaches, anglers are hooking up with some king mackerel and cobia on live baits, and the action seems to be getting better by the day.
Spanish mackerel and big numbers of bluefish are feeding along the beaches and will take an interest in trolled Clarkspoons and mackerel tree rigs.
Big sharks have also moved inshore and will take an interest in large cut or dead baits.
John, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have caught some large king mackerel from the island’s piers and at nearshore structure like Yaupon Reef. Live baits like pogies and bluefish are the way to go for the kings.
Some cobia have been seen and caught in the same areas, and they’ll take an interest in the live baits as well.
Spanish mackerel are feeding along the beaches, and anglers trolling Clarkspoons and other lures connected with some sizeable spaniards last week.
Plenty of bluefish are in the same areas and will attack the same lures.
Stephen Damasco and Steve Daugherty, from Clarkton, NC, with a pair of black drum they hooked on shrimp in the ICW behind Oak Island.
Inshore, keeper flounder are becoming more numerous, and anglers are hooking them on live mud minnows and Gulp baits.
Red drum are feeding in the creeks and marshes. They’ll strike a variety of live and dead baits.
Jon, of Haag and Sons Seafood, reports that commercial boats fishing deep offshore structure found excellent action with beeliners last week (with many in the 2-4 lb. class and some to 6 lbs.). The commercial season is now closed, but recreational anglers can catch and keep them.
Grouper fishermen found some action with gags in 80-90’ of water and scamps in 130-150’ last week.
Gulf Stream trollers are finding some action with dolphin and king mackerel.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that there have been plenty of chopper bluefish (to 10 lbs.) caught on king rigs and bottom rigs over the past week. Some king mackerel and cobia have been sighted as well.
Tom Cavin, of Kannapolis, NC, with a 60.65 lb. king mackerel he hooked at Yaupon Reef on a live pogy and landed after a 30 minute fight. Weighed in at Oak Island Pier.
Big numbers of smaller blues and some spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs worked from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are finding some action with small spot, croaker, and whiting on shrimp.
Some flounder (most undersized) are taking an interest in live mud minnows fished on the bottom.
Vance, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that several king mackerel (including a 39 pounder) have been landed from the pier in recent days. Live pogies and bluefish on king rigs are the way to go for the kings.
Some chopper bluefish (to 15 lbs.) are also falling for the live baits.
Plug casters are connecting with good numbers of spanish mackerel on Gotcha plugs.
Bottom fishing has been producing some bluefish, sea mullet, and flounder (including a 7.5 lb. fish last week). Live baits are tops for the flounder while shrimp will fool the mullet.
