Southport – May 7, 2015
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that fishing continues to improve in the Southport area from the creeks out to the blue water.
There’s been an excellent black drum bite in the creeks and around inshore structure like docks and rocks. Most are falling for fresh shrimp fished on the bottom.
Alice Kline, of Southport, with a spanish mackerel and her first Atlantic bonito, hooked while trolling Clarkspoons just off Fort Fisher.
Red drum are feeding in the same areas and on the flats in marshy bays. The reds will bite shrimp as well, along with cut or live baits, soft plastics, topwater plugs, and a variety of other artificials.
Speckled trout are looking for meals in deeper spots in the creeks and off the ICW. Live shrimp are tough to beat for the specks, but anglers who can’t get shrimp can tempt them to bite mud minnows, soft plastics, or suspending plugs like MirrOlures.
Brenda May, of Wade, NC, caught and released this 39″ red drum at Yaupon Reef after it struck a live mullet.
Flounder fishing is also going strong inshore, and the flatfish are feeding in all the same spots as the specks and drum. Live finger mullet, mud minnows, and menhaden are top baits for the flatfish, but anglers can also hook up on a variety of artificial lures like bucktail jigs and scented soft plastic baits.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel have shown up in force just off the beachfront, and anglers are hooking them while working lures from the piers and trolling spoons and plugs from boats.
Oak Island Pier landed its first king mackerel of the season early in the week, and anglers will likely see more making a move towards the beachfront in the coming days. Boats have had excellent luck trolling for the kings from Lighthouse Rocks out to Frying Pan Tower, so there are plenty of fish in the area at present. Live baits are the best bets for the kings once they’re feeding in shallow water near the beachfront, but anglers can find plenty of action trolling dead cigar minnows at spots further offshore.
Dolphin have shown up in the Gulf Stream, and local boats found solid numbers of quality gaffers over the past week. Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures are the best bets for anglers looking to connect with the ‘phins.
Kevin, of Rigged and Ready Charters, reports that anglers have seen some incredible Gulf Stream action over the past week. Trollers are connecting with big numbers of dolphin along with some blackfin tuna and wahoo while working local spots like the Blackjack Hole. Most of the pelagic fish are falling for ballyhoo paired with skirted lures like sea witches, and pink/white seemed to be the hot color this week.
Dropping jigs to bottom structure in 200-300’ of water is producing some stout scamp grouper.
Closer to the beachfront, big numbers of spanish mackerel are feeding just off Brunswick County’s shoreline. Boaters can hook plenty of the spanish while trolling small Clarkspoons behind planers and cigar weights.
Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that dolphin have arrived in force and Gulf Stream trollers are finding big numbers while pulling baits around hotspots like the Steeples and Blackjack Hole. Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures are fooling the ‘phins.
Grouper season is open, and anglers are connecting with some stout gags and scamps while dropping baits to bottom structure in 100-200’ of water. Live baits are the best bets for anglers looking to weed through the smaller bottom fish and connect with the big grouper.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers working Gotcha plugs from the planks are hooking solid numbers of bluefish and spanish mackerel when there’s clean water near the pier.
Bottom fishermen are hauling sea mullet, croaker, pufferfish, and more over the rails. Shrimp and squid are producing most of the action with the bottom feeders.
Anglers soaking small live baits under the pier are connecting with some flounder (most short but keepers to 2-3 lbs. in the mix).
Small speckled trout have also been biting baits and lures in the early to mid-morning hours.
