Added on Thursday, May 8, 2014  Gary Hurley

Southport – May 8, 2014

Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that spanish mackerel have shown up along the beachfront at Oak Island, and anglers are hooking them while casting from the piers and trolling from boats.

Some king mackerel have also arrived nearshore to delight pier anglers and boaters as well. Live baits like menhaden and bluefish are tough to beat for the kings.

A few cobia have already been caught in the same vicinity, so anglers should keep an eye out for one of the tasty brown shadows showing up to check out the boat or swimming by the piers.

Inshore, the red drum bite is still strong in the creeks and marshes, where anglers are hooking the fish on topwater plugs and a variety of soft plastic baits.

Plenty of speckled trout are feeding in the creeks as well, but they’re still closed to harvest until June. Live baits and a variety of soft and hard artificials will attract attention from the specks.

Flounder fishing is improving by the week (with some fish approaching 5 lbs. weighed in lately). Casting live or soft plastic baits around the marshes and inshore structure in the area is the way to go for the flatties.

Annette, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are connecting with king mackerel in solid numbers from the piers and while slow-trolling live baits in boats within a few miles of the beachfront.

Some cobia are in the same areas, and they also will take an interest in live baits.

Spanish mackerel have arrived en masse as well (and they’ve been big, averaging 18-22”). Anglers are hooking the spaniards while working Gotcha plugs and mackerel tree rigs from the piers and trolling Clarkspoons from boats.

Inshore, there’s still a good puppy drum bite in the creeks and marshes, where anglers can cast soft plastics or live baits to hook up.

The flounder bite is starting to turn on in the backwaters as well, but anglers must wade through the undersized fish to get to the keepers. Live baits and soft plastics are the way to go for the flatfish.

Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with spanish mackerel and Atlantic bonito while trolling Clarkspoons and diving plugs by casting metal jigs at schools of fish feeding on the surface. Nearshore structure within 10 miles of the beachfront has been producing the majority of the action.

King mackerel are also feeding nearshore off Oak Island, and anglers are hooking some stout kings while slow-trolling live baits like bluefish and menhaden.

Targeting bottom structure further offshore (100’+) is producing solid catches of gag and scamp grouper, with live baits doing most of the damage. Plenty of black sea bass are in the same areas and biting cut baits and squid.

Light-lining while bottom fishing tempted bites from dolphin and a 61 lb. wahoo last week.

Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that anglers are hooking up with large spanish mackerel and some Atlantic bonito while trolling and casting around surface activity along the Oak Island beachfront.

Offshore, bottom fishing at structure in around 80’ is producing action with black sea bass and gag grouper.

King mackerel are schooled up south of Frying Pan Tower and taking a hearty interest in dead cigar minnows and Drone spoons.

Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with bluefish and spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs and mackerel tree rigs from the pier. A jack crevalle also fell for a Gotcha last week.

Sea mullet and some fat pompano are taking an interest in bottom rigs baited with shrimp.

Red drum and some small flounder are biting shrimp and live baits on the bottom as well.

Vance, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that anglers have hooked good numbers of king mackerel while fishing live bluefish off the end of the pier over the past week (some to 30+ lbs.). Several cobia also fell for live baits on king rigs last week.

Bottom fishermen are connecting with some stout pompano and slot puppy drum while baiting up with shrimp.