Southport – November 13, 2014
Alice Cline, of Southport, NC, with her first king mackerel catch, hooked on spanish sardines near Lighthouse Rocks while she was fishing with her husband.
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are seeing some solid fall fishing in the area at present.
Flounder are still on the feed inshore (as 9 and 12 lb. fish weighed in recently attest), and anglers will likely have a few more weeks to target the flatfish before the bite shuts down for winter. Live baits like finger mullet are top choices for the flounder, but anglers can also hook up on bucktail jigs and a variety of soft plastics.
Speckled trout action is also going strong, and anglers are connecting with the specks in the creeks, around structure like docks and bridges, and near shelly areas off the ICW. Soft plastics like curlytail grubs and suspending lures like MirrOlures are fooling most of the trout, and some anglers are also using live shrimp with great success.
Black drum are schooled up in Wildlife and Davis creeks, along with the Elizabeth River. Anglers are hooking big numbers of the drum while soaking cut shrimp on the bottom.
Red drum are looking for meals in the creeks, marshes, and near the inlets. Anglers are fooling the reds on all the same baits and lures that the other inshore predators are taking an interest in.
Trout and drum remain in the area year-round, but anglers will likely have to do some searching to find the fish and slow down their presentations and fish smaller baits and lures as the mercury drops.
Tommy Craddock, of Oak Island, with a 12. lb., 14 oz. flounder that struck a Gulp shrimp in the ICW behind the island.
Offshore, there’s been some solid king mackerel action around the Horseshoe and Frying Pan Tower, and anglers will likely be able to find the fish all winter as long as they can find water temperatures in the upper-60’s. Dead cigar minnows are fooling most of the kings.
Bottom fishing in the same areas has been producing fast action with tasty black sea bass, grunts, snappers, and more. Squid and cut baits will fool all the bottom dwellers.
Teresa, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are still connecting with good numbers of speckled trout inshore, with most of the action in the creeks. Live shrimp and a variety of artificial lures will fool the specks.
Flounder are also still on the feed inshore and around the inlets, and anglers can tempt them to bite live and cut baits or soft plastics.
Surf casters are hooking some spot and sea mullet on shrimp.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that anglers have still been seeing some spanish mackerel and bluefish nearshore, but the spaniards will be moving on for the winter soon.
King mackerel have moved out to where the water temperatures are in the 70-degree range, and they will continue to follow the warm water offshore as winter draws near. Live baits and dead cigar minnows will fool the kings.
Gag grouper have moved in a bit closer to shore, and anglers can find them in the 70-80’ depths at present. Live, dead, and cut baits will all fool the gags.
Anglers should also see some solid wahoo action if they make the run to the Gulf Stream over the coming weeks.
Wally, of Oak Island Charters, reports that anglers are seeing some solid king mackerel action in the 20 mile range right now, and they’re hooking them on dead cigar minnows and strip baits.
Wahoo fishing has been solid for boats making the run to the Gulf Stream lately, with skirted ballyhoo fooling most of the fish.
Gag grouper have pushed in to the 65’ depths, where anglers can find them feeding around rocks, ledges, and other structure. Live baits like pinfish and menhaden are tough to beat for the gags.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with sea mullet, croaker, and pompano while bottom fishing with shrimp.
Flounder are biting small live baits fished under the pier.
Bluefish are taking an interest in anglers’ bottom rigs as well as casting lures like Gotcha plugs.
