Southport November 15, 2012
Yates and Paxton Doby, of Indian Trail, NC, with 26″ and 19″ red drum they hooked in the Oak Island surf on live mullet.
Steve, of The Tackle Box, reports that the area’s speckled trout bite was on fire before Hurricane Sandy and has gotten even better since. Limit catches have been common for anglers fishing in the creeks, marshes, and around inshore structure, and anglers are seeing some quality fish along with the big numbers. Anglers can tempt the specks to bite a variety of soft plastic baits including Gulp baits and Bass Assassins and suspending hard lures like MirrOlure MR17’s and Yo-Zuri’s 3D series. Drifting live shrimp under float rigs is an even more effective technique and is also producing some bonus black drum.
Flounder fishing is winding down for the year, but anglers are still picking some up (and some quality fish) while trout and red fishing.
Anglers are hooking some red drum alongside the specks, and some huge reds have been feeding at nearshore structure like Yaupon Reef. Some citation-class fish have also been caught and released in the surf from the point at Bald Head Island. Large cut baits are the way to go for the reds in the surf, and they’ll bite just about anything at the reefs.
Ronnie Frye, of Granite Falls, NC, with a 38″ red drum that he caught and released at Yaupon Reef after it struck a pink/white Stingsilver.
Boats making the run to Frying Pan Tower last week found an excellent king mackerel bite. Live baits are a bit tough to come by right now, but the winter kings aren’t picky and will often bite dead cigar minnows just as well.
John, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are connecting with some healthy speckled trout in Wildlife Creek while working soft plastic baits like Gulps, curlytail grubs, and D.O.A. shrimp. The other local creeks, inshore structure like bridges, and marshes are also producing some decent trout fishing right now.
Some puppy drum are mixed in with the trout in the creeks, and they will pounce on the same baits.
A few flounder are still around and providing a pleasant surprise for anglers targeting the trout and reds.
Sea mullet are feeding just off the beach, and pier anglers caught good numbers on shrimp and bloodworms last week.
David Haskell, of Greensboro, NC, with a red drum that bit a live mullet near Oak Island while he was fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters.
Offshore anglers found solid king mackerel action around Frying Pan Tower and at other offshore spots last week. Some stray dolphin were also feeding in the 40 mile range, but they’ll be headed south before long. Live baits, when anglers can get them, are the best bets for the kings, but dead cigar minnows are also effective and save anglers the time and hassle of catching bait.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with plenty of panfish, including sea mullet, puffers, and croaker on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
There’s still a decent trout bite going on off the pier, and cut baits seemed to be the most effective offerings for the specks last week.
Some flounder are still feeding around the pilings. Live baits are the best bets for the flatfish, but anglers can also hook up on shrimp or cut baits at times.
One large red drum (25+ lbs.) was caught and released from the pier last week.
