Southport October 1, 2009
Alec Grooms (age 10), of Southport, with a 6 lb. flounder he hooked on a live finger mullet in the lower Cape Fear River while fishing with his father Eddie.
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel bite is still excellent along the beaches, and boats are loading up on the spaniards while trolling Clarkspoons, mackerel trees, and other lures.
Shark fishing has been solid nearshore as well. Large cut or live baits will tempt the sharks to bite.
King mackerel are beginning to make their fall migration towards the beaches to feed on the massive amount of bait in the area. Slow-trolling with live pogies or other baits is the best way to connect with the kings.
Gray trout and large red drum are looking for meals around the nearshore structure like Yaupon Reef. Anglers can hook both while bouncing jigging spoons off the bottom.
Offshore, there’s still some solid king mackerel fishing for anglers light-lining while bottom fishing or trolling with pogies or cigar minnows.
Anglers bottom fishing around offshore structure are finding action with grouper, amberjacks, and a host of smaller bottom feeders like beeliners, grunts, pinkies, triggerfish, and more. Live and cut baits and frozen cigar minnows will fool the grouper and jacks, and anglers can hook the other bottom dwellers on squid and small cut baits.
The Gulf Stream bite should improve as we head into October, and anglers can expect to find action with wahoo, blackfin tuna, a few dolphin, and perhaps even some yellowfin tuna as a reward for making the run to the blue water. Ballyhoo under skirted trolling lures are the baits to pull in the Stream.
Thomas Cutler (age 17), of Oak Island, with a 27.7 lb. tripletail (a pending state record for the species) he hooked off of Ocean Crest Pier on a strip of flounder belly.
John, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that the spot runs have begun, and anglers are catching big numbers on bottom rigs baited with bloodworms from the piers.
Large spanish mackerel (some 5+ lbs.) are feeding from the beachfront out to structure in the 10 mile range, and anglers are hooking them on live baits while trolling for kings.
King mackerel are running the beaches and feeding around Yaupon Reef, the sea buoys, and other structure in the area. Live pogies are producing action with the kings.
Inshore, the speckled trout bite is heating up as the weather cools down. Anglers can hook the specks on live shrimp or a variety of artificial lures.
Some red drum are mixed in with the specks, and anglers are also picking up a few black drum.
The flounder bite is on both inshore and nearshore, and Carolina-rigged live baits are fooling the flatties.
Keith, of Stand’N Down Charters, reports that there’s been a hot king mackerel bite nearshore off Southport. Anglers trolling live baits have been hooking up with good numbers of fish (some to 30 lbs.). The action was particularly hot just east of Yaupon Reef last week.
Tommy, of Southport Angler Outfitters, reports that boats found some good action with king mackerel just off the beaches at Yaupon Reef and other nearby structure last week. Slow-trolling pogies produced most of the fish, and the action should only get better as the air temperatures begin to drop for fall.
Mike Martin, from Belmont, NC, with a couple of speckled trout caught near Bald Head Island using live mullet minnows. He was fishing with Capt. Greer Hughes of Cool Runnings Charters out of Southport.
Avery, of Oak Island Pier, reports that there’s been a solid spot run over the last week. Anglers are hooking most of the fish on shrimp and bloodworms.
Live baits fished on the bottom are attracting attention from some flounder.
Plug casters are finding plenty of action with bluefish, and there have also been a decent number of spanish mackerel caught lately.
Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that there’s been a good flounder bite off the pier lately, mostly for anglers fishing live finger mullet on the bottom.
Spot have been running in the mornings, and anglers are hooking them on shrimp and bloodworms. Later in the day, bottom fishermen are decking some fat whiting and pompano on shrimp.
Plug casters have found decent action with spanish mackerel and plenty of action from bluefish lately. Some of the spanish have been 5+ lbs., and they’re falling for small live baits as well as the plugs.
The king mackerel bite has been excellent, with anglers reporting fish to 28 lbs. over the past week. Live bluefish, pogies, and other baits are attracting attention from the kings.
