Southport – October 22, 2015
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are seeing the water clean up and fishing improve around Southport in the wake of the storm several weeks ago.
The speckled trout bite has picked up quite a bit, with anglers hooking good numbers of keeper specks around the local creeks and structure like docks and bridges in the area. Live shrimp are tough to beat for the specks, but also tough to find. Anglers are hooking up on a wide variety of artificial lures as well, including topwater plugs, MirrOlures, and soft plastic baits.
Black drum and a few sheepshead are feeding around rocks, dock pilings, and oysters near Southport. Both will bite shrimp, fiddler crabs, or other crustacean baits.
Flounder fishing has been improving inshore as well, with good numbers of keeper flatfish coming out of the Cape Fear River, ICW, and local creeks. Live finger mullet and menhaden are fooling many of the fish, but anglers are also hooking up on Gulps and other soft plastics as well.
There’s been an excellent run of citation-class red drum around Oak Island recently, with big numbers coming from the nearshore reefs and beachfront and some 40”+ fish feeding alongside the smaller reds inshore. The big reds will bite live and cut baits or a variety of artificial lures.
Spot have shown up in the Cape Fear River mouth, and anglers baiting up with shrimp and bloodworms are hooking good numbers along with some sea mullet.
Out in the ocean, anglers are seeing a few king mackerel along the beachfront, and with clearing water and good amounts of bait, there should be a solid bite of big kings materializing within a few miles of shore. Live bluefish and menhaden are tough to beat for the nearshore kings.
Big numbers of smaller kings are looking for meals around Frying Pan Tower, and they’re biting cigar minnows, Drone Spoons, and strip baits.
Daniel Ferguson with a 38.5″ red drum that bit a live mullet while he was casting from the shore at Bald Head Island.
Teresa, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are connecting with some solid red drum from Oak Island’s piers on live and cut baits.
Flounder are feeding just off the beach and around the piers, and they’re biting live mud minnows and finger mullet.
There’s been a good run of bluefish for anglers working Gotcha plugs and other casting lures from the piers.
Inshore, anglers are starting to hook some speckled trout in the ICW on live shrimp and artificial lures like Gulps.
Jimmy McKinna, of Youngstown, OH, with a citation 44.5″ red drum he hooked off Ocean Crest Pier.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that anglers have been hooking big numbers of citation-class red drum around menhaden schools and nearshore structure just off Oak Island. Live and cut menhaden and mullet are fooling most of the reds.
Spanish are still feeding nearshore as well, along with plenty of bluefish. Anglers can hook both while trolling Clarkspoons and other flashy lures around working birds, bait schools, and fish feeding on the surface.
Some king mackerel are also feeding nearshore and biting live baits.
Offshore bottom fishing is producing some large beeliners, sea bass, triggerfish, porgies, and large scamp and gag grouper. Squid, cut baits, and cigar minnows are fooling most of the bottom feeders.
Capt. Amanda King, of Second Wind Charters, with a well over-slot red drum she caught and released just off Lockwood Folly Inlet.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are hooking sea mullet and croaker while bottom fishing with shrimp and bloodworms.
Some bluefish are falling for bottom rigs and casting lures that anglers are working from the pier.
Flounder are feeding around the pilings and biting live baits.
Anglers are also catching some large red drum on live and cut baits.
Taylor Snider, of Denton, NC, with a 38″ red drum that attacked a piece of cut mullet near Yaupon Reef.
