Southport – September 15, 2016
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait & Tackle, reports that the flounder bite has picked up over the last few weeks, with large flounder being reported at local tournaments. The flatfish have been falling for both artificial and live baits. Bucktails, Gulp soft plastics, and live mullet are all working. Anglers looking for flounder on nearshore reefs should use live bait or bounce a 2 oz. bucktail.
The speckled trout action is best in the early morning and late evening, and several fish between 4-6 lbs. have been weighed in. The specks are falling for Zara Spooks and MirrOlures.
Anglers targeting red drum have been successful with Cajun Sleighs and Savage shrimp, as well as Cacahoe Minnows. The big fall drum haven’t shown up, but anglers haven’t been disappointed catching 7-10 lb. reds.
Cape Creek and Cedar Creek are producing all three of these inshore species, and anglers really have their pick of where to fish.
The sheepshead are biting well on sand fleas and fiddler crabs around the ADM pier, along the Southport waterfront, and under the Oak Island Bridge.
There are large schools of tarpon in the ocean and along the beach. Anglers are hooking up with a lot of the big migratory fish, but not many are making it to the boat.
Anglers along the beach are wearing the spanish and bluefish out. Those hoping for a bigger spanish need to move to the Yaupon Reef and try light lining bigger baits.
John Helton, of Oak Island, with a 7 lb. sheepshead caught while fishing from the Ocean Crest Pier.
John, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that there’s still not a lot being caught, but anglers are catching a few spanish and bluefish off the piers.
Red drum and black drum are being landed in the backwaters. Mullet, live shrimp, and Gulp soft plastics will work on both species. Some of the red drum are over-slot but not quite citation, though most are under-slot.
The flounder bite has slow considerably, but those looking to target the flatfish should use live mullet or Gulp shrimp.
There are plenty of spanish off the beach, but no large ones have really been reported with any frequency from the reefs.
Kristy Lewis, of Shallotte, with her first speckled trout. The fish were caught in the Southport waterway and weighed in at 4.5 and 4.72 lbs. at Wildlife Bait and Tackle.
Mark, of Angry Pelican Charters, reports that conditions since Hermine have been challenging, as the bite in the backwater has been slow to non-existent.
Along the beaches, water is starting to clear up and activity is returning to normal for this time of year. The bluefish are feeding along the beach, and the water temperature is down, signaling that the king mackerel bite should be right around the corner.
Light lining live baits around the nearshore reefs has produced large spanish mackerel and over-slot red fish. As the water cleans up, trolling for spanish around inlets, reefs, and along tide lines will put fish in the cooler.
There are school of false albacore feeding along the river channel and around reefs and structure in 40’+ depths. Gray trout are also hanging around this structure, and they will fall for the live finger mullet as well.
Wally, of Oak Island Charters, reports that the red drum have moved inshore, and using big mullet on a Carolina rig has been catching fish up to 30-40 lbs.
The flounder bite inshore is slow, and anglers have been struggling to connect.
Big spanish are being found on the reef, and they’re mostly falling for live mullet.
The grouper bite has been solid 40 miles out, with both gags and scamps recently reported.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports spanish mackerel and bluefish are up and down the beach. Expect a variety of sizes for the spanish, from throwback to citation sized, and target them with spoons, although live mullet will yield bigger spanish.
Tarpon are up in the surf, and schools are hanging around bait balls along the shoreline. The beach is loaded with bait, and the king mackerel should be showing up any day.
Offshore in the 40 mile range, it looks like fall fishing. Beeliners, grouper, and black sea bass are all chewing well.
The backwater bite is turning on, with trout and flounder being caught regularly. Use a live mullet on a Carolina rig for both species.
Steve, of Oak Island Pier, reports anglers are connecting with panfish such as whiting. There have also been reports of flounder being caught.
Anglers fishing from the end of the pier are hooking bluefish and spanish.
The water temperature is in the low 80s.
Steve, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that a king was landed last week, and a few decent sized spanish were also caught, both on live mullet.
Anglers dropping bottom rigs with shrimp are connecting with mostly black drum, though all have been under-sized.
