Swansboro August 10, 2006
Jeff, at FishN4Life Charters, reports that bait is still plentiful, with mullet minnows roaming the creeks on high tide and the ICW and inlet connecting channels on low tide. Shrimp can be found at the mouths of the creeks in Bogue Sound and White Oak River, as well as Queens Creek. The big menhaden have finally showed up, with many schools of 7 to 10 inch fish around the Swansboro bridges and the ICW.
The big change this week has been better numbers of summer flounder on the internal waters, including the inlets, ICW, and connecting channels and creeks. There have been many flounder in the 2 to 4 pound class, as well as some bigger fish (including a 9.75 pounder).
Live baits on Carolina rigs or Berkley Gulp baits on a jighead will be the best choice for the flatties.
The flounder bite in the ocean continues to be consistent, and some big fish are beginning to be mixing in with the 1 to 3 pounders.
The redfish bite has been best on the upper part of the tides while working the flooded bays and creeks off the sound, river, and channels. With the appearance of mullets minnows in the surf this week on the low tides, the reds are also beginning to show on the shoals around the inlets.
Surprisingly, there are still some speckled trout being caught. The latter part of the rising tide and first half of the falling tide is prime for targeting the specks by focusing on the flooded creeks and skinny waters. There are also a few gray trout holding in the deeper water around Bogue and Brown’s Inlets, with most of these fish ranging from 1 to 2 pounds.
The lady fish are still willing to pounce on a topwater bait or floated live bait around the sandy shoals near the inlets and in the river.
The spanish mackerel have been schooling and feeding well in around 40 to 50 feet of water around AR342, Station Rock, Inshore Bear Rock, and just outside the inlets working through and around the tideline.
The king mackerel bite along these same nearshore bottoms has been very inconsistent, with no good numbers being reported and only an occasional decent fish near the beaches. The better bite for kings has been starting at about 5 to 7 miles off the beach for the small kings (4 to 8 lbs.) and at about 9 to 15 miles out for the better fish (10+ lbs.).
Stan, at Captain Stanman’s Fishing Charters, reports that the kings have been long over due to make their inshore migration, but it looks like they finally made it in this past week. There have been reports of kings up to 27 lbs. being caught out of Bogue Inlet. The hot spots are the Honey Hole, Charlie Buoy, D and E Buoys, and the Rock South of 13.
There is plenty of jig bait at the Alphabet Buoys. After jigging your bait, move about 1000 to 2,000 feet off the buoys and start slow trolling or drifting.
A few fish are being caught on top if you are dispensing menhaden milk or oil. If you are not dispensing oil, use a downrigger or put a heavy sinker on with a rubber band and get your bait down in the water column about 25 to 40 feet.
Dolphin and wahoo are still being caught at the Naeco, 14 Buoy, and Dolphin Alley.
Molly, at Bogue Inlet Pier, reports a slower week of fishing due to hot water and storms. Pompano and whiting are the main bottom fish action, and shrimp are the top bait.
Anglers have caught some flounder this week, but most are undersized.
A few blues and spanish are around for plug casters.
No king mackerel were caught this week.
The water temperature is 85 degrees.
