Swansboro August 16, 2007
Jeff, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that anglers had some difficulty finding fish due to the hot and windy weather over the week, but the weekend’s cooler temperatures got things back on track.
During the week, boats found a few nice king mackerel (20-30 lbs.) feeding near the beach, but overall spanish and king mackerel fishing was slow last week.
The ocean flounder bite has been good, with anglers finding plenty of 2-4 lb. flounder scattered all over the nearshore wrecks and reefs. Carolina-rigged finger mullet and peanut pogies have been productive baits on the flatfish, and anglers are also catching good numbers on 1-2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp Alive Shrimp and Pogies.
Many sea bass and small grouper were mixed in with the flounder and striking the bucktails, and anglers even landed some gag grouper between 6-12 lbs. within five miles of the beach.
The inshore flounder bite has been good, with anglers finding plenty of 1-2 lb. fish all over the backwaters, and some larger flounder (3-5 lbs.) feeding around deep structure in the ICW. Both the live baits and Gulps are effective on the inshore fish, too.
Red drum are still feeding well in the internal waters. The best fishing for the reds has been on the rising tides in the shallow bays near the inlets. Topwater plugs will draw plenty of strikes when the reds are feeding in the shallows.
At lower tides, the drum are moving to the channels that feed Brown’s, Bogue, and Bear Inlets. The fish are feeding on the inlet shoals during the last of the rising and first of the outgoing tides.
Anglers can target the shoal fish with cut baits fished on bottom rigs or Gulp baits on 1/4 to 1/2 oz jigheads. The fish like to school right along the breaking waves against the beach and shoals.
Large numbers of shrimp are pouring out of the river, and the crustaceans have attracted schools of black drum inshore from the ocean. The hot water temperatures have the black drum holding in deep water in the shade of docks and bridges.
Stan, of Capt. Stanman’s Charters, reports that king mackerel are feeding hard off Bogue Inlet. The most consistent bite recently has been around the Southeast Bottoms, a large live bottom area around 12 miles from the inlet. Anglers can start trolling the area and mark the positions where they hook fish to begin developing a productive set of king mackerel spots.
Anglers should keep a log of dates, water temperatures, and weather conditions in order to develop a system for finding the kings, remembering that the fish will also move to follow bait schools.
If boats are marking bait, they should fish the area especially hard because the kings won’t be far off. After the bait leaves an area, however, the largest fish will be the last to follow, so areas without much bait may be worth a try for the trophy fish.
The rocks and ledges east of Lookout Shoals are another very productive area to search for kings at this time of year.
In addition to king mackerel, expect to hook up with some dolphin and wahoo around the same spots, and remember that the fish migrating north through the area as the water warms up in July and August will be back in October and November on their way south.
Dale, of the Reel Outdoors, reports that the hot and dirty water has slowed down the fishing substantially over the week.
Surf anglers are catching a few spanish mackerel on Gold 3/4 oz. Kastmaster spoons while fishing the point at Bogue Inlet.
Those bottom fishing with shrimp are finding some spot in the surf zone.
Rhonda, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers fishing with live baits are catching a few flounder.
Some bluefish are coming over the rails, and they’re falling for a variety of baits.
The water temperature is 89 degrees.
