Swansboro August 29, 2013
Brian Harris, of Greenville, NC, with a pair of black drum that bit frozen shrimp on bottom rigs near Bear Island.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Fishing Charters, reports that the recent cool weather has shrimp pouring out of the local rivers and creeks. Consequently, speckled trout are feeding along the creekmouths and ICW drop-offs nearby. Live shrimp and soft plastic baits are fooling the specks.
Red drum are feeding around oyster rocks in the White Oak River and are scattered through the ICW and Bogue Sound marshes. Live finger mullet and shrimp are hard to beat for the reds, but anglers can also hook up while casting topwater plugs or Gulp baits and other soft plastics.
Flounder are feeding alongside the reds around ICW docks and in the marshes and bays at higher tides. Live finger mullet are fooling most of the flatfish, but anglers are hooking a few on Gulp baits.
Strong winds have kept many anglers from fishing the ocean recently, but there should still be some spanish and king mackerel feeding around nearshore structure when it calms down enough to get back out.
Chesson, of CXC Fishing Charters, reports that barracuda and amberjacks are looking for meals at structure and buoys within 10 miles of the beachfront. Both will pounce on live menhaden or other smaller fish.
Bobby Alexander with a 24″ red drum that bit a live shrimp under the 172 bridge at Sneads Ferry.
Some spanish mackerel have been feeding right along the beachfront and biting casting lures like diamond jigs well.
Robbie, of Hall’Em In Charters, reports that there’s been a surprisingly good summertime speckled trout bite in the marshes and creeks off Bogue Sound. Anglers are catching many of the specks on live shrimp drifted beneath floats, but they’re biting topwater plugs and soft plastic baits as well.
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that anglers are seeing some puppy drum action from the beach at Emerald Isle. Most are falling for finger mullet and cut baits, but some are biting shrimp as well.
Big numbers of flounder are also feeding in the surf zone, but most are undersized.
Anglers are hooking decent numbers of spanish mackerel while casting Flutter Jigs and other lures from the beachfront and pier. Boaters can connect with the spaniards while trolling Clarkspoons just offshore.
The larger spanish and king mackerel bite at nearshore structure seems to have slowed a bit, possibly because of the wind and weather last weekend.
Todd Sauls, of Washington, NC, with a 29″ red drum he caught and released in the Newport River while fishing with Lee Padrick. The red struck a gold spoon.
Bottom fishermen are hooking big numbers of black sea bass and some grouper and amberjack at structure 10+ miles off the beach.
Inshore, there’s been a good speckled trout bite in Queens Creek recently. Live shrimp are fooling most of the specks, but anglers can also hook up on Gulp baits, topwater plugs, and other artificials.
Mike, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that big numbers of mullet are moving down the beaches, a sure sign that fall fishing is just around the corner.
Anglers are hooking good numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish while working Gotcha plugs and metal jigs from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are decking sea mullet on shrimp and bloodworms. A few spot, pompano, and black drum are mixed in.
Anglers soaking live baits on the bottom are hooking some flounder.
Live baiters caught and released a tarpon from the end of the pier last week.
