Swansboro August 3, 2006
Stan, at Captain Stanman’s Fishing Charters, reports that the larger dolphin are still at the 90 Foot Drop, 14 Buoy, and Dolphin Alley. Smaller ones can be found at the rock south of the 13 Buoy, Sponge Rock, Christmas, and Honeymoon.
There are unconfirmed reports of kings weighing in the 20s and 30s near the beach.
Kings in the teens have been slowly moving in to the Southeast Bottoms, Jerry’s Reef, 210/240, and Northwest Places. There has also been an occasional 20 pound class king mixed in.
No word, however, on any kings on the east side of the Cape Lookout shoals.
Jeff, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that plenty of finger mullet are still along the shoreline of the ICW and in the creeks off the ICW, sound, and river. The white shrimp are thick in the those creeks as well, with many 50 to 60 count size mixed in with the smaller ones.
With the low tides lately, many of the redfish have moved out of the bays and are working the ICW and the deeper channels between the ICW and the inlets. There are also good numbers of reds in the surf around the inlet points.
On the higher part of the tide, there are some slot-sized redfish to be found while casting topwater and spinner baits tipped with Berkley Gulp SW artificials.
The summer flounder bite is picking up in the sound, ICW, and river too. There are many small 11-15” flounder, with some large fish mixed in.
This week there have been several flounder brought to Dudley’s Marina scales that weighed 5 to 7 lbs. and were caught on the internal waters.
There are still some black drum around the bridges and the shallow oyster rocks.
Plenty of ladyfish are busting mullet minnows around the sandy shoals along the inlets, river, and sound on the rising tide.
Along the beaches and live bottoms, the flounder bite has been great. Live finger mullet fished on a Carolina rig and Berkley Gulp SW artificial baits tipped on a jighead or bucktail have both been producing good flounder catches.
The spanish and king mackerel bite has moved in along the beaches, with some kings in the 25 to 30 lb. range near Bogue Pier and East Rock on live bait.
There are some barracuda cruising the same nearshore ledges that produce flounder, spanish, and kings, so don’t waste any time getting your fish in the boat. There have been some flounder in the 3 to 4 lb. range get cut in two recently.
Billy, at Bogue Inlet Pier, reports black drum, croaker, pompano, spadefish, and whiting biting shrimp on the bottom.
Bluefish are scattered, but plug casters are catching some when they make an appearance.
Live baiters caught a 5.1 lb. king and a 12.7 lb. cobia this week.
The water is 83 degrees at the pier.
