Swansboro – August 3, 2017
Rich, of Reel Outdoors, reports that the inshore drum bite has been producing limits of fish on live and cut baits. Most fish have been holding in creeks near oyster structure and have been in the middle of the slot.
Flounder have been feeding well in area rivers on live bait or a Gulp plastic worked on the bottom. Speckled trout have also been holding in the rivers and have been willing to take a live shrimp under a float rig.
In the surf, spanish and bluefish have been feeding in the early morning hours, and tossing a Stingsilver or other metal jig has worked best. Pompano and sea mullet have also been feeding in the surf zone, and fresh shrimp or sand fleas have been the top baits.
Nearshore, fishing the wrecks has produced black sea bass and flounder. Anglers have to weed through the smaller flounder to find the keepers. Bouncing a Spro bucktail tipped with a pearl white Gulp shrimp has been the ticket to high numbers of fish.
Off the beach out to the 10+ mile range, kings have been feeding well. The most effective baits have been live menhaden or trolled cigar minnows.
Glenn Musser, from Salisbury, NC, with a 6.25 lb. spanish mackerel that hit a trolled live menhaden three miles out of Bogue Inlet. He was fishing with Capt. Rob Koraly of Sandbar Safari Guide Service.
Matt, of Pogie’s Fishing Center, reports that inshore fishing behind Bear Island has awarded anglers with high number days on redfish. Targeting turns in the creeks and oyster structure with live baits fished on the bottom has been the best method.
Flounder are still feeding inshore, and targeting deep water docks and holes has been the key to landing keeper fish. There are still quite a few short fish around, so covering lots of water is a must.
Speckled trout are hit and miss in the area, but those fishing at night have landed good numbers of fish. Targeting lighted docks with live or imitation shrimp has worked best.
Nearshore, the spanish bite is still solid while trolling Clarkspoons. In addition, flounder have been feeding well around nearshore reefs, and most anglers are finding high numbers of fish.
In the 8-10 mile range, kings are holding and are willing to strike a trolled cigar minnow or Drone spoon.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that the redfish have spread out, but small pods of fish are cruising the flats in search of mullet. Targeting the marsh on the rising tide and docks on the falling tide have been the top methods for catching good numbers of fish. A live finger mullet on a Carolina rig works best, but the reds will also hit topwater plugs and soft plastics. During the higher flood tides, anglers have found reds feeding in the grass. Throwing a weedless topwater or a weedless jerk bait has been the best bet to draw a strike.
Black drum are holding near oyster rocks and marsh points, as well as bridge structure, in the waterway. Live shrimp fished on the bottom has worked best to land limits of fish.
Flounder have been hanging on docks along the waterway. Tossing a live finger mullet pinned to a Carolina rig has been the most effective method for hooking them.
The nearshore reefs are holding big spanish and kings. Some spanish have been citations, and live mullet has been the best bait. Anywhere in the 2-15 mile range, kings in the 5-10 lb. class (with the occasional 20-35 lb. fish) have been landed.
Between the 10-15 mile mark, a few mahi have been mixed in with the kings.
Andrew Schweser, of Arlington, VA, with a citation 34.8 lb. king mackerel. The fish was caught on a live cigar minnow fished in 60’ of water. He was fishing nine miles out of Bogue Inlet with Capt. Bobby Bourquin of Teezher Charters out of Emerald Isle.
Johnathan, of On Point Charters, reports that redfish have been schooled up on the flats and in the creeks. Rigging a live finger mullet on a Carolina rig has been the most effective way to draw a strike. Targeting the morning and evening hours has worked best, and most fish have been between 18-23”.
Sheepshead continue to feed well around area bridges and dock structure. Dropping live fiddler crabs and sea urchins to the bottom have produced the best numbers of fish.
Flounder in the 14-20” range have provided anglers with plenty of inshore action. Most fish have fallen for a live finger mullet on a Carolina rig or a Zoom jerk shad worked off the bottom.
Kings in the 6-15 lb. range have been holding just off the beach. Trolling dead cigar minnows has been the ticket to landing high numbers of fish.
Bobby, of Teezher Charters, reports that fishing with live bait nearshore has boated anglers plenty of quality spanish and small kings in the 5-10 lb. range. A bit further off the beach, some kings up to the 35 lb. mark have been hooked while trolling live cigar minnows.
Nearshore bottom fishing has produced keeper flounder, grouper, and under-sized (mostly) black sea bass.
Out at the Gulf Stream, the wahoo and sailfish bite has been hot. A few dolphin and blackfin tuna have also been in the mix. In around 130′ of water, anglers have been finding that grouper, beeliners, snapper, and black sea bass have all been feeding well.
Carla, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that spanish and bluefish have started to feed consistently near the pier in the morning and evening hours. Anglers tossing Gotcha plugs are having the most success.
Flounder, sea mullet, and black drum have also been feeding around the pier, and fresh shrimp and cut bait has been getting the job done.
