Swansboro – August 4, 2016
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that anglers are finding increasing action with red drum in area waterways and marshes. The reds are schooled up under deep water ICW docks and can be targeted using live mullet or mud minnows on a Carolina rig. Plastic imitations on lead jigheads and weighted hooks will also fool the reds, as well as any flounder that may be hanging around inshore structure, too.
There’s red drum action in the marshes behind the barrier islands. They can been found feeding on the surface near large schools of mullet and peanut menhaden early in the mornings. Tossing a walk-the-dog type lure like a Rapala Skitter Walk or MirrOlure 26MR to these feeding schools will be the best bet for hooking a hungry red. Some large speckled trout are mixed in with these backwater reds, and they can be caught using the same methods.
Large spanish mackerel are still being found just off the beaches for anglers live baiting with palm-sized menhaden and large mullet. Most of the action is at nearshore rocks and artificial reefs like the Keypost Rocks and AR-342. Drifting the bait under a balloon while on anchor is a great way to target spanish while also bottom fishing for other species like flounder.
Grant Marner, of Chattanooga, TN, with a speckled trout he caught while fishing with Capt. Dave Stewart of Knee Deep Charters.
Jonathan, of OnPoint Fishing Charters, reports that the inshore flounder fishing has definitely improved over the past week, with large numbers of keeper fish in the area. Most of the flatfish are being found around docks, bridges, and channel drop-offs that feature high concentrations of bait. Live finger mullet fished on a Carolina rig is the easiest way to fool these tasty bottom feeders, but anglers are also having success fishing Gulp shrimp and jerk shads on jigheads.
Small kings are still being found just offshore of area beaches where they are mixed in with schools of large spanish mackerel. The larger kings that are sometimes found around this time of year are still well to the north, but anglers may find a stray smoker while trolling live menhaden over rocks, ledges, wrecks, and other offshore structure.
Dead cigar minnows fished on Hank Brown rigs are another way to target kings, and they can be trolled much faster than live bait which allows anglers to cover more ground in order to find feeding fish.
Jim Martin, of Swansboro, with a 30″ red drum he caught in 2′ of water. The fish fell for a live finger mullet in the marsh near Brown’s Island.
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that surf anglers are still connecting with the normal summertime mixed bag. Sea mullet, croakers, pompano, bluefish, and pigfish are all being caught by anglers soaking shrimp and bloodworms on double drop bottom rigs. Anglers are reporting increasing numbers of flounder in the surf, but the bite still isn’t consistent.
Inshore there has been solid red drum action in the marshes behind Emerald Isle. The reds are scattered with pods of 3-4 fish being found patrolling grass banks, oyster beds, and marsh points. The topwater bite is confined to the early morning and late afternoon when the sun is not at full force and the water is a tad cooler. Anglers are finding success using chucks of crab, live mullet, and shrimp on Carolina rigs fished close to areas where the reds can be seen feeding.
Offshore anglers are reporting steady wahoo action past the break, especially in the Swansboro Hole area. Mixed in with the wahoo are blackfin tuna, mahi, and the occasional sailfish. Trolling a variety of artificial lures and dead baits like naked or skirted ballyhoo is the best way to fool these bluewater species.
Anglers should look to locate fish by focusing their attention on temperature breaks, rips, weedlines, and color changes. Offshore ledges, rocks, and wrecks will also hold bait which will attract a number of different species.
Henry Wood, of Leland, with a 27 red caught in Cedar Point on a live mullet. He was fishing with Grant Caraway of Caraway Custom Flies.
Bobby, of Teezher Charters, reports that anglers fishing just off the beaches are catching citation-class spanish mackerel and small kings while live baiting with menhaden, threadfin herring, cigar minnows, and large mullet at nearshore rocks and artificial reefs. There are some large kings being caught, too, but with the recent king mackerel tournaments, anglers are tight lipped about where they are fishing.
Finding cool “king green” water is the key to catching these large smoker kings that prefer water temps less than 80 degrees.
There are still some cobia hanging around, and they can be found right alongside the kings and spanish.
Gulf Stream anglers are reporting red hot action with sailfish just inshore of the break where they are being caught alongside mahi, wahoo, and blackfin tuna. The mahi bite is steady, but with the fish being so scattered due to warm water, anglers are really having to work to put fish in the boat.
There is still plenty of billfish action past the break with anglers releasing solid numbers of blue and white marlin recently.
Offshore bottom fishing remains consistent, with a variety of bottom fish being caught. Grouper, beeliners, triggerfish, and large black sea bass are being found from 70’ of water on out. Bottom rigs and bucktails tipped with squid, shrimp, spanish sardines, and Gulp shrimp are the go-to baits for just about any bottom feeder.
Mike, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers are still staying busy with the spanish mackerel on live bait rigs and Gotcha plugs; however, that bite seems to have slowed with the hot weather. Some large bluefish are mixed in with the spanish and will take interest in the same baits.
Anglers fishing bottom rigs are reporting success with pompano, sea mullet, croaker, and the occasional flounder. Shrimp, bloodworms, and Fishbites are all fooling these various bottom feeders.
The water is 82 degrees.
