Swansboro – August 7, 2014
Anna Hurst with a red drum that she caught while fishing a Swansboro-area marsh with her father and son.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that anglers are still seeing some solid action with large spanish mackerel around nearshore structure off Bogue Inlet. Some king mackerel are mixed in, and both are falling for live baits on light wire leaders.
Smaller spanish mackerel are feeding along the beachfront and will take a hearty interest in trolled Clarkspoons.
Bottom fishing in the 10-15 mile range has been good recently, with solid numbers of legal black sea bass and some gag grouper action as well. Frozen cigar minnows or live baits will produce results with the bottom feeders.
Inshore, anglers are finding flounder feeding near the inlets and fooling them with live baits and Gulps. Some larger flatfish should be looking for meals around inshore structure like the Swansboro and Cedar Point waterfronts. Larger live baits and Gulp baits will help anglers target the bigger fish.
Red drum are still on the feed in the local marshes, but they’re getting more scattered by the week. Staying on the move is key to connecting with decent numbers of the reds right now, and topwater plugs and live mullet have been fooling the majority of the fish.
James McDuffie, of Bahama, NC, with a 25″ flounder that bit a Gulp bait in Bogue Sound.
Chesson, of CXC Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are still finding some solid live-bait action at spots 5-15 miles offshore. King mackerel, large spanish mackerel, and a few cobia and dolphin are falling for live menhaden and “jig baits” like cigar minnows and sardines. The spaniards are also biting casting jigs at times.
Flounder fishing at nearshore structure off Bogue Inlet has been decent lately as well, with most of the fish falling for Gulp and live baits.
Robbie, of Hall’em In Charters, reports that the topwater red drum bite is going strong, and anglers are hooking solid numbers of slot and over-slot reds while working the surface lures in the local marshes. Live baits and soft plastics will fool the reds when they don’t want to bite on top.
Flounder are feeding around creekmouths and inshore structure (like docks), where anglers are fooling them with live finger mullet and Gulp baits.
Anglers are still connecting with some speckled trout in the marshes, creeks, and rivers, primarily around oyster rocks and other current breaks. Topwater plugs and soft plastic baits are attracting attention from the specks.
Stukie, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that surf and pier bottom fishermen are hooking a mixed bag of croaker, spot, sea mullet, and other panfish, primarily on shrimp.
Eric Freeman, of Jacksonville, NC, with a 10.02 lb. sheepshead that bit a sea urchin near the Morehead port wall. Weighed in at Chasin’ Tails Outdoors.
Inshore anglers are reporting good numbers of red drum in the marshes, where topwater plugs and popping cork rigs are getting plenty of attention from the fish.
Some speckled trout have begun feeding in Bogue Sound and the connecting creeks and rivers. Anglers are hooking decent numbers on a variety of baits (but most are still on the small side).
Offshore, there’s been some solid flounder and black sea bass action at the AR’s and other structure within 10 miles of land. Both are falling for 2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits.
Anglers are connecting with some gag grouper a bit further out on cigar minnows.
Mike, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some sea mullet, spot, and pompano while bottom fishing with shrimp and bloodworms.
A few flounder are falling for live baits on the bottom.
Some large spanish mackerel were falling for live baits last week and may likely return when the water cleans up a bit.
The water is 81 degrees.
