Added on Thursday, July 10, 2008  Gary Hurley

Swansboro July 10, 2008

Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that red drum are still feeding in the marsh bays along oyster rocks and grass edges. A few are also holding on the shoals of Bogue Inlet. Anglers can locate the feeding fish by casting topwater plugs or live shrimp, then slow down and fish Gulp baits or other soft plastics to hook up.

Sheepshead and black drum are feeding around the area’s concrete bridge pilings, and anglers are hooking them on fiddler crab baits on the incoming tides.

Some speckled trout and flounder are feeding in the same areas, and they’ll fall for live shrimp or finger mullet fished close to the structure.

Anglers are catching some specks up the area’s creeks and rivers, and most are falling for live baits, with a few biting Gulps.

The deeper (5-6′) marsh edges near Bogue, Brown’s, and Bear Inlets are holding good numbers of flounder. Anglers are catching plenty of fish on Carolina-rigged live baits, but larger Gulp baits on jigheads seem to be producing the larger flatfish.

Ladyfish have shown up in the Swansboro area, and they are feeding well on falling tides after dark near lit docks and bridges. Speckled trout and bluefish are feeding in the same areas on incoming tides, so anglers don’t have to wait for the ebb current to see some action. Topwater plugs will produce bites from all three species, but a live shrimp fished on a light circle hook should prove irresistible.

The winds have churned up the water and slowed down the nearshore king and spanish mackerel bite, but there are plenty of sharks feeding close to the area’s beaches.

 

Jamey, of Coastal Carolina Charters, reports that dolphin fishing has been excellent over the past week. The 90′ Drop and Big Rock areas seemed to produce the largest gaffers last week.

Boats landed some large wahoo near the Yellowfin Hole and the Swansboro Hole as well.

The Cripple Rock and Papoose areas have been stacked up with amberjacks (most in the 40 lb. class).

Grouper fishing has been excellent lately as well, with boats finding some big reds and gags at structure 25 miles and further from the inlets.

Closer to the beach, the king bite has been hot at the D Buoy (with several fish in the 30 lb. class taken last week).

Boats found some action with sailfish around the 45 Minute Rock last week, and hopefully more sails are on their way.

Flounder fishing is picking up at the live bottoms just off Bogue Inlet. Many of the fish are in the 3-5 lb. range, and the best way to target them is with a Spro bucktail tipped with a scented shrimp like those made by Bio-Bait.

Anglers found some good flounder fishing while drifting live mullet through Bogue Inlet on Carolina rigs.

The backwater bays and Swansboro docks are surrendering some fat red drum. A Gamakatsu jighead with a 6″ Bio-Bait shrimp will get their attention.

 

Stan, of Capt. Stanman’s Charters, reports that the inshore dolphin bite is still slow due to the cool 75 degree water, which needs to come up about five degrees before the dolphin move into the 60-70′ depths where they’ll be more accessible to small boats.

The king mackerel bite has been solid around the D Buoy, and anglers are hooking up with the fish on live greenies and cigar minnows they can jig up near the buoy. The downrigger has been far outproducing top lines around the buoy, and has been most productive 30-45′ down in around 60′ of water. Some larger kings (20+ lbs.) have been biting at Christmas Rock.

There have been some shingle dolphin around the 14 Buoy and NW places, and one boat released a sailfish at the NW places.

The Stream has been producing some wahoo and larger dolphin for anglers trolling ballyhoo under pink/white, purple/black, and blue/black Carolina Witches.

 

Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that anglers are finding good flounder action in the backwaters of the area. Carolina-rigged finger mullet should entice them to bite.

The red drum bite is still hot in the marshes, and topwater plugs are still drawing plenty of action.

School-sized king mackerel are feeding around 10 miles offshore, and boats are hooking them on cigar minnows and ballyhoo.

 

Billy, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching some pompano in the daytime and whiting at night while baiting up with shrimp. Some black drum are falling for the bottom rigs, too.

Anglers are hooking bluefish and a few spanish mackerel early and late in the day on Gotcha plugs.

Live baiters landed several tarpon last week, but no kings.

The water is 79 degrees.