Swansboro – July 16, 2015
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that anglers are still hooking up with plenty of red drum in the ICW and adjacent bays around Swansboro, Emerald Isle, and Hammocks Beach. They’re feeding along grass edges, structure like docks and oyster bars, and in the open bays. Topwater plugs, Gulp baits, and live finger mullet have all been fooling good numbers of the reds recently.
Flounder fishing is improving inshore, with the best action around creekmouths and ICW and backwater docks. Live finger mullet are tough to beat for the flatfish, but anglers can also fool plenty while bouncing Gulp baits slowly along the bottom.
Sheepshead and black drum are looking for their meals around bridge and dock pilings and other structure inshore in the area. Anglers can tempt both to bite live fiddler crabs or shrimp fished tight to the structure. Shrimp are plentiful in the marshes and creeks right now, so anglers looking to cast-net some for bait shouldn’t have to work too hard.
Blair and Marshall Kelly, of Raleigh, with 27″ and 23″ red drum that they hooked simultaneously while fishing a Swansboro-area marsh with Capt. Jonathan Garrett of On Point Fishing Charters. The reds fell for chunks of menhaden.
Chesson, of CXC Fishing Charters, reports that anglers should still be able to find action with king and spanish mackerel along with possible cobia and dolphin at live bottoms, reefs, and other spots within 10 miles of Bogue Inlet. Live baits like menhaden and threadfin herring are top choices for all four pelagic predators, and fishing them on light-wire leaders will allow anglers to tempt bites from the tackle-shy larger spanish mackerel.
Further offshore, bottom fishing just inside the break is producing plenty of action with triggerfish, beeliners, porgies, sea bass, grouper, and more. Dropping live, cut, and dead baits to structure in the 100-140’ depths is the way to connect with the bottom feeders.
Blue water trollers are reporting that there are still good numbers of dolphin and wahoo feeding at local hotspots like the Swansboro Hole. Anglers can tempt bites from them along with most of the other blue water gamefish while trolling ballyhoo with skirted lures like Ilanders and sea witches.
Maddi Burley, of Grove City, OH, with a 32″ red drum she caught and released while fishing the White Oak River with Capt. Rob Koraly of Sandbar Safari Charters. The red fell for a live mullet on a Carolina rig.
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that anglers are connecting with some slot and over-slot red drum while soaking baits from the beach at Emerald Isle. Shrimp, finger mullet, and cut baits are producing most of the action.
There have also been some spanish mackerel feeding within range of surf casters, who are hooking them on metal casting lures like diamond jigs.
More spanish are falling for Clarkspoons that anglers are trolling from boats within a few miles of the beachfront.
King mackerel are still feeding at live bottoms and ledges within 5 miles of land. Anglers can tempt the kings to bite live baits like menhaden and bluefish.
Anglers will likely find some dolphin and possibly a cobia while looking for the kings 5-15 miles out. Both will also pounce on live baits.
Inshore, there are still solid numbers of red drum feeding in the marshes, where anglers are fooling them on topwater plugs, Gulps, and live and cut baits.
Flounder are looking for meals in many of the same areas and around the inlets. Anglers can tempt the flatfish to bite live baits on Carolina rigs or Gulps worked slowly near the bottom.
Teresa McCullough, of Rocky Mount, NC, with a 27″ red drum she landed after it struck a white Gulp bait in a Bogue Sound marsh.
Mike, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with sea mullet, black drum, spot, croaker, and other bottom feeders while baiting double-drop rigs with shrimp, Fish Bites, and other offerings.
Some bluefish are also falling for bottom rigs towards the end of the pier, and anglers are also hooking blues while working casting lures like Gotcha plugs.
