Swansboro – July 19, 2018
Bob, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that the flounder bite has been up and down recently.
High water temperatures are causing red drum to spread out all over the place, so it can be hard (but not impossible) to key in on exact locations. The occasional speckled trout can be found inshore as well.
Surf fishing has been tough due to riptides caused by the recent offshore storm, but you can still find some nice mullet, pompano, and black drum if you’re patient. Some big reds have also been caught in the suds, potentially due to the water temperature dropping from 86 degrees down to 72 on the beach.
Nearshore king fishing is on fire, and some big spanish are being caught on live bait.
Mahi have moved closer to shore and are biting within 7 miles, which has given a lot of anglers no reason to make long trips out to deeper water.
Dale, of Dudley’s Marina, reports that inshore fishing for red drum has been decent, with most fish being lower- to mid-slot, although some over-slots have been mixed in. Live/cut mullet and menhaden have accounted for most of the fish caught. The occasional topwater lure or Gulp has caught fish, too, and spinner baits have been working on falling tides.
Flounder are biting Carolina-rigged live baits and soft plastics, though 75% of the catch has been too small to keep.
The sheepshead bite has slowed down, though some are still coming in on fiddler crabs. The biggest fish are biting sea urchins.
Nearshore, flounder have been caught on 2 oz. white and glow bucktails and 4” pearl white or chartreuse shrimp. Big spanish are hitting small live baits. Kings (27”+) are hanging in the 5-6 mile range on nearshore ARs, with bigger menhaden producing bigger kings. A few dolphin have been in the 10 mile range. Blue Water Candy jigs, Pirate Plugs, and cigar minnows have all been accounting for bites.
Offshore in the Stream, a few wahoo and mahi have been found.
Bottom fishing has been decent for grouper, beeliners, and some pretty black sea bass. Boston mackerel is the top bait for all bottom species.
Harry Stewart, of Vanceboro, caught this 29″ striper on a Super Spook in Broad Creek.
Matt, of Pogie’s Fishing Center, reports that the redfish bite is starting to get back to normal now that the water temps have cooled off to the mid-low 80s. Topwater baits like the Rapala Skitterwalk and Skitter V have been producing fish on calmer days, but the most productive method to hook a red has been to cover ground while fishing cut/live mullet on Carolina rigs. Oyster rocks, marsh pockets, and points are the best places to pick up the scattered fish this time of year.
Flounder are feeding around structure such as rock walls and docks. Fathom bug eye jig heads (1/4 oz.) tipped with Rat Tail baits are putting up the best numbers, and anglers targeting reds with artificials have been picking up a lot of flatties as well.
Trout are starting to feed. Zoom Golden Bream and Fathom Rat Tails are the best artificial baits to go with, and if you have the patience to deal with some annoying pinfish bites, you can use a live shrimp under a slip cork to draw a speck strike.
Black drum are being caught in deep holes and pockets in the marshes and White Oak River. Bait shrimp on Carolina rigs has proven to be the best bait.
As for sheepshead, you can still find them readily feeding around area bridges, with the Swansboro bridges producing the most fish. Without a doubt, fiddler crabs on dropshot and modified Carolina rigs is the best tactic.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that there have been flounder, red drum, and black drum biting up and down the rivers on falling tides. Fishing docks, oyster bars, and shoal edges with live bait and soft plastics has been the key to getting bites. A lot of redfish and smaller flatties have been working the shallow marshes and mudflats in the sound, and they aren’t picky about the bait you throw them.
Some bluefish and a few trout have been biting in the deeper channels in the sound. Live shrimp have been getting strikes, especially early in the morning.
Nearshore fishing has been great for spanish and kings when live baiting, and flounder on the nearshore reefs have been jumping at jigged bucktails.
Johnathan, of On Point Charters, reports that topwater fishing for red drum is still productive in the morning, while cut/live mullet and Fathom Rat Tails are getting bites throughout the day. Most of the reds are holding in the bays behind barrier islands.
Flounder are swimming around ICW docks and can also be caught in creek mouths during a falling tide. Carolina-rigged mullet is hard to beat, though the Fathom Rat Tails that are catching drum have also been drawing flatfish attention.
Sheepshead and black drum haven’t stopped chewing fiddler crabs near docks and hard structure.
While the spanish bite had been strong at the start of the month, there haven’t been a whole lot of fish within 5 miles ever since the most recent storm that passed off the coast.
The king bite has been good in the 10-20 mile range on basically any type of structure. Live menhaden on king rigs have produced the most bites.
Ennis Hardin Jr. with a red drum caught on the flats near Figure 8 Island on a Carolina rig with cut squid.
Bobby, of Teezher Charters, reports that plenty of big spanish are coming in close to the beach, with the majority of them hitting smaller menhaden.
Nearshore flounder fishing has been great for anglers jigging Gulp-tipped bucktails.
Kings have been within a mile of the beach and are coming in a variety of sizes, with even some citation fish mixed in. Cigar minnows and live bait are both drawing strikes.
Some kings have also been mixed in with the dolphin that are chewing between 5-8 miles. However, the best dolphin bite has been out toward the Stream, with plenty of gaffers coming over the rails.
Some scattered yellowfin are being caught in the Stream, as are a few wahoo. Sailfish and white/blue marlin haven’t been shy either.
In about 125’ of water, squid and cigar minnows are pulling up snapper, sea bass, triggers, and beeliners, while grouper are falling for live bait.
Teresea, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that pompano, spanish, small mullet, and spots have all been in the mix. Smaller fish have been caught on sand fleas, while the bigger ones have come in on squid and cut mullet. Early morning and late evening has been the best time to get bites.
There’s been a handful of kings from 27-38 lbs. being caught as well.
