Swansboro July 27, 2006
Stan, at Captain Stanman Fishing Charters, reports that the jig bait has not yet returned to the Alphabet Buoys. Menhaden have been scarce in the Swansboro area, so you have to go to Morehead to find some (and even then it can be difficult).
There have been reports of some nice kings being caught close to the beach. Expect some king action at the Bogue Inlet Pier this coming week.
Those king fishing with dead cigar minnows are often limiting out on a daily basis at the Rock South of the 13 Buoy, Honey Hole, and Southeast Bottoms.
The dolphin have not been very active lately, but this bite should improve when the jig bait returns.
Wahoo have not showed in any numbers yet as they come in to spawn in 40-60’ of water.
Jeff, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that the bait is everywhere. Mullet minnows are schooling around the ICW on the falling tide and early rising tide. There are more shrimp than he’s seen in quite a few years around the feeder creeks off of Bogue Sound, as well as along the shores and bays in White Oak River and Queens Creek. There are plenty of peanut pogies in the feeder creeks with the shrimp, but there are very few large menhaden around the ICW in the Swansboro area this season so far.
The fishing has been good in the backwaters around Swansboro, with the best action in the bays and creeks during the higher tide. These areas are producing really good numbers of redfish (from 17 -27”), some decent flounder (up to 5 lbs.), plenty of black drum (from 1-3 lbs.), and a few speckled trout and bluefish.
During the lower tides there have been some reds, flounder, and black drum feeding well around oyster beds and along structure in the ICW.
There are still a few sheepshead feeding around area bridges and dock pylons, with the better bite on the rising tide as cooler water mixes in with the river water. Live fiddler crabs or sand fleas will be the best all-around bait for the sheepshead.
The ladyfish (poor man’s tarpon) have begun showing in good numbers around Bear and Brown’s Inlets, as well as in West Channel. These fish are ranging from 20-30+ inches and will explode on a topwater plug walked across the surface. Look for mullet minnows showering in the deeper water along the shoals and inlet connecting channels as a key indicator of the presence of ladyfish.
Along the beaches out to several miles offshore on the nearshore live bottoms and artificial reefs the spanish and king mackerel bite has been great with many 3-6 lb. spanish mixing in with the smaller fish, as well as a lot of 5-10 lb. king mackerel.
There have been some kings caught this week up to 30 lbs. within 4 miles of the beach. The summer flounder have moved up to the beaches as well recently. Live bait is the cost effective way to fish for the flounder (if you can catch the bait yourself). You can also try jigging some Berkley Gulp SW baits on a 1 to 2 oz. bucktail for some summer flounder strikes.
There are also some redfish working the shoals around the inlet points on the beginning of the falling tide.
Rhonda, at Bogue Inlet Pier, reports small black drum, spots, and whiting biting cut shrimp on bottom rigs. The pinfish have been a nuisance to bottom fishermen this week.
Plug casters are catching a few bluefish and spanish mackerel, but the bite is inconsistent.
Several king mackerel were caught by live baiters this week, including fish of 16.7 and 28.5 lbs.
The water at the pier is 84 degrees.
