Swansboro July 8, 2010
Henry Tillet II (age 6) with a dolphin caught at the West Rock on a live menhaden. He was fishing out of Beaufort Inlet with his mom, dad, and cousins.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Fishing Charters, reports that there’s still a solid spanish mackerel bite along the beaches on both sides of Bogue Inlet. Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and trolling weights will draw bites from the spanish.
Larger spanish mackerel (4-6+ lbs.) are feeding in the early mornings at bottom structure within 3 miles of the beaches. Some teenager-sized kings are mixed in with the spanish, and both mackerel are falling for live pogies on scaled-down live bait rigs.
A few larger kings (20+ lbs.) are mixed in along the beaches.
The pogies have been plentiful around creek mouths off the ICW, so anglers shouldn’t have much trouble loading up on baits.
Flounder are still feeding at much of the same nearshore structure, and anglers are putting them in the boat while bouncing Gulp-tipped bucktails off the bottom.
Some large sharks are also feeding nearshore, and anglers can hook them on large cut and dead baits.
Inshore, the red drum bite remains consistent, but the fish are scattered. Working areas of marsh grass with the trolling motor is the way to catch numbers of the reds since they aren’t schooled up tightly in any one area. Spinnerbaits have been producing plenty of action with the reds, and anglers are also hooking good numbers on live shrimp and small pogies.
Mike Ogden, of Raleigh, with a 49 lb. cobia he hooked near Cape Lookout on a live pogy while fishing with Ricky Hardison on the "Spot Yacht." Weighed in at Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Some speckled trout are feeding around the ICW bridges, where anglers can hook them by free-lining live shrimp and pogies with the tide.
Flounder fishing has been consistent inshore as well, with ICW docks, creek mouths, and deeper areas near the inlet producing the most action. Live shrimp, finger mullet, and peanut pogies are fooling the majority of the flatfish.
Fishing live baits and scented soft plastics around marsh edges and channel drop-offs at low tide is producing plenty of action with flounder, speckled trout, red drum, and bluefish.
Ladyfish are making their summertime appearance in the area and busting bait around lighted docks and bridges off the ICW. Live shrimp are the best baits, but anglers can tempt the ladies to hit a variety of lures as well.
The sheepshead bite is still on beneath the bridges and deepwater docks off the ICW. Fiddler crabs fished tight to the structure are the best baits to fool the sheepies.
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that anglers are finding action with some big spanish mackerel (3-7+ lbs.) along the beaches and at nearshore structure. Live baits are tops for tempting bites from the wary larger spanish. Some snake king mackerel are in the mix, so anglers should be sure what sort of mackerel they have before boxing one up.
Plenty of smaller spanish mackerel are feeding along the beaches as well, and they’ll take an interest in trolled Clarkspoons.
Some tarpon are moving along the beaches, and anglers hooked one from the pier last week.
The flounder bite is still decent at nearshore structure like the Keypost, where anglers are hooking the fish on small live baits and Gulp-tipped bucktails.
The flounder bite’s been decent inside, too. Anglers are finding the flatfish in the deeper areas near the inlet and in the marshes. Live mud minnows or other baits will fool the flatfish inshore.
Red drum are still feeding in the area’s marshes, and they’ll take an interest in topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, and Gulps.
Surf and pier bottom fishermen have hooked some fat pompano (2-3 lbs.) along with a few whiting and spot. Shrimp are fooling all three bottom feeders.
William Ryan and Daniel Griffee, from Havelock, NC, with a pair of red drum that fell for a topwater plug and a popping cork rig in the marshes near Morehead City.
Billy, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers caught some solid keeper flounder (to nearly 4 lbs.) last week. Live finger mullet produced most of the fish.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with some spot, whiting, and black drum on shrimp.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs and other metal lures worked from the pier.
