Swansboro June 14, 2007
Jeff, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that the nearshore bite has really turned on for the kings, with steady activity from the beach out 10 miles. The king bite has been best on live greenies and cigar minnows, as well as dead cigar minnows. The WR13, AR345, SE Bottoms, as well as the B, C, D and E Alphanumeric Buoys have been producing many 5 to 10. lb. kings and some dolphin (up to 30lbs.).
There have been some big spanish in these same areas, while most of the 1-3 lb. spanish have been holding along Bear and Bogue Inlets on the falling tide. Slow trolling small (3-5”) live menhaden or mullet minnows will produce many more large spanish than trolling traditional Clarkspoons or casting metal jigs.
Anglers can expect to find plenty of 20-50+ lb. cobia cruising the surf and nearshore structure this week. Early mornings and slack tide is a great time to find the cobia on the surface around the inlets, buoys, and surfacing schools of menhaden.
When the current is falling swiftly, anglers can slow troll menhaden along the tideline for a good chance at both big cobia and kings.
Better numbers of summer flounder pushed their ways into the inlets this past week. There are plenty of 15-20+ inch flounder along the nearshore live bottoms and ledges, and they can be targeting using 3-6” live baits Carolina-rigged along the bottom or by vertical jigging 1-2 oz. jigheads and bucktails tipped with Berkley Gulp baits.
In the backwaters of Bogue Sound, anglers are reporting great numbers of redfish, with many in the 24-30” range. There have been several days of extremely high tides which have brought good sized schools of fish in to feed on the great run of shrimp in the area.
The topwater bite has been great lately. There are reds on the oyster rocks, flooded bays, grass flats, deep channel structure, and in the surf.
So far, 2007 is also proving to be a great year for sheepshead in the Swansboro area. It’s common for sheepshead anglers in this area to experience 20-50 or more sheepshead strikes per hour throughout June and land as many as 15 fish per hour using live fiddler crabs. The sheepshead are spread all over the internal waters right now.
Anglers will find the masses of smaller fish (from ½-3+ lbs.) around bridge pylons, while the larger fish (from 5-10+ lbs.) will often cruise the shallow grass flats, oyster bars, and deeper structure along the ICW. Live shrimp works very well in these situations.
The summer flounder that have migrated into the backwaters from offshore are beginning to mix in with the southern flounder along the ICW and the mouth of the rivers and creeks.
Anglers should keep in mind that although it’s possible to catch flounder drifting the inlets, the larger these fish get the more structure oriented they become. Anglers have a better chance at landing good-sized fish or trophy-sized fish by fishing structure: oyster bars, pylons, rock piles, and channel walls.
Anglers can also expect to find some black drum around the bridges and oyster rocks, and they will gladly strike live shrimp, fiddler crabs, or fresh shrimp fished on bottom rigs in the deeper waters, or under a popping cork in the shallows.
Folden, of Still Outnumbered Charters, reports that spanish mackerel are abundant close to the beach, and kings are feeding at the nearshore reefs and wrecks. Both mackerel species are falling for Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow plugs.
Dolphin have moved in towards the beach, with some fish as near as 15 miles offshore. The new weather buoy 30 miles out is holding lots of bait, and dolphin, sailfish, and other species are there feeding on it. A pink squid daisy chain ending in a skirted ballyhoo has been the hot bait lately, particularly for the dolphin.
At the Naeco wreck and further offshore, boats are finding bigger gaffer dolphin (from 20-50 lbs.) and some nice wahoo.
Boats have released several blue marlin offshore of the 50 fathom line over the past week.
James, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers have landed several king mackerel over the past week, with the largest weighing 31 lbs. Live bluefish have accounted for most of the kings.
The bluefish are hitting cut baits fished on bottom rigs and Gotcha Plugs. Plug casters are also catching a few spanish mackerel.
Bottom fishermen are catching some spot, pompano, and a few trout on shrimp.
The water temperature has risen to 81 degrees.
