Added on Thursday, June 17, 2010  Fish Post

Swansboro June 17, 2010

Jeff, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that the nearshore flounder fishing continues to be excellent. Bouncing 2 oz. Spro bucktails tipped with 4” white Gulp baits off the bottom at structure in the 2-10 mile range is producing plenty of action with the flatfish (ranging from 1-6 lbs. recently).

Large (4-5+ lb.) spanish mackerel are feeding along the beaches, inlet tide lines, and in the same places that anglers are flounder fishing. These large spanish are warier than their smaller relatives, and the best way to hook them is by fishing smaller (3-5”) live baits on light wire leaders with small gold treble hooks. Some smaller king mackerel are mixed in with the schools of spanish.

Inshore, the red drum action remains hot in the marshes, where anglers can find the fish schooled up in the shallows and prowling marsh edges for food in groups of one to a dozen. Topwater plugs may fool the reds. When they’re not working, white Gulp baits will get the job done.

The sheepshead bite is still on at the local bridge and dock pilings and other hard inshore structure. Live fiddler crabs are the tickets to sheepshead bites and should be dangled tight to the structure. The striped fish are adept bait stealers, so anglers may run through a few hundred crabs in a day’s fishing.

Some black drum are mixed in with the sheeps and will pounce on a crab bait as well.

Chesson, of CXC Fishing, reports that the near/offshore action out of Bogue Inlet is heating up along with the weather.

Dolphin have pushed in as close as 8 miles off the inlets, with larger fish and more consistent numbers the further anglers work offshore.

The wrecks and rocks in the 8-25 mile range are playing host to good numbers of amberjack, some cobia, little tunny, and king mackerel in addition to the dolphin.

Live-baiting with greenies or other jig baits that anglers can find near the area’s buoys is drawing strikes from all these species.

Anglers are also using the live baits to chum the amberjacks into a feeding frenzy and then casting topwater plugs for explosive surface strikes.

Dropping live baits or baited bucktail jigs to the bottom at the same structure is attracting attention from some healthy gag grouper, and closer to the beaches it’s producing flounder.

The big breeder spanish mackerel (to 6+ lbs.) are feeding along the beaches and will take an interest in small live baits fished on very light tackle.

Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that anglers are seeing some small dolphin within 10 miles of the beaches and larger fish the further offshore they get, with plenty of gaffers in the Gulf Stream.

King mackerel are mixed in with the smaller dolphin at spots like the SE Bottoms, and both will strike live baits or dead cigar minnows.

Large spanish mackerel (3-5+ lbs.) are feeding along the beaches, and anglers are hooking them while live-baiting from the pier and boats.

A few larger kings (like the 31 pounder landed on the pier last week) are mixed in with the nearshore spanish.

Surf anglers are picking up some flounder and spot on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.

Anglers fishing the point at Bogue Inlet have been finding some red drum action while fishing with gold Kastmaster spoons.

The red drum bite’s been on in the marshes as well, where anglers are hooking up with the fish on topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, and scented soft plastic baits.

Anglers have been catching a few hefty speckled trout out of the local creeks and rivers, but they’ve been tight-lipped as to where and how.

Billy, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that plugs casters are getting plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish action while working Gotchas.

Bottom fishermen are picking up some whiting, spot, and pompano on shrimp.

The flounder bite has also been decent this past week (with fish to 2+ lbs.).

Sheepshead are feeding near the pier, and anglers are hooking them while dangling sand fleas next to the pilings.

The water is 80 degrees.