Swansboro June 30, 2005
Jeff Cronk, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that there’s plenty of 3-4″ threadfin herring around the Swansboro waterfront, as well as the bridges. Shrimp are along the creeks just inside White Oak River and Queens Creek, as well as the mainland creeks off Bogue Sound. Mullet minnows are beginning to show, but they are currently between 2 and 3″.
There’s plenty of summer flounder from 13 to 18″ around Bear, Brown’s, and Bogue Inlet channels. Southern and summer flounder are mixed around the western end of Bogue Sound, as well as the marsh systems behind Bear and Brown’s Islands. There are some reds working the surf along area beaches and inlets. Falling tide will usually produce better fishing conditions. Puppy drum from 18 to 24″ are showing along dock structure in the ICW and around the oyster beds in the mouth of the river and sound. A few reds have been caught in the flooded marsh systems between the ICW and the beaches this week as well.
The sheepshead bite has slowed considerably with the rising water temps. There are some lady fish working the shoals around the mouth of all three inlets in the Swansboro area, as well the sand flats on a rising tide in White Oak River and Bogue Sound. These fish are ranging from 20 to 30″.
Plenty of 1 to 3 lb. bluefish are in the inlet channels. Most of these fish are running deep with the hot water. There are still some decent 1 to 2 lb. spanish easily accessible around the inlets, and good numbers of king mackerel from 5 to 30 lbs. are within a couple miles of the beach. They’re hitting best on 5 to 10″ live shad trolled on a standard king mackerel rig.
Sharon, at Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that the weekend was hot for king fishing. On Friday they had a multiple king day, including kings weighing 33 lbs., 22 lbs., 18 lbs., 16 lbs., and 8 lbs. They also landed a 19 lb. cobia and a 30 lb. king on Saturday. Other than the kings, it has been some small blues, a few spanish (in the early mornings and evenings), and a few small spots.
Dale, at Reel Outdoors, reports that flounder in the area continue to be small. They are catching them inside (in the sound), just outside the inlet, on the nearshore reefs, and off the piers. There have been some kings caught off of the piers, and they are also finding the schoolie kings from the beach on out to 10 miles off. The spots have started to show up this past weekend, and the surf has also been producing blues and some spanish.
