Swansboro May 30, 2013
Gracie (age 7) and Izzy Mabry with Gracie’s first dolphin, hooked near the Swansboro Hole while they were trolling on the “Fish Hooker.”
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that cobia have shown up off Bogue Inlet, but fluctuating water temperatures over the past week have made the bite a bit difficult to predict. Searching for cruising fish or bait balls within a few miles of the beaches and casting live baits or bucktails has been producing most of the fish.
There have also been some cobia around the artificial reefs, and big numbers of smaller amberjacks (5-15 lbs.) are schooled up at all the high-relief structure in 60’ and deeper. Anglers can get the jacks fired up by chumming with some live menhaden, and then hook them on live baits, jigs, topwater plugs, and even fly rods.
Spadefish are holding at most of the AR’s as well. Anglers can chum them to the surface with cannonball jellyfish, and then use small pieces of the jellies as hook baits to tempt them to bite.
The water has been extremely clear at the reefs, so using light leaders and small hooks will increase anglers’ odds of hooking up no matter what their targets.
Spanish mackerel action slowed a bit when the water cooled last week, but the fish are returning to the beaches. Anglers can hook them while trolling Clarkspoons or casting diamond jigs at fish feeding on the surface. Live-baiting with small menhaden or mullet around the AR’s will produce some larger fish as well.
Inshore, the red drum bite is still solid in the marshes and bays, where anglers are casting topwater plugs, Gulps and other soft baits, and live and cut baits with success.
Flounder are showing up inshore and at nearshore structure in the ocean. Many are still on the small side, but keepers are in the mix. Bucktails tipped with Gulp baits will fool the flatfish in the ocean, and live mud minnows are tough to beat inshore.
Speckled trout are still around and feeding, and the cooler temperatures toward the end of last week produced a solid bite in some of the local creeks. Soft plastics are tempting most of the bites from the specks.
Black drum are feeding around deeper structure inshore and near oyster rocks on the flats. They have a tough time turning down fresh cut shrimp.
Robbie, of Hall’Em In Charters, reports that offshore fishing was excellent last week, with big numbers of gaffer dolphin (some to 35 lbs.), a few wahoo, and scattered blackfin tuna. Some blue marlin are also feeding at local blue water hotspots, so it’s a great time to hit the Gulf Stream. Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures are fooling most of the blue water gamefish.
Inshore, there was an excellent speckled trout bite last week, with the best action in deeper creeks on the high, falling tides. Gulp Jerkshads on light jigheads have been fooling the specks.
Windy Davis, of Sneads Ferry, with an Atlantic bonito that bit an MR19 MirrOlure off New River Inlet while she was fishing her her family.
The red drum bite isn’t lagging behind, either, with solid numbers of fish committing to topwater plugs and Gulp shrimp in the bays and marshes behind the barrier islands.
And the inshore flounder bite is finally heating up as well, with the best action wherever anglers can find clear water over dark, muddy bottoms. Queens Creek and some docks along the ICW produced solid numbers of keepers last week for anglers casting Gulp Jerkshads.
Chesson, of CXC Charters, reports that dolphin have begun to move inshore of the Gulf Stream, with some caught within 20 miles of the beach recently. Anglers can hook them while trolling dead or live baits and by casting to fish they see on the surface or that approach the boat.
Grouper season is open, and anglers are connecting with some solid gags around structure in 80-85’ of water. Plenty of sea bass are in the same areas and will be open to harvest June 1. Live menhaden are some of the best bets for the bigger grouper.
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that anglers are connecting with plenty of pompano, sea mullet, and some red drum while casting shrimp, sand fleas, and cut baits into the local surf.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding just off the beaches and taking an interest in trolled Clarkspoons and metal casting lures worked around fish feeding on the surface.
Cobia are cruising within a few miles of shore as well, and anglers are connecting with them while sight-casting and working menhaden pods. Bucktail jigs tipped with soft plastic trailers are putting most of the cobes in the boat.
Flounder have shown up at the nearshore AR’s and other structure in the area, where anglers can tempt them to bite 2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits. There are also some flatfish feeding inside, and giggers are putting some solid ones in the boat. Gulps or live baits will tempt bites from the flounder inshore.
Mike, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some fat spanish mackerel (to nearly 4 lbs.) while working Gotcha plugs from the pier. The spanish action has been best in the early mornings, with bluefish falling for the Gotchas in the evening hours.
Sea mullet and pompano (including a 4 lb., 15 oz. fish last week) are taking an interest in bottom rigs baited with shrimp. Some spot, black drum, and puppy drum are taking an interest in the bottom rigs as well.
