Swansboro May 31, 2007
Jeff, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that summer flounder have moved into the inlets. Drift fish the inlet drop-offs and connecting channels to connect with the flounder. A Carolina-rigged finger mullet, pogie, or other live bait will get bites, and anglers can also bounce a Gulp-tipped bucktail off the bottom with good results. The summer flounder will be moving further into the marsh systems and backwaters every day.
Red drum are on the feed in the surf and in the marshes and bays. Falling tide is the prime time to fish the inlets and surf, but anglers can find reds feeding on sea grass flats and in marshes near the inlets on flooding tides. In the surf, cut baits or jigs tipped with scented baits will draw in the drum. For the inshore bite, fish spinner baits, topwaters, and live baits on float or Carolina rigs.
The grass flats of Bogue Sound are holding some nice black drum in the 5-8 lb. range. Anglers can sight cast Gulp crabs on weightless hooks to feeding black drum.
The sheepshead bite is improving, with anglers catching fish from 0.5 up to 5 lbs. The fish are holding tight to dock and bridge pilings, and they will strike fiddler crabs, mud crabs, and live or Gulp sand fleas. Use braided line and 30 lb. and heavier leaders in order to pull sheepshead away from the structure.
Hatteras blues (from 5-10 lbs.) are feeding in the Swansboro area backwaters, and will violently hit a topwater plug. Mullet showering around grass flats will clue anglers in to the presence of bluefish and perhaps reds.
Flounder fishing is finally heating up on the nearshore live bottoms within 5 miles of the beach. Anglers are picking up flounder from sub-legal size up to 4 lbs. by fishing Carolina-rigged live baits and bucktails tipped with Gulp baits close to the structure.
The live bottoms are also holding large numbers of tautog and 1-2 lb. triggerfish now. The triggers and ‘togs will hit the same baits as sheepshead. Dropping a chum tube filled with crushed clams, mussels, or crabs to the bottom will really get them feeding.
Kings up to 10 lbs. are feeding at the reefs, wrecks, and live bottoms 3-10 miles from the beach.
From the beach out to 40’, spanish mackerel are skying on small baits in the early mornings. The best way to hook up with spanish is by trolling Clark spoons and small Yo-Zuri plugs.
Big cobia are also feeding near the beach. Look for cobia near high relief bottom structure, large flotsam, and buoys.
Stan, of Capt. Stanman’s Fishing Charters, reports that the winds have finally laid down enough for boats to get offshore. Warm water has moved close to the beach, and with it there’s red hot dolphin and small king mackerel fishing.
Dolphin fishing has been on fire offshore as well. The dolphin are averaging much larger than usual, between 12 and 25 lbs., with occasional fish up to 40 lbs. The hottest offshore dolphin bite has been around the 500 line.
Troll flashy skirts on top of ballyhoo to get attention from the dolphin—the Cape Lookout Screamer, Smoker, and C-15 Jet Head in pink, pink/white, and green/yellow have produced well lately. The South Chatham Pirate Plug is another good choice, and particularly easy for novice anglers to rig.
Herb, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports kings (up to 10 lbs.), cobia, and chopper bluefish (from 6-10 lbs.) hitting live baits fished from the end of the pier. Small bluefish are getting most of the strikes, but anglers are also catching fish on silver perch when they can’t get any blues.
Plug casters are catching small blues and spanish mackerel near the end of the pier.
A few flounder are hitting live mud minnows fished close to the pier.
Bottom fishermen are catching mostly small silver perch, but there have been some 2-3 lb. black drum mixed in. Shrimp are the best bottom bait.
The water temperature is 74 degrees.
