Swansboro October 10, 2013
Billy Parkin, of Swansboro, with a citation 33 lb. king mackerel he hooked on a live mullet while fishing off Bogue Inlet on the “Fur-Load.”
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that anglers are finding plenty of action with both red and black drum in the marshes throughout Bogue Sound (with black drum 3-6 lbs. and reds 20-32”). The best action has been around oyster bars on the higher tidal stages, and live shrimp on Carolina and popping cork rigs are fooling most of the drum. Live shrimp are also plentiful in the marshes right now, so anglers shouldn’t have to work too hard for their baits.
Small flounder are mixed in with the drum, and anglers are finding larger flatfish feeding around creekmouths on falling tides and at structure like docks in the ICW. Live finger mullet and jighead/soft plastic combos are tempting bites from the flatfish.
Anglers are finding some speckled trout in the mainland creeks and rivers, but there hasn’t been much action in the sound yet. As the water temperatures drop, the fish will move out to the sound and inlets and begin to feed more aggressively. Live shrimp, mud minnows, and mullet, as well as a wide variety of artificial lures, will fool the specks.
Out in the ocean, there’s still a decent flounder bite on the nearshore reefs and live bottoms, where anglers are bouncing 2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits to hook up with the flatfish.
Spanish mackerel are feeding on the surface from just off the beachfront to several miles offshore, and some false albacore are mixed in (with big numbers of falsies in the 10-15 mile range). Casting metal lures like 3/4 oz. diamond jigs at the surface activity will hook anglers up with both the spanish and albacore.
Some king mackerel are also showing up in the same range (with fish to 30+ lbs. weighed in recently). Live menhaden are the best bet for the kings.
Chesson, of CXC Fishing Charters, reports that there’s been some excellent action with large spanish mackerel taking place at nearshore structure off Bogue Inlet recently, although some of the more popular spots seem to be producing a slower bite than less well known rocks and live bottoms. Live menhaden and finger mullet on scaled-down king mackerel rigs are fooling the big spaniards.
Some smaller spanish (though still to 3+ lbs.) are feeding just off the beachfront and have been attacking metal casting jigs that anglers are working around surface activity and diving birds.
Large sharks are feeding in many of the same areas less than 10 miles offshore, and they’ll bite a variety of live and dead baits and occasionally even topwater plugs.
Ballard Earley, of Youngsville, NC, with his first red drum, a 33″ fish that bit a chunk of menhaden near the point at Bogue Inlet while he was fishing with Bruce Koonce.
Amberjacks are schooling up around high-relief structure in the 10+ mile range. Anglers can tempt the jacks to eat live baits and often topwater plugs, vertical jigs, and large flies.
Bottom fishing has been producing some gag grouper in the same range. Live baits are the best bets for the grouper. Black sea bass and other smaller bottom dwellers are feeding in the same areas, and they will pounce on cut baits or squid.
Josh, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that there’s been an excellent king mackerel bite going on 3-20 miles off the beachfront recently (with some fish to 30+ lbs.). Live menhaden are fooling most of the kings.
There’s also been solid king and spanish mackerel action around and east of Cape Lookout in recent days. The spanish are biting metal casting jigs worked around surface activity in the area.
Boaters running to the Gulf Stream are reporting an excellent wahoo bite while trolling both skirted ballyhoo and high-speed lures. Some dolphin have shown back up as well, and anglers reported dolphin action from the 14 Buoy on offshore. The ‘phins will bite ballyhoo and smaller trolling lures as well.
Surf casters on Emerald Isle are finding some excellent red drum action around the point at Bogue Inlet. Live and cut mullet are producing most of the fish, and the best bite has been around the tail end of the incoming tides lately.
Decent numbers of flounder are also biting live baits and soft plastics in the surf.
Sea mullet and pompano are around in force, and anglers are hooking big numbers of both while soaking shrimp and sand fleas on bottom rigs from the beach and pier.
Mike, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some large croaker, spot, sea mullet, pompano, and other bottom dwellers while baiting two-hook rigs with shrimp and bloodworms.
Flounder are feeding around the pier and taking an interest in live mud minnows and finger mullet fished on the bottom.
Plug casters are hooking bluefish and spanish mackerel while working Gotchas and diamond jigs from the end of the pier.
