Swansboro October 13, 2005
Capt. Stan, of Captain Stanman Fishing Charters, reports that the wind switched to the S/E on Wednesday and blew hard from a Tropical Depression bringing 10 to 12 inches of rain to the area. This curtailed the fishing activity. However, the fish should be very accommodating now.
It’s the time of the year for the kings to hit the beach at the Dead Tree Hole area (aka as the Skunk Hole if you get skunked). The kings should still be there if the menhaden boats don’t net them all.
With most kings being caught off Shackleford Banks, there has been little activity out of Bogue. The latest reports have been sketchy, and there’s been a lack of jig bait at the Alphabet Buoys. Be sure and take some frozen ballyhoo and cigar minnows as a back up for live bait.
The grouper and snapper are biting hard on the ledges 8 to 20 miles out. Go with frozen mullet minnows and cigar minnows, or small live menhaden will also do the trick.
Menhaden have been active around Town Creek, Harker’s Island and the Duke Marine Lab. There’s been no reports of any menhaden in the ICW since Hurricane Ophelia. However, they have been appearing in Mia Hammocks Bay, but not on a frequent basis.
Hopefully, some bluebird days will kick off the fall fishing season. If the winds will lie down for a few days and the water clears, there should be a lot of activity around the inlet tidelines.
Dale, at The Reel Outdoors, reports that spots are biting in the surf and off the piers, hitting both real and artificial bloodworms. They aren’t the big yellow-bellied ones. You can also find some spots inside around the Emerald Isle Bridge.
The red drum are everywhere in the sound. The fish are plentiful, and many that have been found are measuring up to 30 inches.
Flounder are biting around docks in the ICW, and a couple of guys have found some speckled trout inside.
As for baitfish, there’s plenty of finger mullet in the area waters.
Sharon, at Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that spots have been biting real well. The action started before the storms, and then picked back up immediately after. They’re not the big yellow-bellied ones, but guys are filling up coolers on the ones available.
