Swansboro – September 25, 2014
Benanne Stiens, of Mebane, NC, with a red drum she hooked on cut mullet from the surf near Bear Inlet.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that anglers are seeing the speckled trout bite improve in the area and connecting with the fish near the inlets and up the mainland creeks and rivers off Bogue Sound. Live shrimp fished under floats have been producing most of the action with the specks, but anglers are also hooking up while working soft plastic baits on jigheads and beneath popping corks. Cooler weather in the forecast should make the trout bite even better.
Red drum and flounder are also on the feed throughout Bogue Sound, and there have been big numbers of finger mullet working the bays and ICW lately. Anywhere anglers see mullet schools has the potential to host some action right now, and live mullet are tough to beat for baits. Topwater plugs, Gulp baits, and a variety of other lures will fool the fish as well for anglers looking to work artificials.
Chesson, of CXC Charters, reports that there’s been a solid king mackerel bite nearshore off Bogue Inlet in recent days (with many fish 20-30+ lbs.). Most are falling for live menhaden, but a variety of other live baits will attract attention as well.
Large spanish mackerel are feeding in many of the same areas, and anglers who want to target the spaniards can fish smaller baits on scaled-down (smaller hooks and wire) king rigs with success.
Tucker Holland (age 9) with a 27″ red drum he hooked in Bogue Sound while fishing with his grandfather.
Amberjacks are schooling around bottom structure in 60’ and deeper, but they’ve been a bit hook-shy over the past week. Live baits are the best bets for anglers looking to connect with the jacks right now, but vertical jigs and topwater plugs can also be effective when the fish are on the feed. Some cobia are in the same areas as the jacks and have a tough time turning down a live bait as well.
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that there’s been some excellent surf fishing for local anglers lately. Those casting metal jigs from the beachfront are connecting with spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Anglers fishing cut baits on bottom rigs are hooking some puppy drum and more bluefish. Smaller double-drop rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms are fooling some spot, sea mullet, and pompano.
Boaters fishing the ocean are hooking big numbers of spanish mackerel while trolling Clarkspoons.
Some larger spanish and king mackerel are feeding around nearshore structure and schools of bait just offshore. Both will bite live baits on light wire leaders.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with some black sea bass and gag grouper in the 60-100’ depths.
Inshore, red drum are working the marshes and biting topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live and cut baits.
Lee Padrick and Dwayne Smith–“The Redfish Guys”–with the 13.30 lb. pair of red drum that earned them first place in the Riley Rods Fall Redfish Shootout out of Surf City. The fish fell for a popping cork rig and a topwater plug in a Sneads Ferry marsh.
Flounder are feeding in the marshes as well, and anglers are also hooking solid numbers around inshore structure like docks. Live finger mullet and Gulp baits on jigheads will get attention from the flatfish.
The speckled trout bite is turning on in the creeks and rivers off Bogue Sound. Anglers can fool the specks on live shrimp or a variety of artificial lures.
Mike, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that live-baiters fishing from the end of the pier are hooking some king mackerel and have seen, but not hooked, a number of tarpon in recent days.
Anglers working casting lures like Gotcha plugs are connecting with some spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Spot, sea mullet, pompano, and other panfish are biting bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
