Added on Thursday, July 5, 2012  Gary Hurley

Northern Beaches July 5, 2012

Betty, of TW’s Tackle, reports that anglers are connecting with some bluefish and bottom fish in the local surf.

Pier anglers are hooking up with spot, croaker, sea mullet, and other bottom feeders on shrimp and other baits. Some flounder are also taking an interest in cut, live, and soft plastic baits.

Spanish mackerel are feeding just off the beaches, sometimes coming into range of the piers, where anglers are hooking them while working Gotcha plugs and small metal jigs.

Several cobia were caught off Nags Head Pier this past week as well.

Speckled trout and some black drum and flounder are feeding in the sound, and anglers caught some of each from the little bridge pier last week.

Sheepshead are still feeding around the pilings of the Bonner Bridge, where anglers are hooking them on sand fleas (with several 8-10 lb. citation fish weighed in over the past week).

Inshore trollers are catching plenty of spanish mackerel while trolling small spoons around Oregon Inlet.

Tilefish and sea bass are feeding around bottom structure offshore of the inlet, and bottom fishermen are hooking them on squid and cut baits.

Offshore trollers are still finding plenty of action with yellowfin tuna and dolphin while trolling skirted ballyhoo. Some bigeye tuna and blue and white marlin and sailfish have also been in the mix over the past week.

 

Denise, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that yellowfin tuna and dolphin continue to provide plenty of action and fill fish boxes of offshore boats trolling ballyhoo off the inlet.

Bigeye tuna and a few wahoo have also been weighed over the past week.

Billfish of all sorts are mixed in with the tuna and dolphin, and boats tallied good numbers of blue and white marlin and sailfish releases over the past week.

Bottom fishing at structure closer to the beaches is producing plenty of action with triggerfish, black sea bass, and amberjacks.

Bluefish and spanish mackerel are taking an interest in Clarkspoons and other flashy lures trolled in and around Oregon Inlet.

Inshore bottom fishing is producing gray trout, sea mullet, croaker, and other bottom feeders.

 

Dave, of Skiligal Sportfishing, reports that the tuna bite is still solid, with both yellowfins and bigeyes falling for trolled baits off Oregon Inlet recently. Naked and skirted ballyhoo are producing the majority of the bites.

Dolphin are still feeding around weedlines and temperature breaks around the Point and to the south, and trolled ballyhoo or chunk baits pitched to the schooling fish will put them in the boat.

 

Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that bluefish and spanish mackerel have been feeding around the pier, and anglers are hooking them on Gotcha plugs and other flashy metal lures worked from the pier.

A variety of bottom fish like spot, croaker, spadefish, gray trout, and more are taking an interest in double-hook rigs baited with shrimp, squid, cut baits, and more.

 

Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that large schools of spanish mackerel and bluefish have been feeding along the shoreline lately, and anglers are hooking them from the surf and piers while casting small metal lures to the actively feeding fish.

Bottom fishermen are connecting with some sea mullet, spot, croaker, and other panfish while fishing shrimp and cut baits on double-hook rigs.

Speckled trout and some flounder are taking an interest in cut and live baits and soft plastics as well.

Inshore charter boats are connecting with plenty of bluefish and spanish mackerel while trolling Clarkspoons around Oregon Inlet and in the sound and ocean.

Some more speckled trout and flounder are falling for soft plastics and a variety of natural baits around the inlet.

Bottom fishing at wrecks and other structure offshore of Oregon Inlet has been producing plenty of action with triggerfish and black sea bass. Squid and cut baits will fool both.

Some amberjacks are feeding around the same structure and will pounce on a live bait.