Hatteras August 9, 2012
Alex Stanley, of New Key, VA, with a 34" red drum he hooked on a red/white bucktail in Pamlico Sound while fishing with Capt. Aaron Aaron of Tightline Charters out of Hatteras Harbor Marina.
Jim, of Hatteras Jack, reports that anglers are hooking sea mullet, croaker, spot, and other bottom feeders in the local surf. Scattered pompano are in the mix as well. Shrimp and bloodworms are fooling most of the bottom fish.
The flounder bite remains strong in the new inlet north of Rodanthe, with most of the fish falling for soft plastics like Gulp baits.
Speckled trout and big numbers of small puppy drum are feeding in the sound, where soft plastics will also produce. Popping cork rigs are particularly effective on the fish in the sound.
Anglers are still catching some sheepshead from the Bonner Bridge catwalk. Dangling sand fleas tight to the bridge pilings is the most effective strategy.
Josh, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some sea mullet, spadefish, croaker, and sheepshead on bottom and sabiki rigs.
A few flounder are falling for live mud minnows fished under the pier.
 Ginger, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that anglers are seeing a typical summertime mix of pompano, croaker, sea mullet, spot, and other bottom feeders. Double hook rigs baited with shrimp, bloodworms, and other baits are producing most of the action.
The Point has reopened to vehicle traffic, and anglers are connecting with some bluefish and spanish mackerel while working metal lures there.
Some larger sea mullet have also been in the mix around the Point.
Cameron, of Frisco Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking some sea mullet and pompano from the local beaches on shrimp and sand fleas.
Some spanish mackerel and bluefish are taking an interest in metal lures that anglers are working from the sand.
Inshore, anglers are hooking up with some flounder in the sound on soft plastics and live baits.
There’s also been a decent red drum bite in the sound, with cut baits producing most of the action.
Clint and Clinton James with a 53.4 lb. bull dolphin that bit a ballyhoo under a blue Ilander 30 miles east of Oregon Inlet while they were fishing with Marc Williams.
Kyle, of Frisco Rod and Gun, reports that anglers are connecting with some sea mullet while bottom fishing from the local beaches with shrimp and sand fleas (with some citation fish). Some bluefish and spanish mackerel are falling for metal lures worked quickly through the surf.
The Point has reopened to off road vehicles, and anglers fishing there are getting in on the sea mullet, spanish, and bluefish action. They’re also connecting with some large sharks.
Speckled trout and red drum are feeding in the sound, and inshore boats are hooking both on soft plastic lures.
Trolling small spoons around Hatteras Inlet is producing plenty of action with bluefish and spanish mackerel.
The local offshore fleet is connecting with big numbers of bailer dolphin, and some large wahoo are also in the mix. Naked and skirted ballyhoo are attracting most of the attention from the blue water predators, and boats are also hooking some of the wahoo while trolling high-speed lures.
Bottom fishing around offshore structure is producing action with tilefish, grouper, and black sea bass.
Jay, of Bite Me Charters, reports that the bailer dolphin action is still hot off Hatteras Inlet, and boats are finding most of the fish on floating debris and hooking them on cut baits.
Anglers are also hooking some wahoo (on ballyhoo and high-speed lures) and a few sailfish.
Bottom fishing and deep jigging offshore is producing hookups with tilefish, rosefish, snowy grouper (including a 42 lb. fish last week), and more.
