Hatteras July 25, 2013
James and Ashley Warnick with Ashley’s first red drum, hooked on a gold spoon in 2′ of water in the Pamlico Sound while they were fishing with Capt. Aaron Aaron of Tightline Charters.
Ryan, of Hatteras Jack, reports that anglers are picking up some croaker and large sea mullet in the local surf. A few slot and larger drum are mixed in.
Sheepshead are still feeding around the Bonner Bridge and biting sand fleas, fiddler crabs, and mussels that anglers are dangling near the pilings.
Speckled trout and puppy drum are feeding in the sound around Rodanthe and taking an interest in Gulp baits and other soft plastics.
Anglers are also hooking some citation-class drum in the sound, but they have been tight-lipped as to where.
Kelly, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that anglers are mostly hooking bottomfish like croaker and spot, as the water’s been quite dirty.
Some spanish mackerel and bluefish were coming over the rails last week when the water was clean. Gotcha plugs and other flashy metal lures are fooling both fish.
Ian, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that anglers are hooking some citation sea mullet, croaker, and a few puppy drum in the surf around Avon. Shrimp, sand fleas, and cut baits are all effective.
Back in the sound, anglers casting live baits and soft plastics are connecting with a few puppy drum, speckled trout, and flounder.
Cameron, of Frisco Tackle, reports that surf casters are hooking sea mullet and pompano in Frisco, mostly on shrimp and sand fleas.
Some puppy drum are mixed in, and anglers are also hooking larger reds (up to citation-class 40”+ fish) from the beach on large cut baits.
More puppy drum and speckled and gray trout are looking for meals in the sound, and they’re biting soft plastic baits.
Kyle, of Frisco Rod and Gun, reports that anglers are hooking some sea mullet, pompano, and bluefish from Hatteras Island’s southern beaches. Some citation-class red drum are feeding around Hatteras Inlet. Shrimp, sand fleas, and cut baits are getting the job done in the surf.
Phil Anderson, of Raleigh, NC, with a citation 2 lb., 5 oz. pompano he hooked on a River Rig in the Hatteras surf. Photo courtesy of JAM at Teach’s Lair Marina.
Inshore boaters are hooking puppy drum, bluefish, and speckled trout in the sound on soft plastics and live baits.
The offshore fleet has been seeing some solid wahoo fishing along with a few dolphin and blackfin tuna. Decent numbers of sailfish and a few blue and white marlin are also around, and they’re taking an interest in the same naked and skirted ballyhoo that anglers are trolling for the meatfish.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that anglers are seeing a good summertime mixed bag right now, with dolphin, wahoo, and some blackfin tuna falling for naked and skirted ballyhoo trolled off Hatteras Inlet. Billfishing isn’t quite what it should be for this time of year, but boats are seeing and hooking a few blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish.
JAM, of Teach’s Lair Marina, reports that anglers are seeing decent numbers of billfish while trolling off Hatteras Inlet, but the dolphin fishing hasn’t been spectacular lately (although most of the fish are still gaffers).
Bottom fishing around wrecks and other offshore structure is producing big numbers of triggerfish, tilefish, and black sea bass.
Inshore, anglers are still catching good numbers of cobia in the sound, primarily while chumming and bottom fishing. Keeping bucktail jigs tied on to cast to any cobia appearing around the boat is still a good idea, however.
Casting soft plastics in the sound is producing limit catches of puppy drum and speckled trout, along with a few flounder and gray trout.
Surf casters are hooking solid numbers of sea mullet and a surprising amount of pompano given the dirty water recently. Shrimp and sand fleas are fooling the panfish in the breakers.
Cody, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that small sea mullet and bluefish have been making up most of the surf catch lately, but anglers saw strong puppy drum fishing before the wind dirtied the water over the weekend.
Inshore anglers are catching good numbers of gray trout in deeper holes in the sound.
