Ocean Isle June 2, 2011
Charlie Gore, John Maguire, Alan Harrelson, and Jeremy Harrelson, all from Tabor City, NC, with upper-slot red drum they hooked on topwater plugs while fishing an oyster rock near Shallotte Inlet.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the Gulf Stream action has been a little slow over the last week, but boats fishing off South Carolina found excellent gaffer dolphin fishing and a solid billfish bite (with blue and white marlin and sailfish). Those fish should be moving towards local Gulf Stream spots like the 100/400, Winyah Scarp, and Blackjack Hole over the coming week, so the Gulf Stream season likely isn’t yet over. Both skirted ballyhoo and artificial trolling plugs will tempt bites from the blue water predators.
King mackerel have been hit-or-miss lately, but boats have found some action around the Horseshoe and the 90/90’s in the past week. Some dolphin have been mixed in around the ‘Shoe, and cobia have been at both spots. Live baits and dead cigar minnows have both been producing action.
Patrick, of Twister Charters, reports that Gulf Stream trolling has been producing action with dolphin (from gaffers to peanuts) lately. Ballyhoo under sea witches have been getting attention from the ‘phins.
Amberjacks are schooled up at structure along the break, and vertical jigging has been producing fast action with the jacks and some red grouper.
Bottom fishing has been solid lately as well. Structure in around 80’ has been giving up good numbers of gag and scamp grouper, beeliners, and plenty of other bottom dwellers. Live baits are attracting the groupers’ attention, while cut baits have been fooling the beeliners.
Keeping a live bait on the light-line while bottom fishing has been adding some dolphin, cobia, and king mackerel to the box.
Spanish mackerel are still feeding along the beaches, and anglers are catching good numbers while trolling Clarkspoons.
Sharks are in the same areas, and they’ll take an interest in large cut baits.
Inshore, the flounder bite is still solid in the Shallotte and Lockwood Folly Rivers, and Gulp shrimp have been doing plenty of damage with the flatfish.
Jimmy Herlocker, Alyssa Herlocker, and Jerry Farley with three out of 10 keeper flounder they landed on live baits and Sea Assassin soft plastics while fishing with Capt. Jacob Frick of J&J Fishing Charters out of Ocean Isle Fishing Center.
Jacob, of J&J Fishing Charters, reports that the local flounder bite is in full swing. The best action lately has been around Shallotte Inlet, where anglers are catching double-digit numbers many days (sometimes that many keepers). The sandbar behind the inlet and nearby seawalls, docks, and drop-offs have been particularly productive areas.
Live mud minnows and peanut pogies will attract attention from the flatfish, but soft plastics seem to be producing more bites and bigger fish in recent weeks. Chartreuse Deep Creek swimming mullet and Bass Assassin Sea Assassins have been the hottest baits lately.
A few speckled trout and red drum have been mixed in with the flatfish.
Mark of OceanIsleFishingCharters.com, reports that after slowing a bit last week, the Tubbs Inlet flounder bite is back on. The best action lately has been during rising tides, and mud minnows and tiger-side minnows have been producing the most fish. Interestingly, the ratio of keepers seems to change by the day, with nearly all fish keepers some days and the 15” fish tough to come by on others.
A few red drum are mixed in with the flounder in Tubbs, and anglers are also catching good numbers in the shallows back in the area creeks. Gulp baits, live mud minnows, and chunks of crab on jigheads and Carolina rigs are attracting most of the attention from the reds.
Josh, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are hooking up with some sea mullet while bottom fishing with shrimp.
Bluefish are falling for the bottom rigs, as well as Gotcha plugs, worked from the pier.
