Morehead City/Atlantic Beach – May 23, 2019
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails, reports that anglers have been catching a few larger flounder (to 5 lbs.) from the surf on soft plastic paddle tail baits.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel have been schooled up and feeding on the bait running through the surf. Casting Spanish Candy and Kastmaster spoons has been producing most fish.
A few black drum are biting shrimp fished on a bottom rig.
Nearshore anglers are finding cobia (to 48 lbs.) while sight-casting large bucktails to cruising fish.
Bonito are in good numbers around AR-315, with Yo-Zuri deep diver plugs as the top producer.
Gray trout are being caught by jigging Stingsilvers around nearshore structure, and legal-sized flounder are also staged at the local ARs.
King mackerel (8-15 lbs.) are being hooked while trolling spoons and deep diver plugs in the 2-5 mile range.
Offshore anglers have been finding good numbers of gaffer-sized dolphin. Iland lures, Sea Witches, and Monkalurs rigged with ballyhoo have all produced fish.
Large wahoo (to 52 lbs.) are still striking ballyhoo fished behind a planer.
Some yellowfin and blackfin tuna have been mixed in around the mahi.
Bottom fishing with cut baits and squid wings has produced some large grouper.
Inshore, anglers have been targeting flats around the inlet for red drum and speckled trout.
Casting Rapala Skitterwalks and similar topwater plugs are catching a few speckled trout in the morning before the winds pick up.
Live fiddler crabs fished tight to pilings around the local bridges have produced some nice-sized sheepshead.
Elijah Alexander (age 7), of Raleigh, caught this 15″ sea mullet and 13″ bluefish while surf fishing at Salter Path, NC.
Cody, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have been catching citation-sized pompano while casting sand fleas into deeper holes along the beachfront.
Large sea mullet (to 2 lbs.) are schooled up in the same sloughs and are feeding on shrimp, sand fleas, and Fishbites strips.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are being caught by casting glass minnow jigs to feeding schools just outside the breakers.
Nearshore anglers have been scouting the area for bait pods and turtles in search of cobia. Sight-casting 2-3 oz. bucktail jigs matched with 5-6” soft plastic trailers is the most common method applied by anglers. Bottom fishing around the inlets with large Carolina-rigged baits will also catch a few cobia, as well as sharks and large stingrays.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are just past the breakers out to two miles. Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers has filled many anglers’ limits in short time.
A few bonito are hanging around the local ARs, and trolling deep diver plugs is having the most success.
Legal-sized flounder are being caught around structure at the ARs, with bucktails and Carolina-rigged live baits both producing.
Offshore anglers have been finding great numbers of dolphin while pulling skirted ballyhoo along weed lines.
A few blue marlin have been spotted in the area, and the next few weeks will likely see the bite pick up.
Inshore anglers have been finding speckled trout and red drum on flats around the marsh, and sheepshead are being caught on fiddler crabs around bridge pilings.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that cobia numbers have been getting better in the area, and anglers are having the most success while sight-casting bucktails to cruising fish.
Bonito are hanging around the local ARs and can be caught while trolling deep diver plugs.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are schooled up just off the beaches.
A few big sharks are being caught while fishing around the shrimp boats when they pull their nets.
Bottom fishing around structure is producing grouper, amberjack, grunts, and legal-sized black sea bass.
There is a good number of schoolie king mackerel in the 3-5 mile range. Trolling spoons and deep diver plugs are both producing strikes.
Inshore anglers are landing slot-sized red drum (to 24”) while fishing the flats inside the inlet.
Bluefish are hanging around in the deeper channels, being caught on jigs and soft plastics.
Sheepshead and gray trout are holding around bridge pilings and the port wall.
Dave, at Cape Lookout Charters, reports that good numbers of spanish mackerel can be found from the inlet to Cape Lookout. Trolling spoons under a planer is a great way to locate schools, where anglers can then cast glass minnow jigs to feeding fish.
Schools of bluefish are mixed in with the spanish, and they’re being caught using the same methods.
Anglers are seeing better numbers of cobia in recent days, and most anticipate seeing the bite catch fire any day.
Justin, at Breakday Charters, reports that red drum have pushed inshore and are staging on the flats in marshy areas. Soft plastics on light jig heads have been productive, with a few fish also hitting topwater plugs in the morning.
Cobia are in the area, and anglers are scouting the coast for cruising fish around bait pods.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are being found in good numbers from the beach out to three miles.
Bonito are being caught around AR-315 with deep diver plugs.
Legal-sized black sea bass are on and around local wrecks.
Flounder are staged at the ARs, and anglers are best hooking fish with smaller 1 oz. bucktails.
Good numbers of smaller king mackerel (8-12 lbs.) are in the 3-5 mile range.
Offshore trips have been producing strong numbers of gaffer-sized mahi.
Wahoo are mixed in around the current breaks, with a majority of the ‘hoos being caught off the planer rod.
A few billfish have been reported, and anglers look forward to this bite picking up in coming weeks.
Tom, of Dancin’ Outlaw, reports that anglers have been pleased with the great numbers of gaffer-sized mahi being found around weed lines. Trolling naked and skirted ballyhoo are both producing fish.
A few larger yellowfins are mixed in with the mahi.
Fishing ballyhoo deep behind a planer has produced some wahoo (to 50 lbs.).
Larry, of Oceanana Pier, reports that spanish mackerel are being caught on Gotcha plugs. Good numbers of bluefish are mixed in, and they’re hitting jigs and cut bait.
Sea mullet are actively feeding, and shrimp on the bottom is the best tactic.
