Morehead City/Atlantic Beach – September 26, 2019
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails, reports that sea mullet are being caught on Sam’s Glitter Rigs in the Turning Basin.
Bottom fishing with shrimp has been producing black drum, croaker, and pufferfish.
Speckled trout are in the creeks and areas like the Haystacks, and they’re hitting live shrimp fished under slip corks.
Red drum are being caught on topwater plugs and soft plastics in the marsh. Deeper areas and channels near oyster beds have been the productive areas to look.
Sheepshead are feeding on Carolina-rigged live fiddler crabs and sea urchins.
Offshore anglers have been weighing in some large wahoo being caught on high speed trolling lures and basic cedar plugs. Gaffer and bailer-sized dolphin are also coming from the 20+ mile range, with most all of the action on ballyhoo.
The 10-20 mile range has been holding king mackerel, as the kings are staged around the ARs and ledges.
Tim Still, from Charlotte, NC, with a false albacore caught from the Atlantic Beach surf on a Gunslinger Jig.
Cody, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that inshore anglers have been finding nice-sized speckled trout (up to 5 lbs.) while fishing creeks and deeper grass banks throughout the marshes. Live shrimp fished on slip corks, as well as soft plastics, have produced the majority of bites.
Red drum are mixed in, though each school seems to only be holding a few fish.
Sheepshead are staged around structure in the Turning Basin and on the high-rise bridge pilings.
Nearshore anglers have been trolling spoons and catching limits of smaller spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Large (citation-class) king mackerel are hitting dead bait rigs out in the 10-15 mile range.
Stephen Brown, from Clover, SC, with a 27″ red drum that fell for live mullet at the Pamlico Point.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that anglers fishing marshy areas in the sound have been finding plenty of puppy drum. Topwater baits have worked well on the flats early, with soft plastics being more productive once the fish push into channels.
Speckled trout are in deeper marsh channels and holes in creeks off the ICW. Soft plastics fished on lighter jig heads and under popping corks are the main producing baits.
Black drum are around docks and deep structure, and they’re hitting Carolina-rigged live shrimp.
Nearshore trips have been finding good numbers of large spanish mackerel (up to 5 lbs.) while casting glass minnow jigs to surface-feeding schools.
Citation-class red drum are just north of Adams Creek on the river, and the big reds have also been out around Cedar Island. Large popping cork rigs are the favorite setup of local anglers.
Dave, at Cape Lookout Charters, reports that speckled trout are being caught in Bogue Sound and surrounding areas while fishing topwater plugs along ledges and grass banks.
Bluefish are schooled up from the inlets back into the marsh, and they’re hitting casting jigs and soft plastics.
Puppy drum are being caught on cut baits and bucktails fished out near the Cape.
False albacore are starting to show up nearshore and around the Cape. Casting small glass minnow jigs is a favorite method when looking for a few strikes.
Justin, at Breakday Charters, reports that inshore anglers are finding good numbers of puppy drum in the marshes while fishing topwater plugs and soft plastics.
Speckled trout have been staged in deeper holes, whether that be marsh channels or creeks off the ICW. Popping corks work great for the trout bite, as they can be worked along banks quickly and efficiently.
Trophy red drum are being caught just north of the area on deeper river ledges with popping corks.
Nearshore anglers are catching spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Tom, of Dancin’ Outlaw, reports that large wahoo are hitting high speed lures and skirted ballyhoo out in the Stream. The bite has been great this year, a good sign when looking at how early in the season the bite started. A couple of fat blackfin tuna are mixed in, and they’re hitting the same baits.
King mackerel (up to 35 lbs.) are staged up around rocks and ledges, and trolling baits anywhere near these areas has produced some strikes.
Swordfish are being caught, though the number of anglers wanting to target them has been down with the recent weather.
Larry, of Oceanana Pier, reports that a few puppy drum are hitting Carolina-rigged cut baits fished in holes just outside the breakers.
A couple of scattered speckled trout have hit soft plastics in the early mornings.
Bottom fishing has been producing sea mullet and croakers. The bite has been slow, but high winds have had the current rushing around and some steady weather patterns should change this.
