Morehead City August 20, 2009
Johnnie Driver, of Morehead City, with a pair of 8+ lb. rainbow runners he hooked on squid under sea witches near the Big Rock. Photo courtesy of Chasin Tails Outdoors.
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that the speckled trout bite is still on at night around the Atlantic Beach Bridge. Anglers are hooking the specks on the AB side of the span on live shrimp fished beneath lighted floats and on Carolina rigs.
Some gray trout are still feeding on the Morehead side of the bridge at night, although anglers seem to be hooking more ladyfish and bluefish than grays lately.
Flounder are feeding around the Atlantic Beach Bridge, the port wall, the railroad tracks, and behind Shackleford. Live finger mullet and other baits fished on Carolina rigs will tempt bites from the flatfish.
The flounder bite has also been hot in the ocean around the Cape Lookout rock jetty and at AR-315. Carolina-rigged live baits or bucktails tipped with Gulps will fool the flatties in the ocean.
Red drum are feeding heavily in the Haystacks and other area marshes, and anglers are hooking them on topwater plugs in the early mornings and Gulp and live baits later in the days. A few speckled trout and flounder are mixed in with the reds.
There’s been a surprisingly good spot bite around the Beaufort drawbridge for midsummer, and anglers are hooking the fish on bottom rigs baited with bloodworms.
Spanish mackerel are still feeding in the inlet and along the beaches, with some larger fish (to over 6 lbs.) around the Cape Lookout jetty and AR-315. Trolled spoons will fool the smaller spaniards, and live baits like finger mullet or peanut pogies should attract attention from the larger fish.
A few cobia are still feeding at the nearshore reefs and wrecks, and live baits should draw them to bite.
The rocks and wrecks east of Cape Lookout Shoals are holding good numbers of king mackerel (some to 30-40 lbs.). Live pogies are the top baits for the larger kings.
Bottom fishermen have been finding some action with sea bass, triggerfish, and beeliners at structure around the NW Places and Big 10/Little 10.
Susan Turnage with a sailfish she caught and released at the George Summerlin reef on a live pogy while fishing with her husband Mike on the "Zacanator."
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that some sailfish have moved inshore of the Gulf Stream, and boats reported hooking several around the 14 Buoy last week. Split-bill ballyhoo are fooling most of the sails.
Some scattered dolphin are mixed in with the sails, and boats reported some peanut dolphin as close in as the sea buoy last week.
The spanish mackerel bite is still solid, and anglers have been catching some large fish (4+ lbs.) while fishing small live baits around AR-315.
Anglers are catching good numbers of gray trout in the inlet, mostly while bouncing Shore Lure Glass Minnows and other jigging lures off the bottom. Inshore, anglers are picking up more grays around the railroad tracks.
There’s been a good croaker bite further out in the inlet channel, with most of the fish feeding around the drop-offs at the second and third sets of buoys.
Night fishing around the Atlantic Beach Bridge is producing some solid action with speckled trout, mostly for anglers fishing live shrimp under floats.
Sheepshead are still feeding at the port wall, area bridge and dock pilings, and other hard structure inshore. Sea urchins are the top baits for the larger fish, with fiddler crabs producing plenty of action as well.
The spot bite has been good in the surf and inshore around Beaufort, and bloodworms are the best bait to target these bottom feeders.
Surf anglers are hooking some whiting and black and red drum on shrimp. The Fort Macon rocks have been producing the best action with the drum.
Anglers are reporting good flounder action around the Fort Macon rocks and the Lookout jetty. Small live baits on Carolina rigs are fooling most of the flatties.
Shane, of Fight N Lady, reports that the wahoo bite is on, with good numbers of double digit catches. The ‘hoo action should only get better until fall.
Big numbers of sailfish have been feeding in the Stream lately as well, and a few white and blue marlin are mixed in.
The bite’s been happening up and down the break, with the best wahoo action in 40-55 fathoms and the bills spread out from 40-100.
Ballyhoo rigged under Blue Water Candy Mini Jags and Witches are producing most of the action with the wahoo and billfish, and blue/white seems to be the best color.
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers landed some spanish mackerel and bluefish while casting Gotcha plugs last week.
Some sheepshead came over the rails as well.
Bottom fishermen found action with some spot and whiting.
