Morehead City July 26, 2007
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that inshore flounder fishing is excellent right now. Anglers are finding the flatfish along the port wall, the bridges, around the railroad tracks, and in the Haystack marshes. Live finger mullet and mud minnows are the top flounder baits right now.
The nearshore flounder bite is also solid. The best fishing has been around AR315 and AR320.
Red drum are feeding in the Haystack and beneath docks between the Wildlife Ramp and the Atlantic Beach Bridge. The drum are falling for live baits, Gulps, and Redfish Magic spinnerbaits.
Speckled trout (with many running 4+ lbs.) are also on the feed in the inshore waters. The Haystack and bridges are holding most of the trout, and anglers can hook up with them by casting Gulp baits or live mud minnows.
The port wall, bridges, and railroad tracks are holding plenty of sheepshead. Fiddler crabs and sea urchins will draw strikes from the striped “convict fish.”
At night, anglers are hooking up with plenty of gray trout around the Atlantic Beach Bridge and the Railroad Tracks. Jigging Stingsilvers, Tsunami Glass Minnows, and green grubs will get attention from the grays.
Surf and pier anglers are landing a mixture of bluefish, spot, croaker, and flounder.
Big spanish mackerel (3-7 lbs.) are feeding very early and late in the day around AR315 and AR320. Small live baits are the best bet for these fish.
Kings are feeding at the AR’s as well, and chasing bait around the sea buoy and shipping channel. Some of the fish are 30+ lbs. Live baits and dead cigar minnows will tempt the kings to strike.
Dolphin are feeding 15 miles and further offshore. The 14 Buoy and Big 10/Little 10 are good places to begin looking for the dolphin. Cigar minnows and ballyhoo will produce good numbers of the dolphin.
Between the 14 Buoy and the Gulf Stream, boats are hooking up with some sailfish and wahoo along with the dolphin. Trolling skirted ballyhoo is the best way to hook up with all these blue water predators.
Bottom fishing has been solid around the Big 10/Little 10. Anglers are landing gag grouper on cigar minnows, and fat sea bass (3-4 lbs.) on squid baits.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that speckled trout are making up the bulk of the inshore action right now. Anglers are finding the majority of the trout around the bridges and in the marshes, and the best bite is taking place in the early mornings and late evenings. The trout are falling for both mud minnows and artificial lures.
Anglers have weighed in some hefty flounder (up to 8 lbs.) over the course of the week. The largest flatfish are coming from deep water spots such as the port wall, although smaller fish are feeding throughout the area.
Flounder are also feeding in the surf zone, and anglers caught plenty in the 2-3 lb. range from the surf and piers over the week.
In addition to the flounder, surf fishermen are landing a typical summertime mixed bag including pompano, spot, whiting, and croakers. Some 5-6’ sharks are also providing action for surf casters who target them.
Sheepshead are holding tight to structure along the port wall and the bridges. The Beaufort high rise bridge has been a particularly good sheepshead spot recently. Anglers are hooking up with the sheepshead by baiting up with fiddler crabs and sea urchins.
Strong winds kept many offshore boats at the dock over the week, but those who did get out released decent numbers of sailfish offshore of the 90’ Drop. A few sails have been reported in close around the shipping lane as well.
Ken, of Swell Rider Charters, reports that king mackerel are providing most of the action right now. Skirted and naked ballyhoo are fooling most of the kings. The action has been hot between the sea buoy and the 65’ areas anywhere there’s bait.
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are decking whiting, croaker, and spot on shrimp. Lots of sharks are hitting the bottom rigs as well.
A few flounder are biting small live baits fished on the bottom.
Plug casters are hooking up with decent numbers of bluefish.
The water temperature is 80 degrees.
