Morehead City July 9, 2009
Ashely Noe, a bartender at Atlantic Beach's Beach Tavern, with a large spanish mackerel she hooked while fishing around bait balls outside Beaufort Inlet with Capt. Dave Dietzler of Cape Lookout Charters.
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are still catching good numbers of speckled trout (some 4-5 lbs.) underneath the Atlantic Beach Causeway at night. Most of the fish are falling for live shrimp under lighted floats, and the action’s been best around the second light from the AB side.
The Morehead side of the bridge has been producing good numbers of gray trout for anglers working green grubs, Gulp baits, and Tsunami Glass Minnows at night.
More grays are coming from the deeper water beneath the railroad tracks, where anglers are hooking them while working Stingsilvers near the bottom.
The speckled trout, red drum, and flounder bite is still on in the Haystacks, the marshes and creeks off the Newport River, and the ICW near the 101 Bridge. Live shrimp and mud minnows under floats and on Carolina rigs are producing many of the fish, and anglers are also hooking a few reds and specks on topwater plugs in the early mornings.
Some black drum are feeding in the same areas, and anglers are hooking them on bottom rigs with fresh shrimp.
Good numbers of flounder are coming from behind Shackleford Banks, under the AB Bridge, and around the railroad tracks. Drifting with live mud minnows or finger mullet is producing most of the fish.
The sheepshead bite remains good around the bridges and private docks (with several fish in the 7-8 lb. class weighed in last week). Fiddler crabs and sea urchins are some of the best baits for these fish.
Spanish mackerel are still feeding in the inlet, inshore around Radio Island, and along the beaches out to the nearshore AR’s. Boats are hooking them while trolling spoons and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers, and the Divers and Gold drone spoons seem to be attracting attention from larger fish than Clarkspoons right now.
Surf anglers are finding action with black and red drum, bluefish, and spanish mackerel around the Fort Macon rocks. Squid and shrimp are drawing bites from the drum, and anglers are hooking the blues and spaniards while casting diamond jigs.
Out at AR-315, anglers are catching larger spanish mackerel and snake kings while free-lining live pogies and mullet.
Boats are reporting larger king mackerel around the Big 10/Little 10 and the 240 Rock, and larger live baits are the way to tempt them to strike.
The dolphin bite has still been solid at spots like the Trawler Buoy, the Northwest Places, and the Big10/Little 10, though the fish have gotten a little smaller. Larger dolphin are feeding further out between the 90’ Drop and the Big Rock, and some wahoo are mixed in out there. Skirted ballyhoo are top choices for the dolphin and wahoo.
Offshore bottom fishermen have found good action at structure around the 210 and 240 Rocks, where they’re loading up coolers with triggerfish, black sea bass, and gag grouper. Squid are producing most of the triggers and bass, and anglers are hooking the grouper on cigar minnows.
Tim Creech, Brandon Creech, and Tim Chavez with king mackerel they hooked near the C Buoy out of Bogue Inlet. They were fishing aboard the "Green Dolphin."
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the dolphin bite is still good offshore, and small boaters have had a chance to get in on the action as well, with good reports of ‘phins coming from as close to shore as the Dead Tree Hole. Ballyhoo and cigar minnows under skirted trolling lures will tempt the dolphin to strike.
King mackerel seem to be feeding on bait balls close to shore as well, although boats are seeing more fish skying through the bait than they are hooking.
Offshore bottom fishermen are finding action with triggerfish, sea bass, and gag grouper at the structure near the 14 Buoy.
Along with the dolphin, blue water trollers are still seeing some wahoo (although they’re mostly smaller fish). The marlin bite has been good offshore of the Big Rock as well for boats willing to make the long run.
Inshore, the speckled trout bite is still solid in the Middle Marshes, Haystacks, and Newport River marshes, and most of the fish are falling for live shrimp.
Anglers are also picking up the specks on live shrimp beneath the Atlantic Beach Bridge at night, and grubs and Gulp baits should produce some action as well.
There have been plenty of flounder reported by anglers drifting with mud minnows in the turning basin, but many are smaller fish.
Katlyn Wood, from Clayton, NC, with a 22" flounder that was the second fish she's ever caught. She hooked the flattie on a live pogy while fishing with her stepdad near Atlantic Beach.
Shane, of Fight N Lady, reports that the dolphin bite is still decent offshore, particularly when boats can find weedlines or other floating debris, which have been common off Morehead lately. Some wahoo are mixed in with the dolphin, and boats are seeing good numbers of white marlin and sailfish as well.
Blue Water Candy Mini Jags and sea witches trolled in front of ballyhoo are attracting most of the attention from the blue water gamefish.
Charley, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that the king mackerel and dolphin bite is hot right now at the wrecks and structure east of Cape Lookout when the weather will let boats out there. Live pogies are drawing bites from the both fish, and downrigger baits seem especially productive.
The kings are also feeding in the Beaufort Shipping Channel.
Some tarpon are beginning to show up in the Pamlico Sound. Live or dead baits will get their attention.
Speckled trout are feeding in the marshes off the Neuse River, especially near Swan Island.
Good numbers of puppy drum are coming from the inshore waters just inside the local inlets.
Cathy, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers are picking up a few spanish mackerel and bluefish while casting Gotcha plugs.
Bottom fishermen are decking some smaller spot on artificial bloodworms.
