Morehead City June 25, 2009
Amanda Harrison Harper, of Snow Hill, NC, with a cobia she hooked while trolling in 95' of water off Beaufort.
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that inshore anglers are hooking some fat speckled trout and red drum in the Haystacks marshes (specks to 4+ lbs. and slot reds to over 7 lbs.). The bite has also been good further up the Newport River, around the Cross Rock, and past the 101 Bridge in Core Creek and the adjacent creeks. Live shrimp and mud minnows fished under popping corks or Gulp baits under corks or on jigheads will produce action with the specks and reds.
Anglers are also hooking some nice specks while fishing live shrimp underneath lighted floats around the Atlantic Beach causeway at night.
Some flounder are mixed in with the trout and drum, and anglers are landing better numbers along the port wall and while drifting the turning basin, the inlet, and the nearby channels. Carolina-rigged mud minnows, finger mullet, or peanut pogies are the best ways to tempt the flounder to strike.
Anglers are picking up decent numbers of gray trout around the railroad tracks. With the hot weather, the bite’s been best in 30’ of water or more. Dropping Stingsilvers or spec rigs tipped with shrimp or squid will produce action with the grays.
Sheepshead are feeding at the structure of the port wall and local bridge pilings (some 8-10 lb. fish are showing up). Baiting up with sand fleas, fiddler crabs, or sea urchins will produce action with the sheeps.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still chasing bait in the inlet, along the beaches, and at the nearshore AR’s. Trolling gold Clark and Drone spoons behind #1 planers is one of the most effective tactics for the spanish.
AR-315 has been producing some nicer spanish mackerel along with some small kings for anglers free-lining live finger mullet near the structure.
Larger king mackerel have been reported from the Northwest Places and Big 10/Little 10 areas, and most are falling for dead baits like cigar minnows and small ballyhoo.
The dolphin bite’s been good in the same areas (with most fish smaller gaffers). Larger ‘phins are coming from spots 30+ miles off the beach like the 14 Buoy.
Bottom fishermen have been scoring grouper, sea bass, triggerfish, and beeliners at the ledges around the 14 Buoy. The action should be hot at the structure around the 210 and 240 Rocks as well. Cigar minnows are some of the best baits for the grouper, and the smaller bottom feeders will pounce on squid.
James Coyle, of Morehead City, with a 58 lb., 8 oz. cobia that took a live bluefish in Beaufort Inlet while he was fishing aboard the "Sea Passion." Weighed at Freeman's Bait and Tackle.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that spanish mackerel fishing is still solid. There hasn’t been quite as much activity lately, but the fish seem to be larger (many in the 4-5 lb. range). Huge numbers of small threadfins and other baits have been in the area lately, and the spanish seem to be keying in on them. Consequently, trolling spoons has been less effective than free-lining or slow trolling the smaller live baits, especially around the AR’s.
Inshore, red drum and speckled trout fishing has been excellent in the Haystacks lately. Most anglers are hooking up with the fish on live shrimp and mud minnows beneath floats, but anglers are also catching some on Gulps and other soft plastics, too.
Sheepshead are feeding around inshore structure like the port wall and bridge and dock pilings (and private dock pilings seem to get a little less pressure). Fiddler crabs and sand fleas will produce plenty of action with the sheeps, but the largest fish seem to prefer sea urchins.
Drifting near the inlet has been producing good catches of flounder lately, but not all have been keepers. Live mud minnows or other baits on Carolina rigs are the best bet for the flatties.
Dolphin have moved in surprisingly close to the beach, and anglers reported gaffers mixed in with king mackerel as close as the Dead Tree Hole recently. The shipping channel and the sea buoy have also produced good numbers of gaffer ‘phins lately. Live baits will get attention from the dolphin and kings.
Shane, of the Fight N Lady, reports that the billfish bite has been excellent lately, and boats are releasing solid numbers of blue and white marlin. The action’s been best offshore and north of the Big Rock, with most releases coming between the 580 and 700 Lines. Most of the bites are coming in 90-125 fathoms. Ballyhoo under blue/white Mini JAGs seem to be tempting most of the billfish.
Some dolphin are mixed in with the bills, but anglers looking for dolphin will find even better fishing inshore in 15-19 fathoms.
Joyce, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers casting Gotcha plugs had a good week catching bluefish and spanish mackerel.
Bottom fishermen are hooking pompano, some whiting, and a summertime mixed bag on shrimp.
Some flounder are falling for live baits.
