Morehead City November 11, 2010
Frank Eastman and Gary Norris, from Morehead City, with a 64 lb. king mackerel they hooked on a live pogie off Drum Inlet while fishing on the "Miss Kayley." Weighed in at Chasin Tails Outdoors.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that the speckled trout bite is turning on strong throughout the area. The trout bite has been on in the marshes of the Haystacks and Middle Marsh, Core Creek, Radio Island, and the Shackleford and Cape Lookout rock jetties. Live shrimp have been producing the most and largest specks, but anglers are also hooking up on soft plastic/lead head combinations, soft plastic shrimp imitations, and suspending hardbaits.
There have also been big numbers of red drum at the Lookout jetty. They’re falling for live shrimp and Gulp baits.
Flounder seem to be on the move out the inlet and stopping at the port wall on the way, where anglers are catching solid numbers on live mud minnows, shrimp, and Gulp-tipped bucktails. AR-315 is still producing some flounder action as well.
Gray trout are feeing in the inlet and around the railroad tracks, where anglers are hooking them on Stingsilvers, Gulp baits, and live shrimp.
The spot bite has been up-and-down around Beaufort, with some excellent days mixed in with some slow fishing. Real and Fish Bites bloodworms on bottom rigs are producing action with the spot.
Whiting fishing has been solid around the Dead Tree Hole lately for anglers working spec rigs tipped with shrimp.
King mackerel fishing has been on fire at the wrecks and rocks east of Lookout Shoals (with most fish 20+ lbs. and some to over 60 weighed in lately). Dead cigar minnows and live pogies are fooling the majority of the mackerel.
Bottom fishing has been excellent on the east side, too. Anglers dropping baits to the structure have been hooking up with groupers, snappers, sea bass, flounder, amberjacks and more. Cigar minnows, squid, sardines, and Boston mackerel are producing the most action with the bottom feeders.
Mark Green, of Morehead City, with a wahoo that fell for a large ballyhoo south of the Big Rock.
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that bottom fishermen are catching plenty of big pigfish around Radio Island on shrimp and squid, with a few spot and smaller puppy drum mixed in.
The red drum bite has been on in the surf (with fish ranging from under-slot to 34”). Anglers are hooking the reds on cut baits and on MirrOlures and soft plastics (while trout fishing).
Big numbers of small flounder (with some keepers thrown in) are also feeding in the surf and falling for small live baits, soft plastics, and MirrOlures.
Shane, of Second to None Charters, reports that the wahoo bite has been solid when the winds allow boats to make it offshore lately. Some sailfish are mixed in, and the best action has been around the break. Ballyhoo rigged underneath Blue Water Candy Witches and Jags are producing most of the action with the blue water predators.
Red drum (some 50-60 lbs.) have been schooling up along the beaches and around Cape Lookout, and anglers are hooking them on just about anything they can cast into the schools.
Mardy Peale, of Greenville, NC, with a false albacore she hooked on the fly at Cape Lookout while fishing with her father, George, and William Crocker on the "Sweet G."
Pete, of Energizer Charters, reports that the false albacore bite around Cape Lookout was on fire until a few days ago, but the fish have been tougher to locate after the cold mornings recently.
When boats can make it offshore, they’ve been finding a consistent wahoo bite, but the winds have kept most boats at the dock recently. Trolling ballyhoo under sea witches will fool the wahoo.
Joyce, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers are catching some speckled trout (with small fish mixed in with some keepers).
Some bluefish are also feeding around the pier, and anglers are hooking a few.
Royce, of Sheraton Pier, reports that anglers are still catching good numbers of bluefish while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are decking spot, whiting, and black drum, with most action on shrimp and bloodworms.
Decent numbers of flounder are falling for mud minnows fished underneath the pier.
