Morehead City September 2, 2010
Vernon Thompson, of Atlantic Beach, with 8.29 and 6.50 lb. flounder that fell for live baits at the Morehead port wall. Weighed in at Chasin Tails Outdoors.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are finding red drum feeding heavily in the marshes between Swansboro and Morehead. There’s plenty of bait in the marshes, and most of the fish are feeding around oyster bars and grass points with bait nearby. Topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, spoons, and Gulps are all fooling the reds.
The sheepshead fishing remains solid around the port wall, the bridges, and other hard inshore structure. Anglers are hooking them on sand fleas, sea urchins, fiddler crabs, and other baits.
Some speckled trout are feeding around the Atlantic Beach Bridge at night. Live shrimp beneath a slip-float rig are fooling most of the specks, and the bite’s been best around slack tides, high or low.
The flounder bite is still on around the port wall, the high-rise bridges, and the docks and channels along the ICW. Live mud minnows and shrimp, as well as Gulp mud minnows, are the best way to connect with the flatties.
Plenty of flounder are also still coming from the nearshore reefs, and a 2 oz. Spro bucktail tipped with a Gulp bait will tempt them to bite.
The spanish mackerel fishing is still on fire in the shipping channel, along the beaches, and around Cape Lookout Shoals. Casting spec rigs, Crippled Herrings, Kastmasters, and Sea Striker Jigfish lures has been one of the most productive methods of hooking up lately, but anglers can also troll #00 Clarkspoons and squid rigs to hook up. Some larger spaniards are still coming from the nearshore reefs for anglers fishing small live baits.
Pier and surf fishermen are finding some excellent pompano action right in the surf zone, and shrimp are fooling them. Some spot and whiting are also in the mix in the breakers and falling for shrimp, bloodworms, squid, and cut baits.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are also feeding within range of pier and surf casters, and the same lures that are fooling them from the beach are working from the boats.
Offshore, the king mackerel bite has slowed down a bit, and but anglers are still catching a few (up to 30 lbs.) in the Beaufort shipping channel. Live pogies or dead cigar minnows will both fool the kings. Gulf Stream trollers have been finding some solid wahoo action in around 30 fathoms lately, and large ballyhoo under red/black, purple/black, and orange/black lures are attracting their attention.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with sea bass, triggerfish, grouper, snapper, amberjacks, and other fish around AR-330, the Hutton, and the wrecks and rocks east of Lookout Shoals. Cigar minnows, spanish sardines, Boston mackerel, and squid are fooling the bottom feeders.
Kyle White with one of many wahoo he landed near the Big Rock while fishing on the "Sea Grappler."
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the large red drum bite is on in Pamlico Sound for anglers fishing large cut baits on the bottom.
There have also been good numbers of smaller reds feeding in the surf recently, and anglers are fooling them on cut and live finger mullet.
Some whiting and croakers are falling for shrimp in the surf.
The flounder action is still hot for anglers fishing live finger mullet and mud minnows around deep water areas like the turning basin.
Some whiting and gray trout are feeding in the deep water from the inlet to the turning basin, and a spec rig tipped with shrimp or bloodworms will attract attention from both.
Outside the inlet, the spanish mackerel fishing remains excellent, and anglers are fooling the fish while trolling Clarkspoons and other lures. Some larger fish are taking an interest in live baits around the nearshore reefs and in the shipping channel.
Shane, of Second to None Charters, reports that the wahoo bite is on along the break, and anglers can fool the fish while trolling dark-colored lures on top of rigged ballyhoo.
Near the beaches, spanish mackerel fishing has been excellent for anglers trolling Clarkspoons and other lures.
Pat Renfro with a bull red drum that fell for a large cut bait in Pamlico Sound while he was fishing with Capt. George Beckwith of Downeast Guide Service. The fish was one of four citation reds and five tarpon he and Wayne Register released over the course of the day.
Pete, of Energizer Sportfishing, reports that the wahoo fishing keeps getting better up and down the break. Ballyhoo under dark-colored trolling lures are the way to go for the ‘hoos.
Good numbers of sailfish are mixed in, and boats are getting 3-4 shots at sails a day along with the wahoo.
Along the beaches, anglers trolling spoons are hooking up with plenty of spanish mackerel and a few schoolie kings.
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that bluefish and few spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs and other lures worked from the piers.
Bottom fishermen are hooking some flounder (with plenty of keepers) on small live baits.
Whiting and a few spot are falling for shrimp and bloodworms on bottom rigs.
Royce, of Sheraton Pier, reports that anglers are picking up some spot and whiting and a few pompano on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Some bluefish and a few spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs.
