Northern Beaches September 26, 2013
Nick Preziotti cradles a 41″ red drum that bit a cut bait off the end of Jennette’s Pier just prior to releasing the citation fish.
Betty, of TW’s Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking some puppy drum in the local surf. Cut baits on bottom rigs and soft plastics are both tempting them to bite. Other bottom feeders like spot, flounder, sea mullet, and black drum are also biting in the surf and from the piers.
Anglers fishing the sound around the little bridge are connecting with puppy drum, speckled trout, and flounder while casting live baits and artificials. Some croaker are falling for shrimp and other baits.
Anglers are also hooking specks while casting artificials from boats in the sound and around the inlet.
Bluefish, false albacore, and spanish mackerel are all feeding off Oregon Inlet and the beachfront, and they’re falling for trolled spoons and flashy casting lures.
Bottom fishing around the nearshore wrecks is producing good catches of triggerfish.
Amberjacks are feeding around the towers and other offshore structure and biting live baits.
The offshore fleet continues to experience some solid billfishing on many days for white marlin (and a few sailfish and blue marlin). The meatfish bite is on as well, with big numbers of dolphin filling the fish boxes recently. Yellowfin and blackfin tuna, and an occasional wahoo, are also feeding in the blue water and falling for ballyhoo and skirted trolling lures.
Ashley, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that boats are still putting up some impressive numbers of white marlin release flags while trolling ballyhoo and dredge and daisy chain teasers offshore of Oregon Inlet. Some blue marlin and sailfish are mixed in.
Boats targeting meatfish are connecting with big numbers of dolphin and steady yellowfin tuna action. Some blackfin tuna and wahoo are mixed in, and all are taking an interest in naked and skirted ballyhoo. A few bigeye tuna have also been landed in the last week.
Matt Clarke with dolphin, a yellowfin tuna, and a white marlin release flag–results of an offshore trip out of Oregon Inlet on the “Carolina Style.”
Inshore, the bluefish bite is still excellent, and many days are producing good spanish mackerel action as well. Both are falling for trolled Clarkspoons and metal casting lures.
Amberjacks are looking for meals around the towers and other structure off the inlet.
Inshore boaters are hooking big numbers of speckled trout along with some grays while working soft plastic baits.
Flounder, sea mullet, and bluefish are feeding in the inlet and biting drifted bottom rigs.
Dave, of Skiligal Charters, reports that yellowfin tuna are on the feed off Oregon Inlet, and some limit catches have been hitting the docks recently. Blackfin tuna and an occasional wahoo are mixed in and also falling for the naked and skirted ballyhoo that boats are trolling.
The billfish bite is still going strong as well, and double-digit numbers of releases have been the reward for many boats trolling ballyhoo along with teasers like dredges and daisy chains.
Rob, of Strike’Em Sportfishing, reports that boats are still finding good numbers of white marlin off Oregon Inlet.
The meatfish bite has improved, with big numbers of dolphin and yellowfin tuna hitting the docks, along with some wahoo.
Amberjacks and cobia are feeding a bit closer to shore and taking an interest in live baits and artificials.
Mike, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that anglers are releasing some citation-class red drum while casting large cut baits from the end of the pier.
Smaller puppy drum are biting bottom rigs, which are also producing some spot, pigfish, puffers, flounder, croaker, sea mullet, and more. Shrimp, squid, sand fleas, and other baits are tempting bites from the bottom dwellers.
Plug casters are hooking some bluefish on Gotchas. A few spanish mackerel have been mixed in on some days.
