Ocean Isle July 19, 2007
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that boats are finding king mackerel feeding well at spots in 60-80’ of water. The kings are falling for live pogies as well as dead cigar minnows. Along with the kings, boats are hooking up with a few dolphin and cobia while trolling the same areas.
Sailfish are also feeding in the area’s offshore waters, although anglers haven’t hooked as many sails this week as they had in the past few. Boats looking for sails should target Christina’s Ledge and the Raritan Wreck for the best odds. The sails that have been hooked recently have fallen for a variety of baits, including live pogies, dead cigar minnows, and rigged ballyhoo.
Grouper fishing is still hot at bottom structure in approximately 100’ of water, and live pogies seem to be outfishing other grouper baits.
Gulf Stream action has been so sporadic that few boats have made the long run lately.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been hit-or-miss along the beaches, but boats are getting into plenty of spanish at the AR’s in 50-60’ of water. The classic Clarkspoon/planer combination will draw plenty of strikes from the spanish.
Large numbers of barracuda have been feeding in the same areas, and they can make getting your hooked spanish to the boat a challenge.
Kyle, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that nearshore flounder fishing has improved, and boats are putting together good catches at the Yaupon and Jim Caudle reefs.
Anglers can fish either Carolina-rigged live baits (such as peanut pogies and mud minnows) or Gulp-tipped bucktails for these off-the-beach flounder.
Tubbs Inlet is still surrendering a few flounder for anglers drifting live baits. While the fish aren’t around the inlet in the numbers they were earlier, most of them are quality fish. Anglers weighed a number of flounder in the 4-6 lb. range caught in Tubbs Inlet last week.
A few speckled trout are still biting around Tubbs Inlet and in the ICW. Red drum are mixed in, and both fish are feeding in shallow water near docks and other structure.
The red drum bite has slowed around the Little River jetties; however, big reds should be showing up soon, and they’ll continue feeding at the jetties until fall.
Trey, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers fishing in the early morning hours are landing speckled trout and flounder. Live shrimp are fooling both fish, and while the trout are mostly small, anglers are landing decent numbers of keeper flounder.
Bottom fishermen are catching plenty of sharks at night.
The water temperature is 79 degrees.
