Ocean Isle – July 24, 2014
Tony Green, of Sophia, NC, with a red drum that struck a cut bait in the Holden Beach surf.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that anglers are seeing an improved spanish mackerel bite off Ocean Isle and the Brunswick County beaches, but the action remains more consistent on the other side of Cape Fear. Clarkspoons trolled behind planers and torpedo sinkers are the way to go for the spanish when anglers can find them. Birds diving to the water’s surface, bait schools, and fish breaking water are all good signs that the spaniards are nearby. ‘
Sharks are feeding just off the beaches in the same areas as the spanish, and anglers are connecting with them while drift-fishing with dead and cut baits.
The king mackerel bite is still scattered, and anglers haven’t seen much action in the 65’ range recently, but a few kings, dolphin, and some stray sailfish are feeding further offshore. Live menhaden are tough for all three to turn down, and there have been good numbers of menhaden schools along the beachfront.
Bottom fishermen are hooking plenty of black sea bass, beeliners, and other smaller fish around structure in 90’ of water and deeper. Squid and cut baits on two-hook rigs are fooling the bottom feeders.
Matthew Worthington with a 5.1 lb. flounder that bit Gulp shrimp in Shallotte Inlet.
Kyle, of Speckulator Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that flounder remain the area’s best inshore action at present (with good numbers of fish most days and 40-50% keepers). Anglers are hooking the fish in the same areas they have been, like Tubbs Inlet, the Shallotte River, and the Ocean Isle canals, but there’s also been a good bite around flooded grass lines, steep banks, and docks at higher tides lately. Live finger mullet and peanut menhaden are producing the best action with the larger fish.
The flounder bite is also still going strong at the nearshore wrecks and structure when anglers can get out into the ocean.
Red drum are providing some consistent action on most days and feeding alongside the flatfish at the higher tide spots. They’re falling for the same baits as the flounder, and anglers can also hook up while working soft plastics and other artificials.
Camden Lemonds with a 17.5″ speckled trout that bit a live finger mullet near Southport while he was fishing with his father.
Speckled trout fishing has slowed down a bit inshore, and there hasn’t been too much action where anglers had been finding the fish near Little River and Calabash last month. There are still some fish feeding at the Little River jetties, but timing the bite has been tough and weather hasn’t been too conducive to fishing the inlet recently.
Bob, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some sea mullet, spot, pompano, and black drum while bottom fishing with shrimp.
Anglers soaking live shrimp next to the pier are hooking some speckled trout.
