Ocean Isle July 9, 2009
Rogar Coan hooked and released this sailfish at the Horseshoe while fishing with Capt. Ricky Holden on the "Reely Miss-Behavin" out of Southport. A live pogy fooled the sail.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the Gulf Stream bite has slowed down lately, but a few dolphin are still feeding in the stream.
The inshore dolphin bite has slowed a bit over the past week as well, but anglers are still picking up a handful of ‘phins while trolling live baits for king mackerel in the 80’ areas.
The king bite was hot early last week around the Shark Hole and other spots in around 65’, but it’s tapered off a little as well, with most of the fish now coming from deeper spots in around 80’. Most of the kings have been in the 6-12 lb. range lately with some fish into the 20’s mixed in, and boats are seeing a handful of cobia as well.
Relatively good numbers of sailfish have been making up for the slower dolphin fishing, and boats released sails at the Horseshoe and a variety of other local spots last week while trolling live baits for the kings.
Bottom fishing has been a little tough with the full moon conditions lately, but anglers did manage to hook a few scamp and gag grouper while dropping baits at structure in around 100’ last week.
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Spring Pipes, of Wilmington, with a big cow dolphin that bit a rigged ballyhoo under a Blue Water Candy skirt. She was trolling around 15 miles off Southport with her husband, Alex, and Capt. Curt Russo.
Kyle, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that flounder fishing continues to improve (with a much better ratio of keepers to throwbacks and fish to 9 lbs. reported last week). The area’s finger mullet have finally grown large enough to make good flounder baits, and finger mullet on Carolina rigs will attract attention from the flatfish.
Tubbs Inlet, Shallotte Inlet, and the Shallotte and Lockwood Folly Rivers are solid spots for anglers looking to hook up with the flounder.
Inshore, the high tide spots in the marshes and off the ICW have been producing a few speckled trout and red drum, although the bite’s a little slower than last week. A live shrimp under a popping cork will tempt bites from the reds and specks if they’re around.
Some black drum and smaller reds are feeding around structure at lower tides, and they’ll also take an interest in live shrimp.
Larger reds are still feeding at the Little River jetties, and anglers can hook them on live baits like mullet and pogies fished on Carolina rigs.
Anglers hopping the nearshore wrecks in search of flounder found a few over the past weekend, so the offshore flounder bite appears ready to get started for the summer.
Spadefish should also be showing up at the General Sherman and other nearshore wrecks and structure soon.
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Scott Aumon with a 28 lb. wahoo he hooked 10 miles south of the Blackjack Hole using a purple and black plug. He was fishing aboard his boat, the "West End Girl," with Capt. Josh Baxley of Tuna Tamer Charters.
David, of Capt. Hook Outdoors, reports that anglers are still hooking up with some king mackerel (to 20+ lbs.) and a few dolphin at offshore hotspots like the Horseshoe. Live baiting with pogies or trolling dead cigar minnows will get attention from the fish.
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Robin, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are hooking up with some spot in the early mornings on bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
