Ocean Isle – June 12, 2014
Richard Dobkin, of Sunset Beach, NC, with a 38.5 lb. blackfin tuna he hooked while trolling the Gulf Stream off Little River Inlet aboard the “Wild Bill.”
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the dolphin bite in the Gulf Stream off Brunswick County has rebounded after a slow period at the beginning of the month. Boats trolling skirted ballyhoo around local spots like the Blackjack Hole and 100/400 are connecting with solid numbers of gaffer dolphin, and decent numbers of blackfin tuna have been in the mix as well.
King mackerel are scattered from the 50-100’ depths and biting live menhaden and dead cigar minnows. The menhaden are still schooling on the beach but are a bit scarcer than they were a week ago.
Cobia are still feeding around nearshore structure like wrecks (mostly school fish to 25 lbs.), where anglers can tempt them to bite live menhaden, bucktail jigs, or eel imitations.
Kyle, of Speckulator Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the inshore bite has come around, and anglers are hooking fish all over the area.
Flounder fishing has gotten more consistent (with several 5 lb. class fish this week). Anglers are hooking the flatfish on live peanut menhaden and mud minnows in Tubbs Inlet, the Shallotte and Lockwood Folly Rivers, and a variety of other spots.
Daniel Simmons with a 25″ spanish mackerel he hooked on squid at the 390 ledge off Ocean Isle Beach.
Red drum are feeding around ICW structure like docks and bridges between Ocean Isle and Little River. There’s also been a good bite at the Little River jetties. Live and cut menhaden on Carolina rigs are producing the best action with the reds right now.
Speckled trout are also making a solid appearance (with several 4-5 lb. fish caught last week). Most of the larger fish are biting live menhaden while anglers are flounder and drum fishing, but those who can find live shrimp are scoring consistent trout action at ICW spots between Ocean Isle and Little River.
Out in the ocean, the spanish mackerel bite is still going strong for boaters trolling Clarkspoons along the beachfront.
Spadefish are schooling up on nearshore structure in 40-50’ of water, and anglers can draw them to the boat by chumming with cannonball jellyfish. Using small pieces of the jellies as hook baits is the way to put them in the boat.
Cobia are in the same areas as the spades and will bite live baits or bucktail jigs.
Tommy Queen, of Greensboro, NC, with a large scamp grouper that bit a live menhaden at some bottom structure in 85′ of water off Holden Beach while he was fishing with Capt. Kevin Sneed of Rigged and Ready Charters.
Kevin, of Rigged and Ready Charters, reports that bottom fishing has been producing some solid scamp grouper action (with some fish pushing 20 lbs.) around bottom structure in the 85’ depth range recently. Live menhaden are tempting bites from the scamps.
Plenty of smaller bottom dwellers like sea bass are feeding in the same areas and will bite cut baits and squid.
Inshore fishing has been hot as well, and anglers fishing smaller live menhaden in the Lockwood Folly and Shallotte areas are connecting with some healthy flounder (to 5+ lbs.), slot red drum, and speckled trout, which will be open to harvest next week.
Bob, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some spot and croaker on shrimp.
