Southport June 28, 2007
Butch, of Yeah Right Charters, reports that king mackerel are feeding at the Horseshoe and over just about any rock or piece of bottom structure that is holding bait. Live menhaden are the best king baits, but anglers are still catching some kings on frozen cigars minnows and other baits.
The dolphin bite remains good, but the fish are becoming more scattered as the water heats up. If a school approaches the boat, bait up with cut cigar minnows on plain hooks to get bites. Anglers who keep a hooked fish in the water at all times to keep the school near the boat should be able to “bail” a number of dolphin before the school moves on.
Bottom fish are biting well. Squid and cut bait will attract plenty of bites from tasty bottom fish such as grunts, beeliners, pinkies, and triggerfish.
Grouper are on the feed as well. While they’ll hit squid and other frozen baits, live baits will be more effective, particularly on larger fish.
Anglers can hook up with amberjacks by fishing live baits over offshore wrecks. These “reef donkeys” will put up a back-breaking battle all the way from the structure to the surface.
Dave, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that flounder and speckled trout fishing are excellent. Pier anglers are catching flounder (up to 4 lbs.) and trout (up to 5 lbs.) by drifting live shrimp beneath floats.
Bottom fishermen are decking spot, whiting (up to 1.5 lbs.), and pompano (up to 2.5 lbs.) by baiting up with shrimp.
Bluefish are hitting Gotcha plugs, and spanish mackerel are mixed in sporadically.
Live baiters landed quite a few kings over the week, but most were smaller fish (up to 12 lbs.).
The water temperature is 79.5 degrees.
John, of Haag and Sons Seafood, reports that dolphin fishing has been somewhat slow, as the fish are beginning to spawn.
Triggerfish are spawning as well, and they’re not feeding heavily.
Grouper fishing has been excellent 45-50+ miles offshore, between the Tower and the Break. Red grouper and scamps are making up the majority of the catch, and as summer progresses, the fish should move inshore.
Boats are finding a few kings and cobia from the beach out to offshore structure.
Charter boats are hooking up with amberjacks at high relief bottom structure.
In the river, flounder have been scarce due to the big tides and dirty water.
Jimmy, of Wreck Hunter Guide Service, reports that trout are still feeding hard in area waters. The Elizabeth River, Dutchman’s Creek, and the back of Wildlife Creek have been holding specks averaging 2-3 lbs. with an occasional fish up to 7 lbs.
Soft plastic lures such as Trout Killers, curly tail grubs, and Billy Bay Halo Shrimp are getting plenty of trout bites, and anglers are also hooking up with fish on topwater plugs such as Top Dogs and Zara Spooks.
Flounder are feeding in the same spots the trout are, and at the Southport waterfront. They’re hitting live baits, as well as the same soft plastics as the trout. Anglers have weighed in several flounder between 8-9 lbs. over the past week, and most fish are falling between 2-4 lbs.
The ADM Pier is holding good numbers of sheepshead, and anglers have caught fish up to 10 lbs. recently. Sand fleas, fiddler crabs, and barnacles will all draw sheepshead bites.
A few black drum are feeding around the bumpers at the end of the pier, but most are less than 10 lbs. The big 20-80 lb. drum should be showing up soon. Crabs, clams, and cut mullet baits will draw in the drum.
The flounder bite is heating up at the Yaupon Reef. Carolina-rigged peanut pogies and mud minnows are the top flounder producers out on the reef. Anglers should light-line a live bait while flounder fishing to hook up with king mackerel and cobia cruising near the surface.
