Swansboro July 1, 2010
Wendy Baker, of Charlotte, with her first red drum. The 30" fish fell for a Rapala Skitterwalk topwater in a marsh near Bogue Inlet while she was fishing with Capt. Rob Koraly of Sandbar Safari Fishing Charters.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are still finding good sheepshead action around the area’s bridges (with some fish to 4+ lbs.). Live fiddler crabs are the best bets in terms of baits.
Fishing up the creeks and rivers with live shrimp is producing some action with speckled trout and black drum, mostly around docks and other hard structure.
The flounder bite inshore is turning on around the area creekmouths, marshes, deeper channels, and inlets. Finger mullet are becoming more prevalent in the backs of the creeks, and they’ve been producing much better results on the flatfish than tiger minnows or mud minnows lately, though the pinfish seem to prefer mullet as well.
Red drum are still feeding in the area marshes, and anglers have caught good numbers on topwater plugs over the past week when the winds are calm.
Live shrimp and finger mullet on popping cork rigs and light Carolina rigs are producing better results when the wind kicks up and anglers can’t stalk the fish with the trolling motor without spooking them. Marsh points and creekmouths are the best places to set up to ambush the reds.
The nearshore bite has been excellent lately. Anglers are catching large spanish mackerel (to 7+ lbs.) and good numbers of kings around structure within a few miles of shore. Smaller live baits on scaled-down king rigs are best for the wary spanish and nearshore kings. Many of the kings have been falling for baits fished deep on the downrigger lately.
Flounder are still stacked up and feeding at nearshore structure, and anglers can tempt them to bite live baits or bucktails tipped with Gulps.
Schools of tarpon are moving down the beaches, but it’s very difficult to get them to bite.
Some dolphin have been caught within a few miles of the beaches recently, and there’s been decent dolphin fishing at spots 6-15 miles out. Plenty of flying fish have been in the same areas, and anglers have also spotted a few sailfish in that range. Live-baiting will attract attention from the dolphin, kings, and any sailfish that anglers are lucky enough to come across.
Johnny Wells, of nGage Design Group, with a healthy king mackerel that fell for a live greenie on the downrigger whiel fishing some structure offshore of Bogue Inlet with Capt. Chesson O'Briant of CXC Fishing Charters.
Chesson, of CXC Fishing Charters, reports that the king mackerel bite has improved at nearshore structure within 15 miles of the beaches. Anglers are catching good numbers of kings (most 10+ lbs.) on large live pogies and jig baits like greenies, sardines, and cigar minnows. Some big spanish mackerel (3-6+ lbs.) are in the same areas and taking live baits as well.
Plenty of barracuda have arrived at higher relief nearshore structure and around the buoys in the area, and they are making it difficult to hook the amberjacks feeding in the same spots. Live baits will fool both fish, but anglers must fish wire to land the cudas and mono leaders to tempt the AJ’s to bite.
Some dolphin are in the same areas, but they’ve been finicky lately, turning down even live baits.
Dropping bucktail jigs and live baits like cigar minnows and pogies to the bottom has been producing action with big sea bass, flounder (most 20”+), and triggerfish. The bucktails and smaller live cigar minnows have been most effective on the flounder, as the sea bass and triggers assault the pogies almost as soon as they hit the bottom.
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that a few big king mackerel (like the 37 pounder landed on the pier last week) and some tarpon are cruising along the beaches. Anglers may be able to tempt them to strike a live pogy, either from boats or the piers.
Surf and pier bottom fishermen are hooking up with some whiting.
Flounder are feeding in the surf zone when the water’s clear, and they are still around the nearshore reefs when boats can get out to them.
Some dolphin reports are coming from nearshore structure areas, but most of the fish are small.
Inshore, the red drum bite is still on in the backwaters for anglers casting topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, scented soft plastics, and live baits.
Jackson Willams (age 7), from Straits, NC, with a dolphin that fell for a small squid chain near the 90' Drop while he was fishing with his mother Allison and grandfather George Evins.
Patty, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are hooking up with spot on bloodworms and whiting while baiting up with shrimp.
Those going with live mud minnows are hooking some flounder.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs worked from the pier.
Live-baiters landed a 37.5 lb. king mackerel from the end of the pier last week and saw several tarpon.
