Swansboro July 16, 2009
Carlin Williford and Anna Godley, from Raleigh, with a pair of upper-slot red drum they hooked on Carolina-rigged finger mullet in the marsh near Swansboro. They were fishing with Capt. Rob Koraly of Sandbar Safari Charters.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that anglers are catching good numbers of flounder inshore around creek mouths on the falling tides, in deeper sloughs near the inlets, and beneath docks on the Cedar Point waterfront and in the Coast Guard Channel. Live baits like finger mullet and small spot fished on Carolina rigs are the tickets to flounder bites.
Some fat flounder are also feeding at the nearshore reefs and live bottoms. Plenty of small pinfish, sea bass, and other undesirables are making it hard to fish live baits, so anglers are drifting with bucktail and Gulp combinations until they locate the concentrations of flounder. Once they’re found, anglers can drop a large live bait to try and tempt a doormat to strike.
Large spanish mackerel (4-6+ lbs.) and smaller kings are feeding at the same areas as the flounder, and anglers can freeline 4-5” mullet and pogies around the structure to hook up with the mackerel.
The spanish bite has also been excellent for anglers trolling spoons for the smaller fish.
Speckled trout are feeding in deeper channels and holes in the marshes behind Bear and Browns Islands, and the recent rains should push more trout to drop-offs in front of the mainland creek mouths. Live shrimp under a float are tough to beat for the trout.
The high temperatures are pushing the reds away from dark-bottomed mud flats to cooler areas like grass flats. Anglers who can find a grass flat with good amounts of mullet or shrimp in the area should have little difficulty hooking up with the reds.
Black drum are searching for meals around oyster rocks in the marshes and in Queen’s Creek and the White Oak River. Live shrimp under floats or on Carolina rigs will get their attention.
The sheepshead bite is still good around the area’s bridges, and with the recent rains, the ICW bridges will likely be more productive than ones inland over the next week.
Fishing with fiddler crabs or sea urchins tight to the structure will attract attention from the sheepshead.
Cole Radford (age 8) with his first king mackerel. He hooked the fish on the Fourth of July at Ar-285 East of Cape Lookout while fishing with his father Kevin on the "Brown Eyed Girl."
Jeff, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that anglers are finding good action with big spanish mackerel (3-6 lbs.) around the nearshore live bottoms and AR’s. Live baits (4-5”) fished on light 20-30 lb. wire leaders with gold treble hooks will fool the spaniards.
The same areas that are holding the big spanish are playing host to good numbers of summer flounder (up to 5 lbs.). Anglers can hook the flatfish by dropping a Carolina-rigged live bait or a Gulp-tipped bucktail to the structure.
Inshore, more flounder (most 1-4 lbs. with a few larger) are feeding in the inlets, the connecting channels, and around ICW docks. Live pogies or finger mullet on Carolina rigs are the ticket for these fish.
Red drum are prowling the bays and creeks in the marshes (occasionally in large schools). Anglers can hook them on jigheads and spinnerbaits tipped with Gulp poiges and shrimp.
Anglers willing to catch some live shrimp should be able to find action with black drum (most 2-4 lbs.). Live shrimp fished under popping corks around the shallow grass flats and oyster rocks should produce action with the striped drum, particularly in the river systems.
Chesson, of CXC Fishing, reports that king mackerel, barracuda, and dolphin are all feeding in the area around the 14 Buoy. Live baits (either pogies or jig baits) will attract attention from all the fish, and anglers can draw strikes from the kings and ‘phins on trolled ballyhoo as well, though short strikes can make it a tedious way to fish.
Bottom fishing in the same vicinity is producing action with some sizeable triggerfish.
King mackerel (most smaller fish) are still feeding alongside large spanish at structure in around 50’, and small live baits will fool them both.
Stan, of Capt. Stanman’s Charters, reports that the area is practically paved in pogies right now, so getting bottom or king fishing baits should be a no-brainer.
Bottom fishermen are using the pogies to hook up with grouper and snapper. They should be aware that bag limits for the fish will change on July 29, so check the rules before heading out after that date.
Dolphin are feeding all the way from Shackleford Banks to the E Buoy. The Charlie Buoy and Southeast Bottoms are both producing action with the ‘phins (most 10-15 lbs.). Teenage king mackerel are feeding alongside the dolphin, and live pogies will pounce on both.
Wahoo and sailfish should be showing up alongside the dolphin and kings very soon.
Dale, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that boaters are still hooking big numbers of king mackerel and dolphin not too far offshore (5-20 miles), including a 30 lb. ‘phin caught at the SE Bottoms last week. Both live and dead baits are fooling the fish.
Inshore, the red drum bite is still excellent in the marshes, and most of the fish are falling for Gulps, spinnerbaits, and topwater plugs.
Flounder fishing has been decent lately, with anglers landing good numbers of flatties (to 4 lbs.) on Carolina-rigged live baits and Gulps.
Surf fishermen are scoring with some whiting and pompano on sand fleas and shrimp, as well as with some spot on bloodworms.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding in the surf early and late in the day, and gold casting lures like Stingsilvers and Kastmasters are getting their attention.
Rhonda, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers landed several king mackerel (up to 27 lbs.) from the end of the pier last week on live baits.
Spanish mackerel have been falling for Gotcha plugs and gold hook rigs.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with pompano, spadefish, and some spot on shrimp and sand fleas.
