Swansboro May 13, 2010
Capt. Jeff Cronk, of FishN4Life Charters, with a 9 lb. false albacore he hooked just outside Bogue Inlet on a topwater plug.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that the cobia bite has been incredible recently around Cape Lookout, with anglers finding most of their action while fishing near schools of pogies within a few miles of the beach. Bucktails, live and dead pogies, and live bluefish are tempting the cobia to bite, and they work best when allowed to sink through the schools to the fish below.
Anglers are also finding some cobia just off Bogue Inlet, so it may not be necessary to run up to the Cape to hook up with one of the brown bombers.
The nearshore flounder bite is going strong, and anglers are hooking up with good numbers of flounder at live bottoms, wrecks, and other structure within a few miles of the beaches. Live baits or bucktails tipped with Gulps are top choices for the flatties.
Inshore, the flounder bite has improved (and anglers are seeing decent numbers of fish in the 18-20” range). There are plenty of finger mullet in the creeks and canals off of them, and they’ve been producing the best action with the inshore flounder.
Spanish mackerel have begun to show up along the beaches, and it won’t be long until the big breeder spanish (5+ lbs.) make an appearance. Anglers can hook up with the smaller fish by trolling small spoons or diving lures or by casting metal jigs to breaking schools. Small live baits will produce better results with the larger spaniards.
The area’s sheepshead bite should be kicking off for the summer soon as well, and anglers can expect to find the fish around bridges, docks, and other hard or rocky structure inshore. Fiddler crabs are becoming more active as the temperatures warm as well, and they are excellent baits for the sheeps.
Jeff, of FishN4Life Charters, reports that the ocean flounder fishing is excellent right now. Anglers are finding solid numbers of the fish on the nearshore live bottoms and reefs. Bouncing 1-2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulp baits off the bottom will produce even more strikes from the flatties than fishing with live baits.
Big numbers of bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding around the inlets and along the surf zone. Anglers can locate the fish by trolling Clarkspoons or looking for diving birds and casting lures like 1/2-1 oz. metal jigs, small spec rigs, or diving baits to hook up. Small (4-5”) live baits will fool the larger (4-7 lb.) spaniards that are joining the action.
The flounder fishing’s also solid inshore, where the fish are feeding around smaller creek mouths and marsh points with tidal eddies. Spinnerbaits and 1/4-1/2 oz. jigheads tipped with paddletail soft baits will draw strikes, and anglers can switch to live baits on Carolina rigs to avoid losing expensive soft baits to the bluefish and large pinfish on every cast.
Red drum are schooled in the backwaters in groups numbering from the dozens to the hundreds. Anglers should use the stealth of a trolling motor or push pole to search them out in the bays and creeks. Topwater lures, spinnerbaits, and light jigheads with scented soft baits will fool the reds.
Sheepshead are also showing up, and the best way to hook up with them is fishing fiddler or mud crabs on heavy Carolina rigs with #1 or #2 short-shank, wide gap hooks. Dock and bridge pilings will produce the most action.
Cobia have shown up in force at Cape Lookout, and anglers can sight-cast to surfacing fish along the surf zone and around nearshore structure. Berkley 10” Powerbait Eels and 8” Gulp eels are top choices for the cobes.
Jonny Cartwright with his first cobia, a citation 40 pounder he hooked on a live bluefish trolled near bait balls a mile off the beach at Cape Lookout. He was fishing with Capt. Rob Koraly of Sandbar Safari Charters out of Cape Carteret.
Chesson, of CXC Fishing, reports that anglers are still catching a few Atlantic bonito around the area’s nearshore structure, with the best bite by far in the early mornings. Casting small metal lures to breaking fish is the way to fool the tasty little tunas.
Flounder and black sea bass are feeding along the bottom in the same areas, and they’ll fall for bucktails bounced along the structure.
Amberjacks are schooled up at wrecks and other structure a bit further offshore, and anglers can hook them on live baits or use the baits to chum them into a frenzy and cast topwater poppers, fly rods, and other lures to draw big surface strikes.
Stan, of Capt. Stanman’s Fishing Charters, reports that the bottom fishing off Bogue Inlet is improving. Anglers are finding action with larger groupers, beeliners, pinkies, and other bottom dwellers at structure 25-40 miles offshore.
There are plenty of fish around structure in the 15-20 mile range, too, but they’re running smaller. Cut pogies, cigar minnows, and squid will attract attention from the bottomfish anywhere.
The flounder bite’s been good at AR-342 and the Keypost, with most fish falling for white bucktails tipped with 4” Gulp baits.
Cobia are feeding along Shackleford Banks and at the buoys and AR’s off Bogue Inlet. Chumming with pogies or Menhaden Milk dripped into the water will help attract the fish to an anchored boat, and they’ll usually have a tough time turning down a live pogy.
Anchoring up in the inlets with live pogies on the bottom is another good way to hook up with a cobia when the tide’s running.
The pogies are moving out of New River, Bogue, and Beaufort Inlets, and anglers can load up with a 10-12’ cast net.
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of spanish mackerel on the piers and along the beaches in boats. Casting Gotcha plugs and other metal lures to the fish has been producing the best results lately.
Cobia are feeding around bait balls near the inlet and along the beaches, and anglers can hook up with them by casting large bucktails and letting them sink through the bait.
The flounder bite has been excellent at nearshore structure within a few miles of the beaches lately, and anglers are hooking most of the fish on Gulp-tipped bucktails.
Surf anglers are finding some action with whiting in the breakers, mostly while baiting up with shrimp.
Patty, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of spanish mackerel (to 3.5 lbs.) and bluefish (to 8 lbs.) while casting Gotcha plugs from the planks.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with some whiting at night and an occasional spot, gray trout, and sheepshead during the day.
