Swansboro September 30, 2010
Diane Hawkins with a 7.25 lb. flounder she hooked on a live finger mullet in Bogue Sound.
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that with the recent heavy rains, anglers’ best odds of connecting with some good fish will come in the marshes and deeper cuts near the inlets as the fresh water influx flushes the fish out of the rivers and creeks.
Red drum have moved out of the inner reaches of the marshes and are staging near the inlets, and live baits will be the most productive offerings over the coming weeks.
Many of the reds have already left the inlets and are schooled up on the shoals and along the beachfront, so when it’s calm enough to head out, anglers should be able to take advantage.
Drifting live shrimp beneath floats in 3-6’ of water in the marshes near the barrier islands has been producing a mixed bag catch of reds, black drum, sheepshead, flounder, and speckled trout recently, and the bite should only get better.
Sheepshead and black drum are still feeding around the bridges, docks, and rockpiles in the area, and the rain may further concentrate them as they go seeking higher salinity water near the inlets. Live fiddler crabs and other crustaceans are the go-to baits for both fish.
Before the storm, the false albacore fishing along the beaches was excellent, and the fish should still be around when the water settles down. Anglers can look for diving birds and breaking fish to give the schools away, and then cast spec rigs, soft plastics, or small metal lures to hook up.
Surf fishermen are entering one of their best times of year, and anglers fishing in the suds can expect to see chopper bluefish, red and black drum, pompano, whiting, and more over the coming weeks.
Chesson, of CXC Fishing, reports that there’s been a solid gag grouper bite at bottom structure in 50-80’ of water recently. Live baits and bucktails tipped with natural baits will attract attention from the gags. Good numbers of triggerfish are in the same areas, and anglers can fool them with double-hook rigs and small cut baits or Stingsilvers tipped with cut baits.
Some large spanish mackerel are falling for light-lined live baits where anglers are grouper fishing, and there are still plenty feeding on structure even closer to the beaches. Small live pogies are the best choice for the big spanish.
Good numbers of spinner sharks are in the area, and they will readily bite a dead pogy or cut baits.
The wahoo bite is excellent along the break, with a few fish in closer.
Rich, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that the spot runs have started. Most of the anglers are hooking the fish on bloodworms from the pier, but there are some in the surf as well.
Lois Watson with a 52" red drum she hooked on a cut bait in the Neuse River near Oriental, NC, while fishing aboard the "Johnboat."
Good numbers of red drum are feeding in the surf zone (most over-slot, but some keepers) where they’ll bite cut baits, live finger mullet, and other baits.
The spanish mackerel bite has slowed down a bit nearshore, and anglers looking for king mackerel need to go east of Lookout Shoals to improve their odds of hooking up.
Offshore, the wahoo bite is still excellent around the Big Rock, and there are likely some fish inshore around spots like the Big 10/Little 10 as well.
Inshore, anglers are finding plenty of action with red drum and flounder in the marshes and near the inlets.
Rhonda, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers caught good numbers of spot last weekend on live and Fish Bites bloodworms.
Some whiting and pompano are falling for shrimp and sand fleas from the planks.
Anglers are also picking up a few puppy drum on live finger mullet.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs worked from the end of the pier.
Live baiters caught and released a tarpon last week.
