Fishing Report 11/07/2019

 

Inshore / Nearshore:

Speckled Trout bite’s still going strong, we’ve seen a little different pattern this week with the crazy weather we’ve been having. Feels like summertime one day and fall the next, just like today nice and mild outside with no wind, then tomorrow’s going to drop in the 50’s and be blowing a gale. But it looks like after this next front moves through it’s going to get really nice for the weekend right into Veteran’s Day on Monday.

The fish are still all over the place: Surf, Radio Island, Haystacks, Core Creek, Adams Creek, Middle Marsh, North River and starting to see more and more fish show up at the Cape Lookout Rock Jetty. Next week, it looks like we’re going to have some winter like temperatures. So, I expect that will push more fish to the ocean that should really make the Cape Lookout Jetty fire off. The popping cork bite has slowed up some with the water temps dropping some on us this week. We’ve been having to fish the Betts Billy Boy Slip Corks to get down a bit deeper now. But as I say this, we did see some Topwater action this week on the warmer days.  Our 2^nd Place fish in our Speckled Trout Challenge was caught on a Topwater last Sunday so don’t think all the fish have moved out of the shallow water yet. I do think next week when the temps drop like they’re saying the fish will start to move to a little deeper water.

The Mirrolure bite has really started to pick up this week, anglers fishing them in the creeks and along the beach front doing well on the Mirrolures. The Mirrolure bite is just starting and will get better and better as we get closer to the winter months. We just got in a shipment of some new custom colors for this year and so far, they’re already proven to be fish catching colors, so come check them out.

As far as plastics the Z-Man MinnowZ, JerkshadZ, Berkley Gulp, Bass Assassin Tails and DOA Lures. Also, been seeing good luck on the Vudu Shrimps, always a good choice to put under a popping cork, in our eyes there’s no more life-like shrimp on the market. Also, we’ve been fishing with a lot of Live Shrimp over the last two weeks and it made a difference a few days.  In comparison, the boats using artificial and the boats using Live Shrimp had a lot more fish in the box. We are getting a little concerned on the cold snap coming next week, it could really slow us down on being able to get them in for the shop. Most of you know if they are available to catch, we can get them so hopefully; we can make it until around the 2^nd week in December like we do most years. But like always when the shrimp run out, we will have Live Mud Minnows ready for backup.

King Mackerel bite has been crazy this week, the North West Places has been as good as it gets. We weighed a 60lb fish from there couple days ago and it was all the other fish you could catch and heard already the same bite was going on today also. Looks like after tomorrow and Saturday the weather going to allow to get back out there so who knows if the fish will still be there. I really don’t see them moving out of that area until mid-next week when the colder air moves in on us and he water temps drop. Have heard of few fish over on the East side also but nothing like the bite that be going on the West side this week. We do have Cigar Minnows in-stock and plenty of Mac a Hoos to go with them, when the fish are feeding like they have been this week its hard to go wrong with the combo if you cannot get any live bait as its been hard to finds.

Still good numbers of Bluefish in the area, we’ve been seeing them schooling right in the Turning Basin all this week. Even caught Spanish Mackerel mixed in with them the other day on a trip, but along the beaches most of the Mackerel have moved on down the beach. Also, been seeing good numbers of Blues right along the beaches, talked to some Surf Fisherman this morning that caught 100 or so just casting Got-Cha Curly Tail Grubs.

The Spot run still going on in the Turning Basin area and we’ve seen some fish going into the Beaufort Waterfront area. I talked with customers that have caught 20 or 30 a trip then talked to customers that have caught 100 or more fish this week. It’s all about just getting in that right areas where the fish are and it’s been pretty easy to fill your cooler. I expect to see these fish hang around a few more days so anglers can catch some before they leave the area. We do have Live Bloodworms and Fish Bite Bloodworms which has been the baits of choice.

I finally got a good report from the “Gitter Man” today on the Sea Mullets, he was out fishing today and caught 20 or so nice mullets today. So hopefully, this is the start of the fall run on these tasty fish, rule of thumb we see good numbers around Thanksgiving so let’s hope this year is going to be the same because so far there hasn’t been too many around. The “Gitter Man” probably won’t be out fishing for them tomorrow with the gale winds a blowing but I expect he’ll come by the shop to stock up with the local made Sam’s Gitters Spec Rigs for the weekend.

The Gray Trout have been thick around the Morehead High Rise, Rail Road Tracks and in the Inlet area. Like the Speckled Trout these fish have been a great class of fish in the 2 to 4lb range. Anglers are catching them by jigging Stingsilvers, Big Nic Spanish Candy and Jig Fish Lures. They’ve been so thick at times; we have been catching them two at a time on the Sam’s Gitters Rigs when fishing for Sea Mullet in the same areas. Also, seen some good action at the AB High Rise Bridge over the last few weeks on the in coming tides.

The Alibies have seemed to have moved back onto the beach after pushing off with the warmer weather we had in October. Seems the best area to look for them this week has been from the Beaufort Inlet up toward the Cape Lookout area. If you want a pull go looking for these fish, they will burn it down on light tackle spinning gear. As far as lures, the Heavy Glass Minnow Jigs, Epoxy and Spanish Candies Jigs we have in the shop can’t be beat. They all throw very well allowing you to stay off the fish, and get more bites because it’s the right size lures. We also have the Albie Snax here in the shop which is something if you’re going Albie fishing you better have them in the boat. Also, look for the Shrimp boats, if you see them working then you should find plenty of fish schooling behind the boats.

 

Piers / Surf:

We are starting to see some nice class of Speckled Trout starting to show up along the beach front. Last Sunday and Monday, we had customers stop by with some nice catches of fish. Lure choice has been pretty easy, its just hard to beat a Mirrolure when Surf Fishing for trout in the Fall. Probably, the next best thing is just an old school Got-Cha Curly Tail when the pinfish leave. From the Oceanana Pier back toward the Fort Macon Park area is usually a good area to walk and look. Also, keep your eye out for the Stop Nets because that also is a good stop to try depending if the tide is falling or coming in. The Radio Island access also has been producing fish, it’s been hit or miss but when it’s on it’s been on with good numbers of trout being caught. Z-Man Minnow, Got-Cha Grubs and Berkley Gulp all have been working great when the fish are here.

Bluefish also has been thick along the beach. Anglers had some great action this morning all you want to catch by casting jigs like Spanish Candies. These fish should stay around until it gets a little cooler, they’re hungry and feeding like crazy when you find them.

Bottom fishing anglers have been seeing a mix bag of fish from Sea Mullets, Spots, Bluefish, Pompano and some Puffer Fish. Also, been a few nice Red Drum caught in the last few weeks along the Surf Zone. Most anglers have been coming by the shop picking up Fresh Mullet, Fresh Shrimp, Live Bloodworms are having the best luck.

 

Offshore:

It’s been kind of quite in the Bluewater over the last couple of weeks, most boats have been tied to the dock. We have weighed a few nice Wahoo when the weather allows, with a monster of a Hoo last week that topped the scales near a 100lbs. But that fish was caught more inshore on the East side of the Cape by some King Mackerel anglers. This time of the year is all about the weather windows on getting Offshore, I noticed there was quite a few boats out today, our friends on the Due South brought back a mix bag of Wahoo, Dolphin and Tuna. Also, I heard of a few Sailfish caught today from a other boats that fished today.