Fishing Report 10/29/2015

 

 Well, we've been dealing with some rain and wind over the last few days but that’s all moved out. It looks like we have a perfect weather weekend on our way. Fall fishing is in full swing so, now’s the time to get on the water.

Inshore / Nearshore:

I'm not going to lie, I was really concerned going into this Speckled Trout Season after the kills we had last winter. Yes, we're seeing some effects in the Neuse River as fishing has been slow in the creeks but the Morehead City and Atlantic Beach area has good numbers of fish. How the weather has stayed mild over the last few weeks should really hold the fish in the area making it a Great Season.

We've been seeing fish along our beaches in the Surf, Radio Island Rock Jetty, Shackleford Rock Jetty, Cape Lookout Rock Jetty, Haystacks, Core Creek, North River area and fish in Bouge Sound area. I've been talking to quite a few customers that have been catching 50 fish per trip. Now, they aren't all keepers but anglers aren't having too much trouble bringing home a nice limit of fish. Live Shrimp and Live Mud Minnows both are working well under a Float Rig or a Carolina Rig and we have both in-stock ready for action. As far as artificial: Mirrolures, Z-Man Plastics, DOA Plastics, Berkley Gulp, Betts Perfect Sinker Shrimp, Betts Halo Shad, Storm Shrimp, Curly Tail Grubs all are catching fish.

Also, with the Speckled Trout we're seeing plenty of Gray Trout, fishing from the Inlet backk toward the Turning Basin area will get you plenty of action, plus fishing around the Railroad Tracks or at the AB Bridge at night. Sam’s Gitters, Nates Rigs and Stingsilvers are working very well tipped with fresh Bait Shrimp.

King Mackerel bite has been good over the last week, with North Places really firing up last Sunday. I heard reports of action like last year’s HOT bite. I have a good feeling how the weather's been this week, this weekend the action in that area should be very good.

There's been Kings caught in the Inlet and out around AR 315. Most of the bigger fish in that 40 plus range have been coming from the East Side of the Cape all the way up to Ocracoke. Most of the action has been on Live Bait but anglers haven't had any trouble getting plenty of action on Dead Cigar Minnows rigged up on Dead Bait Rigs.

It’s late but we're still seeing Spanish Mackerel in the area. Last weekend, we weighed in some nice fish that came from AR315 and some were caught over on the East Side. A few anglers were even catching fish trolling up and down the beaches with Clarkspoons and Mackerel Trees. There's been all the Bluefish you can stand to catch over the last week from the Inlet back to the AB Bridge. They've been pretty much hitting anything you put in front of them when you run across them.

Albacore fishing was very up and down during last weekend. Go figure, the day of the Albacore Festival; the fishing was off.  There hasn't been many fish caught or seen since last Saturday. Just a few days before, the Alb's were everywhere from the Inlet back up toward the Cape. Then again, on Sunday anglers were finding good action around the Cape. Don’t really see any reason for the bite not being good this coming up weekend with the pretty weather forecasted. The Heavy Jigs still have been the lure of choice around the shop for them, then the Epoxy Jigs along with the Jig Fish Spoons. Just remember look for the birds working the water and that’s a good sign of feeding fish somewhere in the area ready to be caught.
 

I don’t think all the Spots are gone, just this week I know of a couple of anglers that caught over 300 in the Turning Basin. They seem to have moved more in that area than the Beaufort Draw Bridge area. I really feel like with all the construction going on in that area has affected the fishing. But of what, we've seen this week you still have time to catch a cooler full before they move out. So, if you are going to try this weekend I'd look around the Turning Basin because that seems to be the best spot to try as of now. Live Bloodworms and Fish Bite Bloodworms are still working the best. I'm still not hearing of any large numbers of Sea Mullets yet but we are getting very close to when they really move in. November is the month to catch them and it's right around the corner.

Flounder fishing has been great over the last week, they're on the move and anglers have been catching them. I know over the last week we have weighed in 15 or so over the 5lb mark with one topping the 10lb mark. Most of the action seems to be around the Port Wall area back toward the Inlet.

Also, we're seeing good numbers of fish right along the Surf Zone on the beaches. Most of the best action has been from Surf fishing but some anglers have been working the Surf Zone close in with their boats and doing pretty well. As far as what’s been working the best it's Live Mud Minnows and Live Finger Mullet which we have both in-stock ready for action.

Also, I heard of some being caught last weekend at the AR reefs on Spro Bucktails tipped with Berkley Gulp. This bite should continue over the next few weeks since the water hasn't even really started to cool off which will make them move even more.

Piers / Surf:

 

Can’t believe the Speckled Trout action we're seeing from the Surf Zone, already it's been better than last year's bite. Last week and this week anglers are having no problem catching their limit of fish. The piers are also seeing trout but seems like the anglers fishing from the beaches are seeing the larger fish. Reports are the best action is at the stop nets when they're set. Now, don’t think just because the nets aren't set there's no fish to catch. The fish are moving down the beach and there to catch you just might have to work a little harder to find where they're holding.

So far, Mirrolures seem to be working the best in the Surf Zone. But when things get tough don’t pass up taking Live Shrimp because sometimes that can make a good trip when Speckled Trout fishing. Also, anglers have been seeing good action at times on the Radio Island beach, in that area Grubs, Berkley Gulp Shrimp, Z-Man, DOA and Mirrolures all will work. Whites and clearer colors seem to be producing more action. As long as, this warm weather stays around I don’t see the trout moving anywhere, plus I think more and more will show up.

Flounder fishing along the beach has been some of the BEST we've seen in a few years. It's not often when you can sight fish Flounder lying along the beach like we've seen over the last few weeks. There's been some small fish but we've seen good numbers of keeper size fish too. The key to getting the best action is Live Mud Minnows and Live Finger Mullet (we have both in-stock but the Finger Mullet goes early). Also, a few nice ones have been caught on Gulp White 4” Swimming Mullet on a 3/8oz Jig Head.

There's been plenty of Bluefish along the beach and even still seeing some Spanish. What I been hearing the higher tides seem to bring the fish in and that’s the best bite.

Bottom fishing has been seeing a mix bag of fish from Sea Mullets, Spots, Croakers, Hogfish, Black Drum, Pompano and Red Drum. Fresh Mullet, Bait Shrimp, Bloodworms, Fishbites, Squid and Finger Mullet all are good choices for bait when fishing on the bottom.

Offshore:

Wahoo bite is in full swing, when the weather allows boats to get out the fish are there. Last Sunday, we saw a window and weighed HOO all afternoon at the shop. Boats aren't having much trouble catching limits of fish. The best action has been from the Big Rock down south to Swansboro Hole and even some caught North of the Rock. This past weekend, we weighed the largest HOO we've seen all year that was caught from a King Mackerel boat off Hatteras that weighed in at 92lbs. Medium / Large Ballyhoo, Smoker Heads, Cowbells all are working well. Also, a few Black Fin Tuna is in the mix but mostly Wahoo.

The bottom fishing has been pretty good, we've been weighing some nice Grouper and Triggerfish every week. Most of the best action for the bigger fish has been 14 Buoy out in that 35-mile range on live bottoms and ledges. Squid, Squid Wings, Sardines and Cigar Minnows have been working the best fished on the bottom.

 

 

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