Fishing Report 10/28/2016

Inshore / Nearshore:

We've been seeing some of the best Speckled Trout Fishing that we've seen in a few years. Last year, was way off with the cold winter before but this year so far is making up for it. Anglers are reporting plenty of keeper fish and just this week we've weighed quite a few over the 5lb range with the largest being right at 8lbs. Usually, we don’t see our big fish until the water really cools down so, who knows how good the fishing might get.

Anglers are having no problem catching all the 2lb to 3lb fish they want, limits of nice keeper size fish haven't been an issue so far this fall. Hot spots have been all the Rock Jetties, Cape Lookout, Shackleford Banks, Fort Macon and Radio Island all are holding good numbers of fish. Also, the Haystacks, Core Creek, Bogue Sound, North River and Middle Marsh areas are holding good numbers of fish. I haven't seen all that many in the Surf Zone quite yet but it’s still a bit early for that area to turn on. We have been telling anglers at the shop if you've caught trout in an area in the past there's a very good chance you'll find fish there now.

As far as, what's been working the best; lots of baits are getting the job done. Z-Man Trout Tricks, Paddle Tails and Jerkshads have been working well, along with Berkley Gulp Shrimp, Mullets and Jerkshads. Artificial Shrimp like DOA, Halo Shrimp Z-Man and Storm all have been producing. As far as hard baits Mirrolures seem to be working the best. Live Shrimp under the cork has been a sure bet to catching fish, at the Cape Lookout Jetty from what we've seen Live Shrimp seems to be working the best. We have a good supply on hand for the weekend, along with Live Mud Minnows which a trout will eat too.

Red Drum action has been mixed in with all the Speckled Trout, just this week there's been some schools of fish up around the Shark Island area that we used to see. I talked to one customer that caught all he wanted to catch there the other day. The Reds were biting so good anglers were catching them on a bare Jig Head. Tim, from the shop caught a few at the Cape Lookout Jetty this week while trout fishing. Also, we're still seeing good action in the Marsh areas like Haystacks and Core Creek.

Flounder fishing has been good this week, in the last few days we've weighed 3 fish over the 6lb mark. Most of the action has been coming from the Port Wall and Coast Guard Station. I've been getting a lot of calls about if the season is closed, the answer is it's OPEN and nothing has changed with the limits so you can keep them as of now. I've not heard that much from the AR Reefs because most have been fishing on the inside but I'm sure there's fish there to catch but it’s hard to beat that Port Wall area this time of the year.

The phone's been ringing about if the Spots have shown up yet, yesterday I got the best report we've had all Fall. I talked to one angler that caught over 100 fishing in the Turning Basin area. From what I could tell, they are hanging more in front of the Port, not back toward the Inlet area. It's hard for a Spot to turn down Live Bloodworms, Fresh Shrimp or Fish bites. I'm in high hopes from what we've seen over the last few days this is the start of the run and we'll get a good week or so of fishing for them before they move out.

Got a good report from our friend Sam yesterday that makes the famous Sam's Gitter Spec Rigs. He was telling me around the coast guard station area he caught 20 very nice mullets, just in a short time of fishing. Of course Sam Gitters tipped with bait shrimp was the ticket. The anglers fishing for the mullets have been seeing all the Gray Trout you'd want to catch. Fishing a Spec-Rig on the bottom with bait shrimp or jigging a Stingsilver you should have no problem finding plenty of action. Some have reported back catching two 3lb Gray Trout at a time.

I think it’s safe to say the Spanish have moved on but there's plenty of Bluefish and Albacore still in the area to catch. This week with the good weather anglers have been having a ball up around Cape Lookout area on the Albacore. Nothing better than a 15lb Albacore on light tackle, it’s for sure some drag screaming action.

King Mackerel fishing has picked back up since the storm. Over the last few days the bite has been getting back like what we're used to seeing in late October. I know of a few boats that really caught them good yesterday not too far off the beach. I've not been hearing any for sure location since the last King event of the year is coming up this weekend, so everyone is staying tight lipped. We weighed a 60lber yesterday but promised not to post until the event is over on Saturday because they got a lot of money on the line. Hopefully, we'll see the North West Places fire off like we have in the past few years, with loads of fish being caught.

Piers / Surf:

Still seeing good numbers of Bluefish off the piers, along with some Albacore, still a stray Spanish now and then but most of them have moved south for the year. We have been waiting on the Speckled Trout bite to fire off on the piers and beach but it just hasn't done so yet. The water's still too warm to really push the fish to the ocean. But with all the Speckled Trout we're seeing in the backwaters when it happens we should see some really good action along the Surf Zone.

As far as the bottom feeders we're seeing a mix bag of Spot, Sea Mullet, Pompano, Hogfish and Puffers. Also, we're seeing some really nice Red Drum being caught along the beach up to 40″ range. Most of the Drum bite has been on Fresh Mullet and we have it in-stock and will have plenty until the Surf Fishing slows down.

Offshore:

The Bluewater fishing still remains pretty good, just not many boats heading out. There were some nice catches this week of Wahoo, few Yellow Fin Tuna and seeing some Dolphin moving back south for the winter. Most of the action has been out around the Big Rock area and down toward the Swansboro Hole area. Looks like the weather is going to be nice on Saturday so it should be some good fishing going on.

Bottom fishing still remains the same with good fishing on the Grouper, Snapper and Black Sea Bass.

Braggin Board: