FISHING REPORT 10/02/2014

 

“WINNER” of the 3rd Annual FLounder Challenege…

 Davin Riggan – 6.39lbs!!!  

 

 

“WINNER” of the 3rd Annual Spanish Challenege… 

Miles Dover – 6.96lbs  

 

 

 Inshore: 

The King Mackerel bite has been very good this week. Last Friday, the bite really turned on and it's continued right through this week. The Inlet, Dead Tree Hole and around Cape Lookout all are producing fish in the 20 to 30lb range. We've weighed some that has topped the 40lb range in the last week from the same areas. Live Bait is working well along with Cigar Minnows fished on Blue Water Candy Dead Bait Rigs and Pirate Plugs. 

The Spanish bite is still on “FIRE” with anglers having no problem catching their limits of fish. Last weekend, I talked to a few boats that caught well over 100 fish in a day’s time. All along the beach and up at the Cape Lookout area is holding plenty of fish. It can be up and down fishing day to day. I know yesterday was kind of slow but the day before they were feeding and it was all you wanted to catch. We should have a couple more weeks of good action before they move on south. Last year, I know they hung around to mid-October. Trolling Clarkspoons, Squid Rigs, Mackerel Trees, Bird Rigs and casting small 1/2oz or 3/4oz Jig Fish Lures are working great. In the mix, we're also seeing plenty of nice sized Bluefish being caught. You'll catch them on the same lures, as Spanish fishing. 

Also, Albacore fishing is excellent, the best we've seen in awhile. It seems like on the cloudy days they're really balled up feeding tight on the bait along the beaches. But, we've seen them on sunny days too. Casting the same small lures at the feeding fish as the Spanish will work fine. They're always on the move so, the best thing to do is once you get to the inlet start looking for the birds. It might take running up toward Cape Lookout to locate feeding fish or it might be right in the inlet. You just never know where they'll be from day to day

If you like to fish for SPOTS, now's the time – they are here. The best action and numbers of fish are over at the Beaufort Draw Bridge Channel. From what I've been hearing, the guys fishing later in the day and on into the night are catching the most fish. But, I talked to one customer yesterday that caught 80 Spots during the day. So, it’s all about being there when they decide to come through and feed. There's been a few starting to move into the Turning Basin area but no huge numbers like over at the Draw Bridge. Bloodworms, Fish Bite Bloodworms and Fish Bite Shrimp are the best bait for action. Last week and this week, the Fishbites Shrimp have been hard to come by but we've been told we will have a shipment in before the weekend. 

I'm still not getting any solid reports on Sea Mullets. There's been a few anglers reporting good catches. They must be a little late arriving in quantities but on some years we have caught them good right up to Thanksgiving. But it's now October and things can change over night, who knows they might be thick in the area over the next few days. Bait Shrimp, Fish Bite Shrimp and Bloodworms fished on the bottom with Spec-rigs will be the best choice to find some mullet action. 

The Speckled Trout bite is really starting to fire off. Just last week, I took a writer out for an up coming feature in the North Carolina Sportsman Magazine. We were really looking for Redfish but we caught Speckled Trout after Speckled Trout. There was a lot of shorts but we had 20 or so that were in that 16″ to 19″ range very solid keeper fish. What we saw, the closer we got to the Neuse River the better the action got. I know the creeks on into the Neuse River have been really producing some nice fish. Already, I've heard of a few in and around the Haystacks plus a few that's been caught at Radio Island. We had our best luck on Live Mud Minnows and Live Shrimp but to our surprise the Mud Minnows out fished the Shrimp. I know anglers are still catching plenty on Topwaters, Mirrolure Soft Dines, 17MR's, Yo- Zuri Shrimp, Vudu Shrimp, Savage Shrimp, Vudu Mullet and Berkley Gulp. What I saw last week, we could have a great trout season if the weather pattern holds. Tim from the shop has been doing some tagging for the Gray Trout program and he's telling me there's plenty around to catch. At night, at the AB Bridge and during the day along the Port Wall and Railroad Tracks have been both good areas to fish. 

 

 

 

Wild Card Weight For October 3.56lbs 

We're still seeing some very nice Flounder being caught and the Port Wall has been the best spot. It's tough fishing that area but the Flounder does hold there. I know some of the best fishing spots on the wall have been taken up by the barges sitting there, so when they move on the fishing should be pretty good in that area. There's still fish hanging around all the reefs, you can catch them using a Spro 2oz Bucktail tipped with Berkley Gulp Shrimp. 

Redfish action has been decent over the last week, but it's been pretty hard fishing. We've had Northeast winds bringing up the water in the woods pretty much. When it floods the grass like it's been doing the fish go all up in it making them hard to catch. But on the other hand this is the time of year you can catch them tailing in the grass flats. Just yesterday, I noticed the water levels have came back down, so the next few days should be pretty good fishing. I've heard of some schools moving out to Shark Island already at the Cape. There should be some fish starting to make their way to Rough Point and along Shackleford Banks. 

 

 

Piers / Surf: 

If you like to “Surf Fish” now’s the time, this weekend the town opens the beach up for 4 -Wheel Drive vehicles. If you need a pass just go to the town office or visit the police station on the weekend when the offices are closed.

 

 We've been seeing great numbers of Spanish, Bluefish and Albacore being caught off the pier using Got-cha Plugs. If you're there when the schools come through it's pretty good action. Also, the Red Drum are starting to show up right along the beach, I know there was nice over slots caught yesterday off the Oceanana Pier along with some caught at the Fort Macon Park area.

 

There's been good numbers of Spots along the Surf Zone this week being caught on Bloodworms and Artificial Bloodworms. Sea Mullets and Pompano are all in the mix too. I'm hearing of numerous Flounder right along the beach with some small ones but if you're fishing for them you can usually catch a few keepers for dinner. Berkley Gulp and Live Minnows are working well for them. The anglers fishing from the beach have been catching plenty of nice sized Bluefish using Finger Mullet fished on Bluefish Rigs. 

This weekend we are the tournament headquarters for the “Coastal Anglers Crystal Coast Fall Surf Fishing Classic”. If you want to fish, you can sign up tomorrow at anytime or Saturday morning between 5am – 7am. When you sign up, we'll give you a free permit to drive on the beach issued by the Town of Atlantic Beach for their section of the tournament. You can fish from the Beaufort Inlet to Bouge Inlet, so the whole beach is open to fish. We have “FRESH MULLET” in-stock for weekend!!! 

 

 

You CANNOT enter online at www.coastalanglermag.com/nc the site is down. Sign up at the shop anytime or Saturday morning between 5am – 7am. Sorry for the confusion!!!

Call Eddie Hargrove (tournament director) 910-264-5487 for more INFO.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU TOMORROW!!!

 

 

 

Offshore: 

A few boats got back offshore last week and this week, they found plenty of Wahoo action. There's still great numbers of fish in the Big Rock area back down toward the Swansboro Hole. Trolling Medium and Select Ballyhoo seems to be the best bait for action. Blue Water Candy Jags, Wahoo Chains, Braid Plugs and Islanders all are working good. If you like to catch Wahoo this is the time we see and catch the most fish of the year.

 

We did weigh in a few Dolphin the other day, so there's still a few of them out there to be caught. Bottom fishing is pretty good for Grouper, Sea Bass, Trigger Fish, AJ’s and Snappers. I know the head boats have been bringing good catches back on their full day trips when they get out in that 30 plus mile range. For the bottom fish Squid, Cigar Minnows, Mackerel and Sardines all are working good.

 

 

 

 

 

BRAGGIN BOARD: