Fishing Report 09/30/2016

Inshore / Neaershore:

I've been getting a lot of calls this week about the tasty bottom feeders that will be making their fall run through our waters – Spots and Sea Mullets. Sam, that makes the famous Sam’s Gitters Spec Rigs went out this week to see what he could find out for us. In just a few hours of fishing around the Beaufort Inlet, he caught 14 nice Sea Mullets and all the Gray Trout you'd want to catch. As for the Spots, he wasn't fishing with bottom rigs but said he did catch a few. So, what I'm thinking if you fish back toward the Beaufort Draw Bridge in Gallant's Channel, you probably will be able to catch a mess of Spots.

The Spanish bite has been great this week, fish are schooling and feeding up. There's been some great action up at Cape Lookout off the point over the last few days along with great action around the Inlet back toward the Oceanana Pier. Most anglers have been casting small jigs at them on light tackle, along with trolling Clarkspoons along the beaches and Inlet area. Now for the next two weeks, we'll see some of the best action of the year on the Spanish, it’s time to take advantage of the good bite because they'll be moving on South toward the end of October. Along with the Mackerel action, we've been seeing some nice sized Bluefish in the mix with them, where you find Spanish there usually will be some schools of Bluefish not too far away.

Also, Albacore fishing has been great, most of that action has been up around the Cape Lookout area this week. But it's also likely to find schooling fish on down the beaches too. If you find them it won't be hard to tell, most of the time birds will be working the water as they're cutting up the glass minnows along the shoals. Nothing much more fun than a 20lb Alibe on a light tackle outfit, we should have these drag screamers around right on into November.

To say the least, I've been getting a lot of calls about the King Mackerel bite and over the last few days the bite has fired off over on the East Side of the Cape. We weighed a few nice fish yesterday from AR285 and heard of quiet a few more that were caught. It won't be long now when the North West Places will fire off. The last two years we've experienced an epic bite over in that area once we get into October. Also, we weighed a few fish from the Shipping Channel this week. So, it’s time for the FALL bite and from now it will only get better.

Flounder fishing still pretty steady around the area, saw some nice catches from the reefs last weekend and also weighed quite a few fish that's been caught around the Port Wall and the Bridges over the last week. If you like to fish for them better get out on the water since the bite is pretty good before our great NC Marine Fishery shuts it down on the 15th of October.

Sheepshead fishing has seemed to slow down a bit since the waters have started to cool off. Not saying they're all gone just not seeing the numbers of fish that we were seeing back 3 or 4 weeks ago. We did weigh a 9lber this week and a few other nice ones. Port Wall and any of the High Rise Bridges would be great places to try.

Redfish bite has been pretty steady, I had a friend go out yesterday and picked up 20 or so around the Haystacks area. They've been all mixed up from 19″ fish to over slot fish. Also, I've seen good numbers hanging in the Core Creek area. Fishing Live Shrimp, Mud Minnows, Top-waters, Gulps and Popping Corks all are working.

Speckled Trout action starting to pick up, the few anglers that are already fishing for them have been giving me some good reports of what they're seeing this year compared to last year. Most of the action has been more up toward the Neuse River area but we have been seeing a few around the Haystacks area. All it's going to take now is a good strong cold front and the trout fishing will take off. Just this week we have heard of some nice fish being caught off some of the piers in the Ocean so things are about to bust loose. I've seen some pictures of some very nice fish that were caught in Bogue Sound on Mirrolures this week

Piers / Surf:

Spanish fishing has been just about good as it gets right now off the Oceanana Pier. A few days this week, there where fish on both sides of the pier feeding all day long. Anglers are seeing the best action on Got-Cha Plugs and Kastmasters. Also, there's been plenty of Bluefish feeding in the mix with them. There's even been some days Surf anglers have been catching them by casting from the beach. I'm still seeing some Red Drum along the beach, the majority of action has been from the Oceanana Pier back up toward Fort Macon Park area.

As for the bottom feeders we are starting to see Sea Mullets and a few Spots, I'm not saying the Fall run has started but it could anytime right now. We are ready with tackle and bait Bloodworms, Fresh Shrimp and Fishbites.

Offshore:

It’s safe to say the Wahoo bite is in full swing right now, anglers saw really good action last weekend from The Big Rock back down toward The Swansboro Hole. I will say the best bite has been more south than north but anglers are catching up a few fish north too. There's been a few Dolphin, Sailfish, Blackfin and Yellowfin in the mix also with the Hoo’s.

We have ran a few bottom fishing trips this week and again the Groupers, Sea Bass, Trigger Fish and Snappers all came back to the dock. Most of the action has been in around 100' or so on the East Side and out around the 14 Buoy.

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