FISHING REPORT 09/22/2016

Can we finally report a good weather weekend is in the forecast?  YES!!

Inshore/Nearshore – light winds Friday and Saturday increasing some on Sunday.

 Offshore – Friday less than 10kt and Saturday North 5-15kt.

Partly cloudy skies with a few storms around on Friday, but Saturday and Sunday, sunshine low 80’s with only a slight chance of a shower.

 

Inshore/Nearshore

The Flounder bite is getting better each day with the flatties stacking up around the Port Wall, both Hi-Rise Bridges and ICW Docks.  Just yesterday, we weighed one just under 7lbs pulled off the Port Wall caught on live Finger Mullet. We are trying to keep a good stock of Live Finger Mullet in our tanks but they go quick, so just keep that in mind.

Anglers are reporting a good bite on the Redfish. Last Saturday, at our final tournament of the Carolina Redfish Series we weighed some very nice Reds caught from the Newport River on up Core Creek.  It was a very nice surprise to see so many healthy fish come to the scales. If you prefer live bait then Live Shrimp or Mud Minnows either under a Popping Cork or a Carolina Rig is the way to go.  Artificial baits include Gulp on a Jig Head, Vudu Shrimp, Billy Bay Shrimp, Top-water Baits or 17MR Mirrolures.

Speckled Trout are mixed in with the Redfish. It seems when the Reds turn off, you may have a chance to catch a Trout. Not many in quantity but anglers are catching a few. Live Shrimp under a Float Rig is the ticket when fishing for Specks.  As we all know, the bite will only improve getting better and better in October and November.  

Big Spanish in the 6 to 7 lb range came to the scales today and reports from other customers that the bite yesterday was good just outside the Beaufort Inlet, AR315 and along the beaches. The bite today came from the East side of Cape Lookout along with Snake Kings and plenty of them. Live Finger Mullet or Live Menhaden is the bait of choice when targeting the Big Spanish or Kings. For the larger Kings fish the Atlas Tanker, Chicken Rock and the 1700 Rock with Live Bait or Dead Ribbonfish.  You can also fish Dead Bait Rigs with Dead Cigar Minnows.

Blue Fish, Sea Mullets, Gray Trout, Croakers, Hogfish and some Spots are being caught just inside the Inlet and around the Turning Basin.  Now if you want to target Spots, the first place anglers usually try is around the Beaufort Drawbridge or along Gallant’s Channel. It might be just a little early but any day they should show up. We did hear this week that some were caught using live Bloodworms and Fresh Shrimp, which we have both in stock.  When targeting Sea Mullets Sam’s Gitter’s or Betts Spec Rigs tipped with fresh Shrimp is the best bait.

 

Piers/Surf

This is time of the year when anglers who enjoy Surf Fishing come to the coast. Puppy Drum has been all along the beaches with a few larger over slot Drum being caught.  Fresh Dead Finger Mullet is working great for the Drum.  Also, there’s Bluefish, Pompano, Croakers, Hogfish, Flounder, Black Drum, Spot and Sharks to be caught when Surf Fishing. Baits to have with you are: Fresh Shrimp, Fresh Finger Mullet, Bloodworms, Squid or Cut Mullet.  A casting jig is always a good artificial lure to have too.

Oceanana Pier is reporting Spanish, Bluefish and Albacore off the end of the pier casting Gotcha Plugs or Casting Jigs to lure a bite.  Bottom fish include the same as mentioned above in the Surf.

 

Offshore

The bite yesterday was at the “Big Rock” with offshore boats catching Sailfish, Wahoo, Black Fin, Dolphin and a few Yellow Fin in the mix. Most of the offshore guys reported releasing 2 to 3 Sailfish, catching 6 to 10 Wahoo so the bite was “HOT”.  We weighed a Wahoo topping the scales at 42lbs. Pull Blue Water Candy 8/0 Wahoo Rig in Red/Black or Purple/Black with Medium Ballyhoo to lure a monster Wahoo to bite.  One lure you might want to try is the Drone Spoon 3 ½” under a #16 Planer. This weekend’s weather should allow plenty of anglers to try their luck with the Offshore bite.  We don’t get many windows on the weekends so take advantage of it and bring some fish to the scales.  We even had a report today that Wahoo were caught at the 90' Drop.

Bottom fishing still remains very good with Grouper, Black Sea Bass, and Snappers.  We have Squid Wings, Cigar Minnows and Menhaden for you bottom anglers.