Fishing Report 08/31/2017

 

Inshore / Nearshore:  

With some mullet running the beaches the Spanish and Bluefish have been feeding along the beaches pretty heavy this week. Now keep in mind when the winds switch back to the SW the mullet will stop running making the fish not feed as close in.  But it’s already started; the fish are moving into larger schools and will be feeding heavy for the next month as they know the cool air is on its way.  I expect once the winds switch back in the next day or so the bite will be very good around the inlets, beaches and up at Cape Lookout area. Most feeding along the beaches and inlets will be the smaller fish and you'll still find the larger fish at reefs like AR315 and AR285. If you're hunting fish this time of the year birds are a good thing to look for because they will also get more active with more bait moving out the inlets.

Redfish bite still good, last week the Neuse was on fire for the Old Drum, nothing like catching a 40+lb fish on light tackle, that first run can be a pretty amazing sight. Popping Corks with DOA Airheads and Z-man 7” Jerkshad have been working the best for the guys at the shop. Now, if you're not into searching out the fish fresh cut mullet fished on the drops is just as effective way to get some action.  We have fresh mullet and artificials at the shop to help you get the job done.  As for the smaller fish, there's been plenty in the marsh areas around Core Creek and the Haystacks in the 20-24″ range. Anglers are seeing good action using Top- water Lures, Z-man’s, Berkley Gulp, Live Minnows and Live Shrimp.

We saw a few nice Speckled Trout come through the shop during the last week, it's getting close to that fall bite we all have been waiting for. I've been getting some really good reports of nice keeper size fish north of us, so if everything goes right the cool weather will push those fish right to us come October. Now, anglers are seeing most of the fish in the marsh areas, the early morning bite has been best on Top-waters then on into the day switching over to Live Minnows and Shrimp under corks will produce action.

There's been some good Sheepshead action over the last week, most have been caught around the AB Bridge, Port Area, Beaufort Bridge and Harker's Island Bridge.  Also, been weighing a few nice fish that's been caught along the docks on the ICW and Taylor’s Creek. Live Sea Urchins and Fiddler Crabs have been working the best; we will have plenty of both for the upcoming Labor Day Holiday Weekend.

I can't report that much from the King Mackerel bite, last week in the Raleigh event very few fish were caught. Keep in mind it was blowing 20+ which makes fishing very difficult.  Before the blow started we were seeing some nice fish over on the East Side from AR285 out to the Atlas Tanker.  I have a feeling with this cool down in water temps from these north winds, we will start to see some fish show up at North West Places and even more bigger fish showing up over on the East Side. 

I've had some calls about if any Sea Mullets have arrived, we haven't seen any solid catches yet. But just in the last few days, we have seen some nice ones start to show up along the Surf Zone so they are for sure on their run. With the water cooling down, I'm thinking it could be any day now when some gets into the the inlet area. Last year, if I remember right; the bite turned on sometime mid-September. As far as the Spot who knows on them, the run on them has been so hit or miss over the last few years hard to say if we'll see them in large numbers this year.  I keep hoping each year that we'll see the run like we saw 5 years ago when everyone was filling coolers, let’s hope this year's that way.

Flounder fishing still remains good, nice fish still comes in the shop almost every day to be weighed. We just weighed one last night that was almost 6lbs caught around the Port Wall area. Inside fishing for Flounder anglers have the best luck on Live Minnows or Live Finger Mullet fished on a Flounder Rig. We have both in stock for you guys. Some of the anglers that have been getting out to the AR reefs have been some good luck, jigging Spro 2oz Bucktails tipped with 4” Berkley Gulp.  Again, Flounder fishing is just going to get better, last October into November was some of the best fishing we have ever seen on the flatfish in our area.

 

Piers / Surf:

Last few days, we have seen some Spanish push along the Surf Zone to feed on the mullets running out the inlets, along with some Bluefish.  From now until the Spanish leave the fishing will be good every time that north wind starts to blow. Also, anglers plugging from the end of the piers have been catching Mackerel casting Got-cha plugs. Still seeing some nice Red Drum along the beaches, the anglers fishing fresh mullet on drum rigs have been having good luck. Starting to see some nice Sea Mullets showing up along the beach, most of the best action has been late in the day or at night. Again, just like inshore/nearshore fishing we are getting close to the best time of the year to fish from the beaches, when the mullet is running down the beach you can find some crazy action.

 

Offshore:

Well, again this week the winds have kept most of the boats closer to the beaches over the last week since it's been honking the last few days. Looks like maybe the next few days we might be able to get out, last week on the pretty days anglers were having no problem finding plenty of Wahoo action. The best bite seems to be from the Swansboro Hole back up toward the bottom of the Big Rock; the fish are there and will only get thicker as we move into fall.  

We weighed a few Dolphin last week as we're now starting to see a few fish make their way back down from the north.  

We ran a few bottom trips last week with good success on Groupers, Trigger Fish, Sea Bass and Snappers. Most of the action has been over on the East Side: Atas Tanker and the 1700 Rock would be good places to start looking.  I'm sure if you know where there's some good bottom area on the West Side you will find action too. I heard of a few boats having some luck in the deep around 14 Buoy area also. 

 

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