Fishing Report 08/18/2017

Hard to believe this is our 10^th anniversary for our Speckled Trout Challenge, the event is 100% Payout what comes in goes right back to all the anglers. The event is for the whole family of all ages, so if you trout fish at all you have a chance of winning. We don't allow any full time guides fish in this event so it keeps everyone on a level fishing field. I hear a lot: we don’t have a chance fishing against professionals;   well you do in this event, in 10 years we haven’t yet had a professional trout angler enter or win this event.  It’s anyone game, last year the winner had only been trout fishing for a few years, one year we had an angler win top prize and didn’t even have a boat. He caught the winning fish fishing at the Core Creek Bridge from shore, so when it comes to this event; really if you trout fish at all this fall you have a chance to win the event or place all you have to do is enter.

What anglers like most about the event is: you fish on your schedule; beginning September 1st – January 3rd to catch your prize fish. This trout challenge isn't like most other Speckled Trout tournaments being most are one day events, this format gives anglers a chance to fish when they can (Night, Day, Boat, Shore) it doesn't matter as long as the fish is caught on a Rod & Reel/Hook & Line outfit anywhere in North Carolina.

We give you a 24 hour window to weigh your fish allowing time if we're closed or if you're fishing away from our area or having to work. We try our best to make this event for all the anglers. The event isn't just about seeing who can catch the largest Speckled Trout.  Each month we'll be running a “Wild Card” fish weight. We pick a weight and the winner will be the angler that gets the closest to that weight or gets that exact weight. We always make sure it’s a lower weight that we pick so everyone has a chance. It gets exciting each month with anglers competing trying to get that exact weight. The winner will receive a Trout Rod valued around $50.

We are excited to announce the “NEW” Live Release Prize for the 2017 – 2018 Event. The largest trout weighed and released alive behind the shop will win a Star Rod VPR Series and a Calcutta Outdoors Cooler. A total value of $500.

So, come join the fun and spread the word about our 10th Annual Chasin’ Tails Outdoors Speckled Trout Challenge.

Dog Island Artworks has teamed back up with us this year offering the winner of the event a replica mount of their trophy fish. As you can see from last year's winning mount, Dog Island Art Works does beautiful work and it'll be something you'll always treasure.

 

 

Inshore / Nearshore:

This week, it’s been just about as hot as it gets down in eastern North Carolina, but the fish have been biting. Really as far as the fishing not much has changed from last week, I guess you would say we are into those “dog days” of summer as we speak.

Spanish are still hanging along the inlets and beaches, with the larger fish being caught at AR315 and AR285. The anglers trolling are seeing a bit smaller class of fish since we’re dealing with this heat. But keep in mind we are only a few weeks away of getting some cool fronts that will school the fish back up in tight schools along with moving that better class of fish into our area. September, we usually see some of the best action of the year on the mackerel. Just yesterday, anglers were sight casting to nice fish that were schooling around the Cape Lookout Shoals plus some really nice Bluefish that were for the taking.

We’ve seen a few Kings this week weighing in a nice one that was caught over on the East Side of Cape Lookout, most of the fish are still on the smaller side but each week we’re seeing more andmore of the smokers show up just in time for King Season to really to kick off.

We have weighed a few nice Flounder again this week, last year it seemed to take October before we really started to see the fish over 6lbs but things are happening earlier this year for some reason, so who knows our fall Flounder bite might be really good from what we’re already seeing.  No secret most all the fish over 5lbs we have weighed has been caught from the Turning Basin area on live minnows. Also, anglers are seeing good numbers being caught out at the nearshore reefs along the beaches.

Redfish bite still remains good, there hasn’t been any shortage of 20-24” fish in our marsh areas over the last few weeks. Also, been a few schools working the Surf Zone with some anglers catching them from the beach along with boats that are looking for them too.  Anglers fishing for the Red Drum are running across nice Speckled Trout and that’s only going to get better and better as we over into September. The Old Drum also have moved into the Neuse River to catch, I’d say it’s been good but we aren’t at the peak of it; next 3 weeks with the moon coming up should be the best of it.

Still seeing some nice Sheepshead this week, most are coming from the same areas. All the bridges in the area and port area seem to be the best spots, along with some of the docks along the water way. We do still have Fiddler Crabs and Sea Urchins in stock for them; usually we don’t stop carrying them until it gets too cold to keep the crabs or when the demand goes away and everyone is focused on Speckled Trout fishing.

 

Piers / Surf:

Pretty much the same action this week as last week, Spanish and Bluefish off the end of the piers. I have heard of some anglers getting into some good action also from the beach area near the Fort Macon State Park as the fish move in closer to feed. Seems we are starting to see the nicer Bluefish begin to make their way back along the Surf now. Still seeing Red Drum working the Surf Zone along the beach which has been nice for anglers. We have seen some huge Pompano being caught over the last two weeks; I know we have weighed in 5 or more over the 3lb range.

 

Offshore:

From the few boats that went out this week, Wahoo are still in the area and the bite will only get better. I’ve not heard too much since a lot of the boats are up north fishing the White Marlin bite. I know we weighed some good Hoo’s in last Sunday with a few anglers heading out to the grounds. Most of the action is still in the Swansboro Hole up toward the Big Rock. We have added a Wahoo specialist to our charter fleet this week, so we’ll be now offering trips for just Wahoo if anyone would like to get on them this fall. Fishing will be great from now through November.

The bottom fishing has been good this week, best action still seems to be on the East Side in 100ft of water. Anglers were having no issues catching limits of Groupers, also catching Trigger fish, Sea Bass, Amberjacks. 

 

Braggin Board