Fishing Report 07/09/2015

Well, it hasn't been as windy this week but still pretty breezy making it hard to get out on the water. But the boats that have made it out this week have had some good luck. Weather forecast for the weekend, we're going to get a break with a good weather window for Friday – Monday, so let's keep our fingers crossed it stays true.

 

Inshore / Nearshore:

We've seen some Spanish action this week in the Shipping Channel with several nice ones caught. There's still good numbers being caught behind Shackleford Banks and around the Beaufort Inlet. Anglers are trolling Clarkspoons with #1 Planers and trolling weights. Squid Rigs on top with a Bird is also a good choice. If the wind turns out of the north like they say for this weekend, the bite should really be good along the beach for boats to get out and fish where the fish are.

 

 

There's been a few Kings caught in the Shipping Channel this week but it was still pretty hard to fish with the waves rolling in. Trolling Dead Bait Rigs and the “NEW” Wedgie Dead Bait Rigs will be good choices with Dead Cigar Minnows. If you can get your hands on some Live Menhaden that would be a great choice too. Also, don’t be surprised if you run across some Dolphin because there's been good numbers of flying fish out around the Sea Buoy. I talked with a customer the other day that picked up 17 Dolphin on his way out to the North West Places to bottom fish.

Sheepshead fishing has been good this week with us weighing a lot of fish. Since, it was so windy last weekend many anglers decided to try their luck with success.  Already this year, we have weighed more big fish than we weighed all last summer. We've seen plenty of 8lb fish this season along with good numbers of smaller fish. We've already weighed 6 fish in the Jackpot Challenge that topped the 8lb mark. That’s pretty strong fishing with just a week into the event. Fishing Live Sea Urchins and Live Fiddler Crabs around the bridges and port has been the best areas. We've been keeping a good supply of both urchins and crabs, so we have you covered if you want to try your luck at the Sheepshead.

 

 

A few Flounder was caught this week but not any good numbers. What we've seen has been just legal fish being caught drifting. Again, it’s just been to rough for any reef fishing nearshore this week. If this weekend's weather holds true there should be some good numbers decked upped because nobody has been fishing the reefs over the last two weeks. Make sure you have some Spro 2 oz Bucktails tipped with 4″ White Gulp Shrimp when you venture out to the reefs. If you looking on the inside try the bridges, port wall, docks with Berkley Gulp and Live Mud Minnows. 

 

 

It’s getting about that time for our “Old Drum Season”. Already, I've been hearing some rumors of a few being caught but it's still a little early. I'd say over the next few weeks we'll start to see the old Drums moving into the Neuse River. Feel free to stop by the shop and we can show you all about fishing for them using a Popping Cork plus the rigs you need for fishing with bait. Once the fish start to show up in good numbers we'll start to stock fresh Jumping Mullet for the bite. Also, we have “Fresh Caught” Menhaden like we stock for Cobia Season that works just as good as the Mullet.

I have a charter captain friend that fishes out of the Bouge Inlet area that for the last two weeks has been killing the Cobia just off the beach. So, it might be a good idea if you're heading out this weekend make sure you have your Cobia rod on the boat ready to go. Because, what I've seen by the pictures he's been posting; he's been in some pretty good action.

Been some Red Drum working the Surf area around Shark Island at Cape Lookout the last few days, I been hearing of some good numbers of fish but tricky to get to bite. Berkley Gulp, Live Mud Minnows and Cut Mullet is probaly going to be the best choices to get some action. Even heard of few nice Speckled Trout on Top Waters this week in the backwaters. Which has been some great news as it's been pretty slow on the trout so far this season.

 

 

Piers / Surf:

It looks like this weekend the Pier and Surf anglers will have some north winds so after two weeks of rough Surf it’s should be pretty nice along the beach. There were a few Spanish caught plugging this week but the action should be better toward the weekend with the water clearing up if the wind goes to the north. There's still Blues, Summer Spots, Croakers, Flounder, Pompano, Sheepshead and other bottom fish to be caught using fresh Bait Shrimp, Bloodworms, Squid and Finger Mullet. Still hearing of some Red Drum and Black Drum action at times on Bait Shrimp. 

I heard a Tarpon was caught this week off the Bouge Inlet Pier, so they're starting to make their way to the river.

Been a lot of talk this week about Shark Fishing from our beaches, earlier this week Emerald Isle banned Shark Fishing from the beach, from now untill September 15th. Atlantic Beach officials have not considered any similar action at this time. I've also been told that the state was looking into the this ban on Shark Fishing as if its is illegal for the town to enforce no Shark Fishing since the DMF makes the regulations for the state fishery. So to answer some of the calls we have been getting, YES you are still allowed to fish from the beaches. 

 

Offshore:

Anglers seem to be getting excited about this weekend’s – Offshore Forecast. We've had 3 weekends in a row where it’s been way too rough to get out. A few of the bigger boats have made it out this week and fishing has been pretty good. The first of this week a few Wahoo and Dolphin were caught in the mix then the last two days the bite seems to have picked up. I heard of few boats getting into the Yellowfin Tuna which was a surprise to hear. Also, boats has reported good Dolphin and Wahoo action bringing fish back to the docks all week. What the anglers have been telling the best action has been at the Big Rock. We have Small, Medium and Select Ballyhoo In-stock ready for the weekend.
 

 

 

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