Fishing Report 07/05/2018

 

Don’t forget next Saturday is our Customer Appreciation Day!  We’re excited to show our appreciation to you, our customers. We’ll have our award-winning grill master, Charles on sight slow cooking BBQ all night for you to enjoy Saturday at 11am when the first seminar starts. Some of the best Eastern North Carolina BBQ you’ll put in your mouth. Every year, we hear from customers how good the food was and this year will be no exception. Along with the good food, we’ll have 4 completely free seminars going on by some of the best local Captains from our area. The line-up we have for this year will be by Captains that’s been fishing these waters for a long time. So, for sure you will be able to pick up some tips, ask questions to know how to catch more fish. Also, we’ll be having free giveaways going on after each seminar under the tent which is always a huge hit. Again, like last year there’ll be some good stuff, example last year we gave away 4 Calcutta Coolers and I can’t remember how many Star Rods at the end of each seminar that will be totally free to you.  Why all the food and seminars are going on outside inside we’ll be having a storewide 15% off sale (excluding certain items), yes that right rods, reels, tackle all 15% off. So, go ahead and make plans. We look forward to seeing you next Saturday the 14th!

 

Inshore / Nearshore:

We have been seeing some “CRAZY” fishing action over the last week; I’m talking about action like we usually see in the Fall.

Let’s start with the King Mackerel, we have never seen the number of big fish this early than I can ever remember, even talking to the old salts they can’t recall this ever happening either. We’ve been weighing 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and even put a 60lb King on the scales just a few days ago. The fish haven’t been in just one area either, most anglers think when we’re talking about big Smoker Kings it’s over on the East Side of Cape Lookout area, but we’ve weighed a 40lb and quite a few 30’s that’s been caught just outside the inlet in the Shipping Channel. The other crazy thing about the King bite has been most of the big fish are being caught on Dead Cigar Minnows rigged up on Dead Bait Rigs, Pirate Plugs and the Mac A Hoo which has been real hot. Also, we’ve been seeing quiet of few smaller fish around all the AR reefs being caught and plenty mixed in with all the Spanish we have in the area. So, who knows what we might see this Fall when the water starts to cool down and the fish really turn on, could be setting up for a great King Mackerel Season.

Along with the big King Mackerel in the area, we’ve been seeing more big Spanish than we’ve ever seen. This past week, it seems like after lunch just about every person walking in the door has a 6lb fish to be weighed, it’s been crazy the amount of big fish coming to the scales. Again, like the Kings; the fish haven’t just been at one certain reef they have been all over the place it seems like. Most of the 6lb plus fish have been hanging at AR315 and AR285 with a few in the Shipping Channel. You know these schools have big Spanish when some are being caught on Dead Cigar Minnows rigged on Mac A Hoo’s.

 Also, we’ve been seeing schools and schools of smaller fish just outside the Beaufort Inlet in front of Fort Macon area, our charter fleet has been killing the fish each morning casting Spanish Candy Jigs, on just about every cast each morning this week. Plus, you can catch all you want trolling Clarkspoons and Bowed-up Spoons along the beaches and around the inlet area. Mixed in with the Mackerel you’ll see some nice size Bluefish, but what we’ve been seeing it’s been more Spanish than Blues which is usually the opposite. Crazy enough, we’re still seeing the Chopper Bluefish up around the Cape on the Shouls, seems like that school of fish just won’t leave. I’ve never seen them hang this long once the water gets hot like it is now, but we’ll take it because they are fun to catch.

Don’t forget, we have our Spanish Challenge going on right now until the end of October, it’s a $50 entry fee this year with a 3 fish aggregate so it’s anybody’s game this year with the amount of big fish we have in the area. So, make sure you give us a call or come by the shop to get signed up.

Flounder fishing still remains good, the AR reefs are still producing limits of Flounder. We have a few customers that’s been catching quantities off the reefs. Most of the action is coming off Spro 2oz White or Glow Bucktails tipped with Berkley Gulp 4” White Shrimp (the perfect combination). Also, Live Minnows fished on Carolina Rigs have been producing a few bites. I still haven’t seen that many being caught on the inside waters but they have to be around because I know some of the jiggers have been having some good luck. Tim the “Trout Man” and Todd the “Wild Cat” from the shop have been picking up a few keeper fish around the Port Wall and Bridges but it’s not been hot and heavy yet.

The Sheepshead bite is still strong with good numbers of fish being caught. Just yesterday, I saw a cooler full of fish in the 3lb to 6lb range. Also, we've weighed in a few over 8lbs this week. The bite is pretty constant around the bridges and port area. I get asked all the time what to look for when Sheepshead fishing; there’s no real set thing to look for just start hitting pilings and working the area. If you aren't getting bites within a short period of time move to another area to locate fish. Usually, if you start getting bites there's more than one fish in the area and you can catch a few out of the same spot. Live Sea Urchins and Live Fiddler Crabs is the bait of choice and we keep both in stock, and again the CoCo Crab has been catching some fish crazy enough. We just ordered another shipment of the Reel Habit Fiddler Crab Jig Hook for the weekend. These jigs have to be the easiest setup we’ve ever seen when it comes fishing a live fiddler crab, just so simple and it works.

Don’t forget our Sheepshead Challenge has started, goes to end of September so there’s plenty of time to sign up and fish. Entry fee is $50 and like Spanish Challenge it’s a 3 fish aggregate total weight.

Starting to see more and more Redfish show up in our marsh areas around the Haystacks and Core Creek ditches. Anglers are finding luck on Top waters, Gold Spoons, Gulp and Redfish Magics, also using popping corks rigged with live minnows and shrimp also working well. Also seeing a few Speckled Trout in the mix, along with a few Black Drum. So, it’s looking like with the amount of fish we’re seeing now, we’ll have another good Fall coming our way.

Shark fishing has been good again this week, if the shrimp boats are out working you can catch all you want, one of our charter captains caught some big hammer heads the other day behind the boats so that was pretty cool action. I always get asked what to used when fishing for these beasts, really don’t matter they will hit anything, best thing is pick up some shark rigs we have in the shop toss that out with a dead menhaden and it is game on. Also, they will crush the same Top-water Poppers we use for the Chopper Bluefish.

 

Piers / Surf:

Like in the boats, anglers are seeing some good action off the piers and even in the Surf Zone for the Spanish, been a few days this week where anglers have gotten into some action standing on the beach. Casting the Spanish Candy’s and Heavy Glass Minnows jigs we have in the shop has been working the best. Also, mixed in with the Spanish you’ll find some Bluefish to catch.

Starting to get a few reports of some Flounder around the piers and along the Surf Zone, using Live Minnows and Berkeley Gulp.  Also, still seeing a few Red Drum and Black Drum in the mix being caught.

As far as the bottom feeders, it’s been a mixed bag of Sea Mullets, Hog Fish, Bluefish, Pompano, Spot and Sharks being caught. Anglers have been using Fresh Shrimp, Squid, Mullet and Bloodworms. For sure, we have gotten into the summertime mix bag along the Surf Zone.

 

Offshore:

With the perfect weather we had last weekend, anglers were able to go just about anywhere they wanted to in the ocean and it looks like the next two days are going to be the same with light winds. So far, we’re seeing a better weather pattern than we saw last summer with all the wind.

 Seeing Dolphin anywhere from the North West Places, Big 10 / Little 10 out to the 14 Buoys on out to the Big Rock area. Still the hottest lure we have seen has been the local hand made Monk A Lure, we can’t keep these lures in the shop they have been working so well and so simple to use. We just received another limited supply today for the weekend. That lure and a Sea Witch rigged up with a Ballyhoo is really all you need this time of the year to get the job done. Also, the Dolphin Chains we have in the shop have been working, pretty simple spreads are catching plenty of fish right now. Plus, we’ve been weighing a few nice Wahoo which we haven’t seen in a few weeks. Most of the Wahoo action seems to be coming more far out around the Big Rock area. Anglers have been seeing some nice Sailfish in the mix, heck one of our charter boats caught a huge Sailfish at AR315 this week.

The bottom fishing has been pretty good over the last week. Good numbers of Grouper are being caught along with Triggerfish, Sea Bass, Amber Jacks, Jacks and Snappers. Over on the East Side has been a good area, North West Places and the Big 10 / Little 10 area all has been producing fish. Squid Tubes, Cigar Minnows, Sardines, Mackerel and Menhaden all have been good baits to use.

 

 

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