Fishing Report 06/29/2017

 

Inshore / Nearshore:

Spanish has been plentiful this week; last few days our charter fleet has been running trips having no problem getting  limits pretty quick. Trolling Clarkspoons, Bowed-Up Spoons and Mackerel Trees all are getting the job done on #1 planers. Some days it seems that the colored Bowed-Up Spoons are producing more fish at times; also pulling a Bird with a Squid Rig on top has been working very well. Best areas have been along AB beach from the inlet down towards the Double Tree and all around Cape Lookout area. Now, if you’re not into trolling we’ve been seeing schooling fish around the inlets and the reefs the last few days, this week late in the afternoons there’s been large schools of Spanish feeding on top around AR315. Casting the Glass Minnow Jig we have in the shop is still killing them, has to be one of the best we’ve seen along with the Sea Striker Jig Fish Lure.  Also, you’ll see Bluefish in the mix along with small Albacore Tuna; for some reason there’s been lots hanging in with the Spanish.

Sheepshead fishing has picked up, we have weighed a few larger fish over the last week up to 9lbs.  I had a few customers come by this week with some nice catches.  Fishing all the usual places like all the High Rise Bridges, Port Wall and Docks along the ICW will be the best places to look. Live Sea Urchins and Live  Fiddler Crabs have been working the best and we do have both in-stock.  Really, anywhere you find structure you might run across some fish to catch.

Shark fishing’s still going good, when the Shrimp boats are out working; it’s pretty easy fishing. Toss a dead shad or jumbo mullet out and hold on. We have now started to see some moving inside the inlet to catch. The shoals in front of Carrot Island are always a good summer time place to set up.  

Decent Flounder fishing going on, I’ve heard of some very nice catches from the East side AR reefs.  Jigging Spro 2oz White and Glow Bucktails tipped with a 4” Berkley Gulp White Shrimp is the way to go. Also, AR 315,320 and 330 could all be holding Flounder and any other structure you might run across of in the ocean.  Inside waters have been the Creeks, Port Wall, and Docks and drifting behind Shackle ford Banks have all been producing a few fish.  Live Mud Minnows fished on Flounder Rigs seem to be working the best in the backwaters. Just remember Flounder like to live around structure so they could be lying anywhere or around anything and they like moving water.

Kind of strange giving a good Speckled Trout report right here in the summer but fishing has been pretty good.  Dawn patrol anglers seem to be doing the best right at daylight on Top- water Lures; then once the sun gets up switching over to Popping Corks with Live Shrimp, Mud Minnows and Artificial Shrimp is getting the job done.  We are seeing fish in Bogue Sound, Core Creek, and Haystacks and back up toward the Neuse River.  If the pattern holds, we could be looking at a great fall. Last year, was good enough but we didn’t see summer fish like this either, so who knows what might happen. Also, still seeing some nice Gray Trout, weighed one in last week that went right at 6lbs and Trout Man from the shop has been catching them over at the AB High Rise and Railroad Tracks.

Redfish bite’s been better than we‘ve seen in the last few years. I had a few customers this week having great luck fishing docks along the waterway. Also, it’s been good fishing up in the Marsh areas like Haystacks, Core Creek and Middle Marsh areas. Topwater Lures, Spinner Baits, Gulps, Z-Man Lures, Spoons all have been working well. Also, Live Mud Minnows and Live Shrimp fished under Popping Corks have been working very well.

 

Piers / Surf:

Still seeing some Spanish and Bluefish off the piers early mornings then late into the day right before dark. Casting Got-Cha Plugs has been working the best, along with glass Minnow Jigs, the key has been getting that early bite. Once the sun gets up the fish seem to move back out away from the pier, also clean water has been a key which comes and goes with all the wind we’ve been seeing.

As for the bottom fishing, we have hit what I like to call summertime mixed bag.  A little of: Sea Mullets, Pompano, Hog Fish, Flounder, Drum and Sharks are mostly what we have been seeing. If you want something to really give you a tug you can set up to Shark Fish off the beach, putting out larger baits like Jumbo Mullets and Mackerel will get you some action and we do keep both in-stock at the shop along with ready-made Shark Rigs.

 

Offshore:

 

I’ve been getting a lot of calls about what the Dolphin has been doing. We’re hearing the fish seem to be into their summertime pattern. As they move in from the Gulf Stream the fish seem to just spread out and make them harder to catch. We have seen some as close in as 10 miles, just got to keep in mind when they move inshore they usually aren’t in huge schools of fish like they were back in May in the Gulf Stream, so you might catch one here and there.  Now, I have talked to a few boats this week that got into some good schools of fish around the 90ft Drop and filled the cooler. 

Anglers are seeing some good Tuna fishing but most of that action has been north of us if you’re willing to make the run to the cooler waters that the tuna like. Most of our Charter Fleet has switched over to Bottom Fishing since dragging has become a bit slower. This week, we have seen plenty of Groupers, Snappers, Bass, Amber Jacks and a few Triggers coming back to the docks. Most of what we’ve been seeing has been over on the East Side of the Cape in the 20 to 30 mile range.

 

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