Fishing Report 05/10/2018

 

Inshore / Nearshore:

I've been getting a lot of calls about Cobia this week, there was a few caught last weekend but we haven't seen any this week so far. Now keep in mind, the weather wasn't to Cobia friendly the first of the week, today's been the first decent day to fish and this weekend is looking very nice. I have a good feeling we're going to start putting Cobia on the scales over the next few days. We're fully stocked ready for the season to start, with plenty of “Local” hand tied Bowed-up and Meat Hog Bucktails, along with a cheaper option the Sea Striker Bug Eyes. Also, we have  artificial eels that work well too, along with just getting our first shipment of LIVE EELS for the up-coming weekend. Plus, we have fresh caught Shad and plenty of Chum for bottom fishing. The few fish that we know were caught was up around the Cape Lookout area bottom fishing, as far as sight fishing just start looking for bait balls and turtles.

We are still seeing a few Chopper Bluefish in the area, we saw some good action last weekend up around Cape Lookout. This week has been kind of slow on them but we had north winds which kind of screwed up the fishing for a few days, SW winds are back for the next few days with warmer weather so they should fire back up. But we had a charter out this morning and they caught all they wanted, so the bite must be back on.  Anglers are finding the best bite to be on the flats around the Cape Lookout area casting Top-water Poppers that we have in the shop. The Surf guys are also having good luck landing some along the beaches in the Surf Zone. The smaller Blues have shown up in better numbers than last week, best numbers of fish have been up around the Cape but we also are seeing plenty around AR315 and some are starting to group up around the Beaufort Inlet area. Trolling Bowed-Up Spoons and Clarkspoons on #1 Planers have been working the best. You also can catch them casting small Jigs in the 1/2 to 3/4oz size when you see them schooling.

The Sea Mullet bite picked back up in the Turning Basin this week with the best action around the 25 Buoy and still some good numbers of fish being caught up at the Cape at Barden’s Inlet. No real news on what’s been working other than the local made Sam's Gitters still getting the job done tipped with Bait Shrimp. Don’t know what it is about the gitter rig but it just works!! We want to give a shout out to the “Gitter Man” who won the Card Board Boat Race this past weekend, so congrats on that, son.

Anglers caught Gray Trout out at AR315 this week on some charters we ran, jigging Sea Striker Jig Fish Lures and Stingsilvers got the fish in the boat. For some reason, we just haven't seen a push of these fish inside yet but I did hear of more being caught this past weekend around the High-rise bridges.

Seeing some Bonito at the AR reefs, usually AR315 and AR285 are going to be the best areas to fish. Trolling Yo-Zuri DD's in the smallest size usually is the go to lure in catching these tasty fish around the reefs.  Also, you can catch them casting jigs at first light around the reefs before the fish go down. The numbers of fish seem to be still holding just south of us on the rocks, so hopefully; we'll see more and more move our way before they leave the area.

Beginning to see some Flounder move in, we're now hearing of some decent catches off the AR reefs and a few have been caught in the inshore waters, but most fish still seem to be in the ocean. If you're jigging Spro 2oz Bucktails tipped with Berkley Gulp 4” Shrimp will be the way to go for sure, nothing is going to out fish that combo at the reefs. 

 

Piers / Surf:

Still seeing that Chopper Bluefish run, seems like the best action is when the winds are out of the SW which makes the Surf a little rough and the fish seem to feed better. The Sea Striker Finger Mullet Rigs and Cut Mullet Rigs have been working the best from the Surf Zone. You don't have to have a boat to catch these monsters on top.

As for the bottom action seeing a mixed bag of Sea Mullets, Hogfish, Croakers and Puffers coming through. Bottom fishing with Bait Shrimp, Bloodworms and Fish-bites seems to be the best way to find some action. 

Still seeing some Black Drum and Red Drum action up around the Fort Macon Park and on the Oceanana Pier especially at night, it's not been wide open but we are seeing some fish. For the best action use cut mullet and finger mullet fished on drum rigs off the bottom.

Seen a few small Spanish off the piers plugging Got-cha plugs and quite a few bluefish at times, it's just a matter of time when we will see the Spanish move in close enough for the pier anglers to wear themselves out plugging for them.

It’s that time of the year to keep you a Cobia rod rigged and ready I know a few of the piers south of us caught some this week. The key to catch these fish off the pier is to be ready, you just never know when you might see a pack of fish swim by and if you aren't ready to grab a rod and cast they will be gone, so just keep that in mind if you're heading for the pier over the next few weeks.

 

Offshore:

The bite is picking up, talk around town from a few of the mates is, it's some of the best action they have seen in a few years. Wahoo, Yellow Fin Tunas, Blackfin Tunas, and Gaffer Dolphin have been out in the Gulf Stream to catch right now. We are now starting to see fish from North of the Big Rock back down towards the Swansboro Hole. Trolling Baitmaster Ballyhoo from the shop on the local custom made Sea Witches, we just topped off our stock here in the shop are working very well on the fish. 

Also, anglers have been having good luck on the original Monkalur, yes, the original we have them in the shop for sell. This is what we call an old school lure for our area, designed right here on Atlantic Beach 30 years ago. Bottom line if you go offshore trolling you need one of these in your spread, no Ballyhoo needed it’s just simple as it gets and catches fish.

As far as bottom fish Grouper, Sea Bass, Trigger Fish and Snappers all are holding on the bottom grounds. I've heard of some good catches from the 240 Rocks and around the 90ft Drop area. Also, seeing a decent bite over East of the Cape around AR285 and Atlas Tanker area.