Fishing Reports 11/18/2016

 

Inshore / Offshore:

Speckled Trout fishing still going strong! This has to be the best season we’ve seen in over the last 5 years. Lots of fish being caught, anglers have caught well over 100+ fish this week in one day of fishing.  Crazy thing, it’s not just the boat anglers catching these numbers of fish, anglers wade fishing and dock fishing are doing just as well.  I just hope, we have a mild winter like last year and with all the smaller fish we have combined with the nicer class of fish, we could see an even better year in 2017.

Areas that are holding fish, Haystacks, Core Creek, Bogue Sound, Middle Marsh, Radio Island, North River, Harker’s Island plus Cape Lookout so, we’re seeing a lot of different areas that’s been holding nice quality fish. I’m not saying you’re just going to go to one of these areas and limit out in four casts even though it’s happened quite a few times this year. If you hit a spot and it doesn’t produce try something else, grass points, oyster bars and deeper areas in the marsh all are holding fish.  If you aren’t into searching out the backwaters, then hit the jetties. Cape Lookout, Shackleford and Radio Island are all holding fish; Cape Lookout is probably the easiest one to fish and going to produced more fish this time of the year. Trout Man from the shop was out there the other day and caught well over 100 fish between Specks and Grays.

Same this week as far as lures go Z-Man, Gulp, Curly Tails, DOA, Vudu Shrimp, Betts Shrimp, Mirrolures, Rapala, Popping Corks really everything we have in the shop we've stocked for trout has been working this year so far. Don’t forget about the Live Shrimp and Mud Minnows they can play a key role into catching fish when the bite shuts down, fishing under a Slip Float Rig or a Popping Cork which has been working the best with the Live Bait.

Along with Speckled Trout, the Gray Trout fishing has been just as good, Cape Lookout Rock Jetty is holding some very nice fish. Also, the Turning Basin and the High Rise Bridges are holding plenty of fish, one of our charter boats even caught nice ones around the Haystacks this week fishing for Speckled Trout. They will hit the same lures as the Specks but they really like Stingsilvers and Jig Fish Lures too.

We’re still seeing some of the best Flounder fishing we’ve seen all year, the Port Wall and AR315 have been the hot spots this week. If you work at it, you should have no problem catching a limit of fish and what we’ve seen the class of fish has been very nice.  Spro 2oz White Bucktails tipped with 4” Berkley Gulp Shrimp has been working great, along with Mud Minnows and we’ve been getting some very nice size minnows in the last few weeks since the water’s cooled down. Don’t know how long this bite will last as they are on the move with the cooling water but it’s been great for the last two weeks.

Albacore fishing still remains great; anglers are having no problem finding fish along the beaches. You might have to look for them but when you find the feeding schools its game on. I saw pictures of some of the largest schools I’ve seen in a long time. Look for the birds working the water or look for shrimp boats and you will find the fish. Double and triple hook ups has been pretty regular for the anglers fishing for these drag screamers. Many anglers are enjoying fly fishing for them so take advantage while they’re here.

We’ve seen more nice sized Sea Mullets this week, our Sea Mullet specialist has been out this week and had a great day catching 30 in the Port area.  It’s a matter of looking at your bottom machine to find the schools, once you locate the fish they’re pretty easy to catch. They aren’t going to be everywhere but somewhere from the Turning Basin area back toward the inlet is where you’ll find them now.  Sam’s Gitter’s Spec Rigs tipped with Bait Shrimp or Fishbites have been working the best.

King Mackerel fishing still very good with the anglers fishing for them, not too many boats fished this week. But the ones that did reported back saying it’s some of the best fishing they have ever seen.  Seems the best bite has been over on the East Side of Cape Lookout but I’ve heard of some good reports still coming from the North West Places.

 

Surf / Piers:

Still seeing Flounder being caught as they begin to move out of the backwaters and along the Surf Zone before they move on out to the reefs. I don’t think it’s as good as last week’s action but I can report Flounder has been caught this week in the Fort Macon area and a few off the piers. Berkley Gulp and Live Mud Minnows seem to be working the best for the flatfish.  From what we’re seeing the fish are right up on the beach, so make sure you’re not fishing past the fish.

There’s been a few Albacore caught from the beach along with some Bluefish this week.  I’ve seen many Speckled Trout in the Surf yet, we just haven’t had the cold weather to push them out yet. I’d think the front that’s coming the first of next week will make some of them move to the ocean.  In years past when the fishing was good like this year’s Shackleford Banks area never got really good until Thanksgiving and that’s next week.  

As far as bottom fishing anglers are catching Black Drum, few Red Drum, Hog Fish, Puffers and Sea Mullets but not seeing large numbers of anyone specific.

 

Offshore:

Not seen much from the Bluewater in the last week, we just can’t get the weather to stay good for boats to make it out.  A few boats went last Sunday and came back with some nice Wahoo, but most of the big Hoo’s we’ve weighed in the last week have come from the King Mackerel boats fishing. When we get this late in the year it’s all about getting a good weather window with all the cold fronts coming through.  But when you can get out it can be really good Wahoo fishing along with great bottom action. 

 

 

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