Fishing Report 11/20/2014

Live Shrimp,& Live Mud Minnows

IN-STOCK for the weekend…

Inshore:

“Great Sea Mullet Fishing” has been going on this past week. We've been waiting on them to move in and they have; larger than what we saw in the Spring. There's very good numbers of fish in the 18″ range being caught. Reports are there's good numbers in the Hook at the Cape and from the Dead Tree Hole back toward the Inlet along with some in the Turning Basin. Spec-Rigs tipped with Bait Shrimp along with Fish Bites is the best bait fishing right along the bottom. Anglers are having no problem catching enough to take home for dinner. Also, we're seeing some nice “Puffer” fish in the same areas being caught on bottom rigs tipped with Bait Shrimp.

Speckled Trout – there's plenty to catch in the area but we're seeing some smaller fish this week than over the last few weeks when we were seeing mostly keeper fish in our area. We are all in hopes this cold blast we're having now is going to get the bigger fish bunched up making them easier to catch. There's been some good keeper fish caught this week but it seems to be only in certain areas plus hit or miss. I've seen some nice fish coming from the back of the creeks and the creeks off the Neuse River area.

I know of a good bite that went on at Rough Point earlier this week with nice fish being pulled in. What I'm hearing, the key to catching them was you had to hit the beach with your lures and pulling it off to get any bites. The Haystacks is still holding plenty of fish but they're on the small size with a few keepers mixed in.

It's time for the Cape Lookout Rock Jetty to be “GOOD” and has been but not as good as it can be. It seems like there is more Gray Trout out there right now than keeper Speckled Trout. It’s kind of crazy, the amount and size of Gray Trout being caught off the rocks this year. It isn't uncommon to catch all the 2 to 4lb fish you want, when the bite is on. Just talked to a customer this morning that caught Speckled Trout pretty much all day out there yesterday with lots of smaller fish but did come back with limits of fish. So that's a good sign more fish have showed up since the cold front.

I'm hoping this cold blast will push the bigger Speckled Trout to the Jetty. Year after year it's what usually happens.. I've been getting quite of few calls for this weekend and as of now, we do still have LIVE SHRIMP IN-STOCK, they have been doing well over the last few cold nights.

Red Drum – I've not heard of many Red Drum being caught but there's not that many fishing for them. I know of some anglers that's been catching them real good down in front of Bear Island plus I heard of a some good catches that were caught earlier this week in Core Creek on Live Mud Minnows. A few are showing up at the Cape Lookout Jetty along with some being caught at Rough Point. This time of the year, you never know about the Shark Island area, could be 1,000 fish then there could be none. But keep in mind, this is the time of the year when they show up there and if you're up that way and the weather's good it's defiantly worth fishing that area because if they're there it's usually going to be BIG numbers of them.

Albacore – This past Sunday, when the winds switched back to the South West, we had some Albacore push back along the beaches. I know of a few customers that caught them from the Surf, they were coming in so close. Also, the anglers fishing from boats got into some pretty good action along the beach with fish crashing bait fish. It looks like the winds tomorrow are going to switch back to the west and should push more fish toward the beach for the weekend.

Flounder – I've not seen the Flounder this week coming in from the Port area that we saw over the last few weeks. I don’t think they're all gone because last year we saw them until late November. What I've seen this week, there hasn't been anyone fishing for them, so it’s really hard to say if they are still there or if more has moved in. But it would be worth a try with some Live Mud Minnows along the bottom to see. There's still some being caught at the Cape Lookout Rock Jetty when anglers are fishing for trout.

King Mackerel – I did hear of a few King Mackerel being caught last weekend over on the East Side of the Cape. I know one boat had 8 fish and few others had some fish in their coolers. The bite is nowhere like it was but still some fish are around in that area. The crowds that were fishing for them have pretty much stopped, so it’s not a bad time to go out and try before they move on.

Piers / Surf:

Black Drum – fishing has been pretty good over the last week. I know of at least 5 fish that were caught from the beach and the piers that were over 40lbs with one “Whopper” coming to our scales at 80lbs. It’s not that often in our area that we see fish of that size that you can catch from the beach. Bait Shrimp fished on the bottom is what most are catching them on. Also, we're seeing smaller Black Drum working the Surf too.

Lots of Puffer Fish and Blue Fish being caught at Fort Macon Park on Bait Shrimp just fished off the bottom.

Red Drum – there's been a few caught along the beach with the best spot for that near the rocks at Fort Macon. The bait to use will be mullet or live mud minnows.

Speckled Trout – some nice catches of Speckled Trout have been caught off the Oceanana Pier at times, what we've seen if you're there at the right time it’s ON. Mostly, it's been right at daylight when the bite happens. “Live Shrimp” under float rigs seem to be producing the better fish that have been caught. The anglers casting from the beach are still having some luck beside the stop nets when they're out.

Radio Island Beach has been producing some fish. There again, lots of small fish but keepers are being caught too. Also, I've heard these other areas are producing fish: Harker’s Island, Broad Creek and Gales Creek Bridges all have plenty of trout but you have to pick through them for there's good numbers of small fish.

Offshore:

Unfortunately, I haven't heard much from the “Blue Water” as the weather has been very up and down. I did see some nice catches of Wahoo last week. One boat came by with a limit of Hoo’s and reported they were the only boat out there fishing.

This is the time of year when bottom fishing really starts to pick up as the water cools down. Some of the best Black Sea Bass fishing will be now through winter. Also, you will catch Grouper and nice Trigger Fish. The areas over on the East Side like 17 Rock and out will be good spots. Also, the North West Places out to Big 10 & Little 10 will hold nice Sea Bass this time of the year. Squid, Cigar Minnows will both be good choices when fishing along the bottom.