Live Bait Fishing Griffin(me) on the left my Dad on the right, we are holding a Tarpon we caught trolling for King Mackerel during the East Coast Got-Em-On Classic King Tournament. We were trolling with live menhaden with different color skirts and some naked riggs.
Top of Page Entered on Mon Jul 19, 2010 at 11:32 pm
Capt Jerry Dilsaver
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
Photo Album
Fishing the SE Coast The nearshore and inshore waters are full of life right now and some of it is sharks. Sharks can be fun to catch and some are excellent to eat. There are strict regulations for sharks, so be sure to know the species and the regulations.
Most fishermen would call the shark Capt. Chad Casteen is holding in the attached picture a hammerhead. While a member of the hammerhead family, this is actually a bonnethead shark. These are very common in S.C., but are not as prevalent in N.C.
This one, along with several others, was caught by Capt. Casteen and friends while tarpon fishing. They were inside the Cape Fear River, near Shellbed Island. On this night the tarpon never showed, but several healthy bonnetheads and some blacktips kept the fishermen on their toes and happy.
Blacktip sharks are one of the strongest and most acrobatic sharks. In some places they are called 'poor man's mako,' because they jump and fight so hard. Many blacktips are mistaken for tarpon when onl READ MORE ....
Top of Page Entered on Thu Jul 29, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Dan Kibler
Fishing Saltwater in Eastern North Carolina
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Swansboro Flounder I fished on Tuesday with Dale Collins of Bait Runner Charters in Swansboro.
The ocean was a little rough early on, so we ducked back inside and fished for flounder around docks in the Swansboro/Emerald Isle area.
Dale is used to using live bait on his charters -- mud minnows, small menhaden and finger mullet -- but when he's out fishing for fun, he likes to fish artificials, and his favorite artificial is a white, half-ounce Spro bucktail tipped with a 5-inch white Gulp! jerkshad.
Can you catch flounder on bucktails? The answer was a definite YES!
The key is fishing around structure that holds bait, whether it's a boat dock, submerged rip-rap, an oyster bar or a shell-encrusted seawall. If it's shallow and it holds bait, flounder will be around.
Flounder, Dale said, will congregate in relatively small areas -- if they're the right area. On Tuesday, Dale and Jerry Dilsaver, a writer for NC Sportsman, caught four keeper flounder and a short on an area of sandy bottom READ MORE ....
Top of Page Entered on Tue Jul 27, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Capt Lewis Emery
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
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Spanking The Spanish!! Spanish mackerel bite has been on since yesterday. I heard guys catching macs in the triple digits today. Lots of nice 2 to 5lb fish too. Clarkspoons on planers or birds are working great. Yozuri Deep Divers also have been doing well. Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs were working great from the piers Monday.
King mackerel are also on the beach. The CB Pier has had sightings and catches 4 or 5 days in a row. Live menhaden or bluefish have been the best baits.
Tarpon have been caught and spotted hanging around the Kure Pier. Live bluefish or menhaden have been the best baits.
Speckled trout bite picked up Monday afternoon. The dredge pond had some nice fish and up the river around the powerlines and rock islands are loaded with shrimp and 12 to 18' trout. D.O.A. Shrimp and Halo Shrimp have been consistent baits all summer.
Flounder bite has been steady this week. There has been a few fish on the wall down south on rising tide. There has also been some fish u READ MORE ....
Top of Page Entered on Tue Jul 27, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Rick Bennett
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
Photo Album
It's Still Hot and the Fish are Still Biting! Hi Folks,
It seems like a rerun or groundhog day the movie. It's hot and the fish keep biting. Now it's the when and the where that is important. Redfish are biting in the ICW and the inlets as well as the river. I am having my best catches on fresh menhaden, alive or dead. Flounder are biting early, and I mean early. They are hitting live bait, menhaden or finger mullet. Spanish are biting well in the ocean.
Now here's my report:
Inshore: Water temps are in the mid to upper eighties. But, just like us, fish gotta eat. Reds are biting best on the falling tide and flounder on the incoming tide. If you can catch the right tide in the early morning so much the better. We even had a tarpon rolling and balling bait right behind the boat today in the ICW.
Near Shore: To carry on, a few tarpon sightings and catches have been reported. Spanish macks have been biting along the beaches out to 40 feet. Sharks fishing is on.
Offshore: Kings are in deeper water 18 miles out. Some ma READ MORE ....
Top of Page Entered on Mon Jul 26, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Shelly
Fishing Saltwater in Eastern North Carolina
Photo Album
Flounder are biting! Jordan Simpson and her sister Hunter Simpson caught these flounder while fishing with their father Shawn Simpson in the Shallotte Inlet. The flounder were biting live minnows.
Top of Page Entered on Mon Jul 19, 2010 at 11:35 pm
Capt Jerry Dilsaver
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
Photo Album
Fishing the SE Coast The weather got a little windy for Friday and the weekend and those folks who ventured out were in for a rough ride, with some dangerous inlet passages. Aoat capsized in Bogue Inlet, but word is that everyone was rescued. Most folks decided to stay inside and wait it out and it may be a few more days before it gets real nice again, especially on the south-facing beaches.
Those who went into the ocean found some Spanish along the beaches, a few kings and a few dolphin. The big boat that went farther caught dolphin well. Pier fishermen saw a mixture in the sloppy conditions.
A father and son had 'one of those days' before the winds blew up. Gerald and Mark Turner, headed to the Blackjack Hole in their 27 Contender after some mahi and got a big surprise.
They had caught a few mahi when they noticed a sailfish free jumping. They turned toward it and hooked a sailfish. Before theylanded it more sails were free jumping and they kept fishing. They managed to land (and r READ MORE ....
Top of Page Entered on Sat Jul 17, 2010 at 10:13 pm
My bait is bigger than UR bass
Fishing Saltwater in Eastern North Carolina
Photo Album
Fishing the Bogue Sound Beaufort Channel Fishing the Bogue Sound and Beaufort channel
Caught every shark in the ocean that was one ft long!!! Got 2 nicer ones. Here is the pic of one. Caught 40 some pin fish, 1 sting ray,1 flounder, 5 blues, wife got her 1st Spanish Mack, 1 lizard fish,1 puffer fish, and 1 norther robin fish.On shrimp,cut bait, spoons and gotcha plugs. Fun trip but was disappointed in the small number of blues and the 1 mack. Going back at the end of Aug. Hope we'll have better luck on the blues.Mite have to catch some menhaden or finger mullet.
Top of Page Entered on Fri Jul 16, 2010 at 10:06 am
Capt Lewis Emery
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
Photo Album
July 15th Fishing Report! Mahi are picking back up again. Heard of some decent reports last couple of week. Small ballyhoo have been the primary baits to pull. 30 miles out has been the number I've been hearing.
Sailfish are having a good run in the stream. The further south you go the better it has been for them. Medium ballyhoo on pink or blue and white skirts.
King mackerel had an awesome weekend. Fish are pretty scatered on the ledges and AR reefs. The piers had a good day Monday. Live bluefish has been the primary bait.
Flounder fishing has been pretty finicky this week. There has been a few pulled out of the cut and inlet. There has also been a few pulled from up and down the river. Live menhaden has been the preferred bait.
THats it for this week. hopefully better weather next week.
Capt.Lewis Emery
Nc Sportsman Field Reporter
Tails Up Charters
Top of Page Entered on Wed Jul 14, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Capt Gary Dubiel
Fishing Saltwater in Eastern North Carolina
Photo Album
July redfish It has been hot but so has the fishing, red drum that is. Good numbers and great sze of fish have come from the Neuse River out of Oriental with the first of the giants starting to show. Many over the slot fish have come to the boat. The fish in the photo was one of 5 fish between 28 and 34 inches landed on a morning half day July 7. Look for great action this and the the next couple.
cut and past this address for a look at what's to come....
http://flash.unctv.org/ncweekend/9242009_reddrumfishing.html
Top of Page Entered on Mon Jul 12, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Rick Bennett
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
Photo Album
Red Fishing is on Fire Wrightsville to Carolina Beach Hi Folks,
Redfishing is on fire. We have and are having several days of multiple catches in multiple spots (pun intended). Spanish macks are biting hard as well. Inshore waters are around 83 and ocean waters are around 81. It's hot, but so is the fishing.
Now here's my report:
Inshore: Again, the reds are biting well on the falling tide. Chunks of menhaden, live menhaden or finger mullet fished on a carolina rig seem to be the best bets. The fish are in the inlets, the waterway and the creeks. Some nice flounder are biting as well, mostly in the deeper holes in the inlets and the cut.
Near Shore: Spanish mackerel fishing is firing up very nicely. Quality fish are biting clarkspoons and of course bird rigs in 15 to 40 feet of water. Tarpon are making their appearance along the beach with several sightings almost daily. Flounder are holding on the near shore artificial reefs.
Offshore: The best bite for mahi and kings has been in the 18 mile area. Some fish are being fou READ MORE ....
Top of Page Entered on Mon Jul 12, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Capt Jerry Dilsaver
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
Photo Album
Fishing the SE Coast They're at it again! Tarpon continue to tease fishermen from the Oak Island Piers and some of them are hooked well enough to be brought to the beach. That's what happened to this estimated 125 pounder caught by Fred Leonard of Smithfield. It was released right after this picture was taken and swam back out through the surf beside the pier.
Kings are also biting from the piers and out. The water is hot and may have slowed the bite a little, but it hasn't stopped. Spanish mackerel, speckled trout and more are also being caught by pier fishermen.
Boaters are finding mixed bag fishing on the nearshore artificial reefs. King mackerel, Spanish mackerel and flounder are a typical mix. Anchoring to fish for flounder and putting out a light line or two is a standard and productive tactic at Yaupon and McGlammery Reefs.
Once offshore enough the water clears, dolphin are mixed with the kings and give a little extra to the day when one is landed.
Top of Page Entered on Mon Jul 12, 2010 at 6:52 am
boo boy
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
Photo Album
citation sheepshead Clarissa Watkins of Wallace,NC caught this 10lb. 1oz. citation sheepshead.It was a most unlikely catch. The buck tooth monster was hooked on a dead 4in. bait fish on an unattended rod while the young lady was quenching her thirst with Sun-Drop.
Top of Page Entered on Sun Jul 11, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Capt Lewis Emery
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
Photo Album
Drumming!! Red drum are biting well. Bull drum are starting to show up in the surf at night and out at the the nearshore wrecks. Menhaden or mullet are the best baits out there. There are also several fish in the slot and upper slot in the river and behind Masonboro island. Topwater plugs, spinner baits, spoons, and anything resembling mullet will work now.
Flounder bite has been up and down this week. We've weighed some fish in the 6 to 9lb range. Most of them have been biting live menhaden. Snow's Cut, Carolina Beach Inlet, up the river, and down on the wall have been producing some decent fish on occasion.
Speckled trout bite has been tough. There have been a few decent fish coming from up river and thats been basically it.
Thats it for this week.
Capt.Lewis Emery
NC Sportsman Field reporter
Tails Up Charters
Thats Deion Hughley w/his first red drum caught on live sandfleas.
FLOUNDER FOR THE 4TH Today, the seas were very fishable and we took local fisherman Jim Wilt from Southport,NC. With him was Korstantine 'Guss' Fotiadis from Williamsburg,VA, and Greg Kelly from Lanea,VA.
There was a little confusion about what could be caught on a 1/2 day trip. Not realizing that you couldn't get offshore on a short trip like this and not wanting to catch Spanish Mackerel and Sharks made us make the decision to head for Flounder.
Proved not to be a bad idea!!! Thirteen (13) nice Flounder and a hand full of 'Chopper Blues' on a half day is a dang good fishing trip in my book!!!
I failed to mention some of the biggest oyster toad fish I think I have ever seen as well, we let them go!!
The Spanish Mackerel were very skittish today. I would throw in a few pogys and the spanish would round them up and make short work of them.
Pitch one in the middle of them with a hook in it, and they would eat all without the hooks, and never touch the one hooked up.
Flounders This is one of the many flounder we caught today at Bogue inlet....Just too bad most had to be threw back like this one in the picture. We where useing a jig with cut bait hooked to the end...Then while fishing at the train carts we used Spro jig with Gulp baits on the ends...We picked up a few big flounders there just wish they would change the size limit to 14 and we would of had a cooler full...lol
Top of Page Entered on Sun Jul 4, 2010 at 12:23 am
Nathan Berry
Fishing Saltwater in Eastern North Carolina
Photo Album
Charles Blalock & Nathan Berry from Kannapolis NC on OKI Pier. Sheepshead Fish fooled with live shrimp and fiddler crabs. With Eagle Claw LO42 Wide-bend hook size 2.
1st deep sea trip Rachel's first deep sea fishing trip. It was a successful day thanks to Captain Truesdale. Catch of the day was Mahi, Wahoo, King Mackeral, and 1 Tuna. Thank you Lord for all the fish in the ocean. It keeps it interesting.
Top of Page Entered on Thu Jul 1, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Capt Lewis Emery
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
Photo Album
Feelin Sheepish & Flat! The flounder bite has been pretty decent the past two weeks. We have been weighing 3 to 5lb flounder every day. Live 4 to 5' pogies have been the best baits. Mullet are still scarce. Large mud minnows have also been working.
Sheepshead bite has also been strong. There has been allot of nice fish pulled off the Snow's Cut bridge. Night fishing has been the best on the last few hours of either tide. Live fiddlers, barnacles, and the green moss on the rocks have been the best baits.
There also has been a nice jack crevell run at the Carolina Beach Se buoy. There have been jacks up to 30lbs caught. Live bait or poppers have been the best baits.
Thats it for this week.
Capt.Lewis Emery
NC Sportsman Field Reporter
Tails Up Charters
Top of Page Entered on Wed Jun 30, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Stevies
Fishing Saltwater in Eastern North Carolina
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First Saltwater Fish Daniel Teague, 8 years old from Lexington, NC. 1st saltwater fish caught on June 27, 2010. Puppy Drum, caught on mud minnow measuring 18 1/2 inches long. Caught at Lockwood Folly inlet, Holden Beach, NC
Top of Page Entered on Wed Jun 30, 2010 at 9:00 am
Rick Bennett
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
Photo Album
Hot 4th of July Fishing Around Wrightsville Beach! Hi Folks and an early Happy July 4!
The weather is hot; guess that is a BGO (Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious). Fishing has been pretty hot as well. From 6 pound flounder to 27 inch reds inshore and 3+ pound spanish near shore to nice kings and mahi a little further out, fishing has been hopping.
Now here's my report:
Inshore: We have caught some very nice flounder up to 6 pounds. All have been caught on menhaden fished on carolina rigs, some on the falling tide and some on the rising tide. Strong redfish have been biting well. We have had fish up to 27 inches. Best tide is falling and menhaden have been our bait of choice.
Near Shore: Some very nice spanish have moved into the area with several fish over 3 pounds. Most of these fish are in 18 to 40 feet of water and are primarily hitting clarkspoons on planers and bird rigs. A little further out, say 10 miles king macks and mahi are biting live bait, cigar minnows and ballyhoo.
Offshore: More kings and mahi and some sial READ MORE ....
Top of Page Entered on Tue Jun 29, 2010 at 8:30 am
CaptJon
Fishing Saltwater in Eastern North Carolina
Photo Album
Big Bluefish Avalon Pier KDH Jake Worthington of Camden NC caught this 10.5 pound 33 inch Chopper Bluefish off the end of Avalon Fishing Pier on Saturday June 26, 2010. The fish was caught on a live rig.
Top of Page Entered on Sun Jun 27, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Capt Jerry Dilsaver
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
Photo Album
Fishing the SE Coast Isn't it amazing when temperatures in the low 90s and high 80s feel cool. After the past few weeks, I'm glad to see them.
The wind has been blowing just enough the past few days to make the seas uncomfortable if you head very far offshore. However, about 15 to 18 miles off Oak Island is where you need to be to catch a mixture of kings and dolphin. There are a few sailfish around too and they are always a pleasant surprise to find on the end of your line.
This weekend there was a summer run of spots on the OI Piers. No one was expecting them when they started biting Saturday morning, but they sure put all the ones that were of any size in their coolers without complaining. There was also a good bite of whiting, a few flounder, some Spanish macks and pompano.
On the inside, the flounder bite is improving and those flounder that were just short in early May have reached keeper size and are starting to fill out. By October, they'll really be good to invite home for dinner READ MORE ....
Top of Page Entered on Mon Jun 28, 2010 at 4:25 pm
East Coast Sports
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
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Topsail Report 6-23-2010 The water is getting hot hot hot. The surf is kind of slow during the day except for shark fishing which is nothing short of awesome. Come see me I'll get you rigged up right. Lots of Blues and Spanish off the piers early and late. A slow mixed bag at night. Lots of sheepshead inside and out. Mahi still strong in the stream and sails starting to show up. Aj's all over the place. Hit them with the top water baits.
Top of Page Entered on Wed Jun 23, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Capt_Jot Owens
Fishing Saltwater in Southeast North Carolina
Photo Album
Hot Weather/Fishing Report Wrightsville Beach, NC The weather is still warm to hot and the fishing is the same, some days warm; some day we have hot fishing. The water temps in the area are getting to late July temps already in June; I believe this is going to give us a summer trend of fishing for most of the season. To the fishing report>>>.
We are still seeing so good numbers of Cobia around the area waters. The Cobia are around the inlets, shoals, and bars just off the beach. We are also still seeing them offshore a bit; around hard bottoms and reefs. Live bait has been the key to the bigger fish lately. Smaller Cobia have hit jigs around the inlets and ocean sand bars. Sight casting live bait to bigger Cobia just off the beach has produced some nice Cobia form Carolina Beach to Topsail. When we drift fish for Cobia, we are using carolina rigs with three to four once egg sinkers and 7/0 circle hooks with an eighty pound Berkley big game mono leader. The baits we are using are small Bluefish, Mullet, and Menhade READ MORE ....
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Beautiful fish, Griff. That's one fish I'm dying to catch. I'm sure it made for ....
Good fish guys! Tarpon can be a pleasant surprise--even when fishing in a king ....
Too bad they didn't have a tarpon division in the tournament!
Nice Tarpon !!!!!!!!!!
congrats on that nice tarpon.where were you fishing