By Dr. Ken Neill, IIII
Offshore boats are coming in with riggers full of flags. The white marlin bite has taken off early this year. Good numbers of blue marlin and sailfish are being caught, making for grand slam catches. Swordfish are being landed by boats targeting that species and bigeye tuna are being caught from the canyons. Some yellowfin tuna as well as wahoo are coming over the gunwales. Dolphin are most everywhere. Amberjack can be had at the southern towers along with some dolphin.
Cobia fishing is as good as it gets. Fish are being caught in good numbers in the bay and along the oceanfront. Sight-fishing, chumming, running the buoys, and even trolling are all producing. Enjoy it while you can. Even though the fish will be here through September, the season closes August 30.
Flounder fishing is either poor or very good, depending on where you fish. Flatfish are in the bay and can be caught at all of the historic flounder spots, but not in any great numbers, size or consistency. The CBBT is your best bet. There are a lot of small bluefish and gray trout at the bridge eating baits before the flounder can get to them. The coastal wrecks are providing the best action as flatfish have been stacked up there all summer long. Triggerfish, sea bass, spadefish and some big sand tigers are also hanging on many of the wrecks. Triggerfish, spadefish and big sheepshead are being caught at the CBBT.
Schools of big red drum are being encountered at the mouth of the bay and along the oceanfront, making for another excellent sight-fishing opportunity. Spanish mackerel fishing is very good in the lower bay and along the oceanfront with a good class of Spanish here this year. Numerous fish over 4 pounds have been reported. A few big kings have also been caught along the oceanfront and more, smaller kings have been caught around some of the wrecks and out at the Hot Dog area. Boats fishing the Hot Dog and other inshore hills are finding good numbers of dolphin.
Corolla
OBX Bait & Tackle reports that surf fishing is dynamite now with anglers catching plenty of Mullet, Croakers, Spot, Flounder, Kingfish and Bluefish. There is a huge school of Blues working its way up and down the coast with a lot of baitfish as well. There was also a report of a 40-pound Cobia caught in the surf. Dolphin are coming right up to the shoreline and the minnows are leaping out of the water. Even those who aren’t fishing are enjoying all the action in the water. The water temp is currently 76 degrees.
Nags Head
Sound Fishing Report: The Little Bridge on the Nags Head/Manteo causeway reported some keeper Trout, small Black Drum and Croakers. There are lots of Croakers being caught in the sound. Crabbing is really good.
Pier Fishing: Avalon: Blues, Spanish and Albacore.
Nags Head: Spanish, Bluefish and Trout.
Jennette’s: Spadefish, Pigfish, Bluefish and Pompano.
Outer Banks: Sea Mullet and Blues.
Near shore boats trolling along the beaches caught plenty of Bluefish and Spanish. A few Flounder were caught also. Inshore parties reported Red Drum, Trout, Sea Mullet and Bluefish inside the inlet.
Oregon Inlet
Anglers hauled in some very nice wahoo on multiple boats on Wednesday. The yellowfin were fewer in number, but still being caught. Anglers also landed some tilefish, sea bass, black-fin tuna and good numbers of Mahi-Mahi. Leonard Ciemniecki had a blue marlin release, Kip Ciemniecki earned a white marlin release, and Scott Ciemniecki also had a white marlin release.
The Miss Oregon Inlet Headboat enjoyed good fishing on both morning and afternoon trips, with anglers pulling in flounder, sea mullet, spot, bluefish, sea bass, sea robin, puffers, pigfish, pinfish, spot, and croakers
Hatteras Surf
Red Drum Reports:
On Tuesday, The Point had a good bite on Spanish and Bluefish taken on Glass minnows after the storms passed through. Ramp 45 had a few Speckled trout. Ramp 44 had Sea Mullet and some small Flounder. The Inlet had Pompano and Bluefish. Avon had Sea Mullet, Croakers, Pompano and Blue Fish.
The water was very clear on Wednesday with lots of Pompano being caught up and down the beaches. The Point had lots of Spanish, Blue Fish and Sharks. Hatteras Inlet had Blue Fish and Pompano. A 40-pound Cobia was decked on Avon Pier. Avon had Pompano, Sea Mullet, Blue Fish and Spanish.
Hatteras Bluewater
Hatteras Harbor noted that inshore anglers enjoyed good fishing for keeper Puppy Drum and Speckled Trout. Near shore boats caught a few Spanish mackerel and the Bluefish bite was good. Offshore, three Sailfish were released. A few King Mackerel were caught. The Dolphin bite was scattered. Wahoo fishing was excellent to good and some good Catches of Blackfin Tuna were reported. Bottom fishing was good with Tilefish being the exception.