2008

June 23, 2008

Northern District: Dare, Hyde, Currituck, & Beaufort Counties

For the 2008 fishing year, all owners/operators of vessels recreationally fishing for and/or retaining regulated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) (Atlantic tunas, sharks, swordfish and billfish) in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, must obtain an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling permit. This permit has replaced the Atlantic tunas Angling category permit. In North Carolina, additional HMS harvest reporting requirements are also in place.

Please Note: Anglers sometimes confuse small king mackerel with Spanish mackerel. King mackerel and spanish mackerel have different size and catch limits. Make SURE you properly identify the mackerel you are catching. (Tips here)

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters. Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Offshore catches were moderate-good, with limits of dolphin, along with some yellow and blackfin tuna, amberjack, wahoo, king mackerel, and assorted sharks. Billfish catches were much improved, with nice specimens of blue and white marlin being caught. A few sailfish were also caught. Midrange catches consisted of amberjack in the 30-35 lb. range along with large quantities of blueline tilefish and triggerfish. These fish were all caught in the same general area - about 4 miles offshore near the artificial reef AR-160 (Zane Gray). Black seabass, red drum, and striped bass were also caught in these same waters. Inshore action was somewhat slow, but nice catches of bluefish and spotted seatrout were caught in the near-shore surf zone when it is accessible on calm days.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Spotted seatrout and red drum were the most abundant species throughout the area with early morning hours at the Melvin Daniels Bridge being the best time to catch them. Flounder catches were much-improved throughout these waters with some citation size specimens caught in the shallow waters around the islands and land masses at Oregon Inlet. Keeper ratios were very good with well over 50% of them being legal keeping size. There were some nice catches of spotted seatrout and weakfish in this same area.

Piers/Shore: Spanish mackerel and bluefish catches were nothing short of fantastic if you are were at the right time for some short-term/high-volume action. I observed limits of both caught by anglers in less than 20 minutes in one location, where all those with a line in the water caught them. These fish were caught by pier and shore anglers using assorted spoons and jigs. Most were hooked in the near-shore surf zone on. Atlantic croaker, kingfish, puffers, flounder, burrfish, weakfish, spot, and assorted others were also caught.

General Overview: Favorable weather conditions allowed anglers to have fair-good success rates in all the fishing zones. Water temps in the surf are in the mid-70’s throughout the Outer Banks. Weather conditions are predicted favorable for the coming week.
Central District: Pamlico, Craven, Carteret, & Onslow Counties

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Dolphin and king mackerel were found at Buoy #14, West Rock, Big 10-Little 10, 240 Rock and the Atlas tanker. Dolphin were thick in the Gulf Stream - ( both gaffers and shingles). Quite a few billfish were reported. Headboats caught seabass, snapper and grouper. The Cape Lookout Shoals were thick with Spanish and, of course, bluefish are everywhere. Chopper blues are still around the Beaufort Inlet and off Shackleford.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Fishing the inside waters was rather slow. Anglers looking for sea trout had a hard time, and most came in with one or none at all. The same goes for the flounder fishermen. There were many released, undersized flounder reported. The Turning Basin at the port saw some nice sized pigfish and an occasional sea mullet. This area is also full of lizardfish and small shark. Red Drum and a few spotted seatrout were found at the east and west end of Bear Island, and Eastman’s Creek

Piers/Shore: Tarpon were caught off the piers at Topsail along with blues and Spanish. In Carteret County there are small spot, croaker, sea mullet and pompano. Blues and Spanish can be hooked at the far end of the piers.

Southern District: Pender, New Hanover, & Brunswick Counties

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Fishing has really slowed down. Not much was caught in the stream last week. It has been a good year on the dolphin and wahoo, but the tuna were a no-show this year. Bottom fishing has been good the last couple of months. Plenty of red groupers, along with some scamps and gags. The reds are biting from 30 to 55-mile offshore while the gags can be found much closer. Most ledges and wrecks in the 15 to 20-mile range are holding amberjack, king mackerel, and some nice gags. The dolphin have really moved closer to the beach with some gaffers as close as 8 miles out. The shark hole gave up some big king mackerel last week, and earlier in the week there was a decent bite at Yaupon. Speaking of Yaupon, the flounder should start showing up there in the next 2 to 3 weeks. Spanish have been biting well along the area beaches.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Not much change from last week. Flounder are still being caught in the Cape Fear as well as Lockwood. Sight fishing for drum around Topsail has been outstanding with the clear water conditions, and some nice trout are still coming from the creeks and bays around Bald Head Island and Oak Island. Early and late have been the times to catch the trout.

Piers/Shore: Brunswick County piers are doing outstanding on the trout in the morning hours. Live shrimp is the hot bait. Along with the trout there are some keeper flounder, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, pompano, spots, and sea mullet. New Hanover and Pender County piers are doing well on the Spanish mackerel, pompano, sea mullet, some keeper flounder, and they also had some king mackerel catches as well. Surf fishing is yielding some sea mullet and pompanos.

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North Carolina Regional Saltwater Fishing Reports - 6/8/2008

June 8, 2008

Northern District Dare, Hyde, Currituck, & Beaufort Counties

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters. Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Offshore catches were more diverse, with moderate-good catches of dolphin, wahoo, king mackerel. amberjack, little tunny, Atlantic bonito, and both yellow and blackfin tuna. Billfish catches increased. Midrange anglers continued to catch striped bass and red drum about two miles offshore from Kitty Hawk southward to the Pea Island area, but with less regularity than previously. Anglers fishing the artificial reef AR-160 (Zane Gray) caught plenty of gray triggerfish and black seabass. Inshore catches consisted of bluefish and spotted seatrout with a host of others mixed in. Bluefish were caught throughout the day with short-term/high-volume catches being had by all anglers who are there at the right time. Spotted seatrout catches were very good in the early morning hours in the near shore surf zone when it was accessible.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Spotted seatrout and red drum were the most abundant species caught in these waters. Catches of both, that were previously concentrated near the Melvin Daniels Bridge/Roanoke Sound area, were made throughout the area with increased regularity this week. Flounder catches improved modestly with well over 50% of them being legal keeping size. Sheepshead and tautog were caught near the bridge pilings at Oregon Inlet on a regular basis.
Piers/Shore: Catches of bluefish and spotted seatrout shared with the inshore boat anglers were most common, with a host of others thrown in. Cobia catches off of the local piers continued to be very good, especially at night.

General Overview: Record high temps and smoke from ongoing wildfires caused anglers to limit their fishing efforts somewhat, but those who toughed it out had moderate-good success rates in all modes of fishing most of the time. Water temps in the surf throughout the Outer Banks continue to rise, with upper 60s-lower 70s at all locations.

Central District Pamlico, Craven, Carteret, & Onslow Counties

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Dolphin and kings can be found at the 90 Foot Drop and Northwest Places. Good sized wahoo are around Buoy 14. Kings can also be found at AR 355 and the Xmas Rock along with amberjacks. There seems no shortage of dolphin - like the bluefish - they are found everywhere. Headboats are continuing to do well with snapper, grouper, sea bass, grunts and triggers. Spanish mackerel are around both Beaufort and Bogue Inlets and down the beaches in all directions. They are in 10 to 20 feet of water. There are reports that chopper blues are still here. Sailfish have been hooked and released this past week.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: All the Spanish and blues you could wish for are around the Inlets. Anglers are looking for cobia. Nice sea mullet are scattered in the Turning Basin and around the Cape Lookout Shoals. One or two red drum have been hooked from the Swansboro area and the Newport River. Anglers are also catching a good-sized trout here and there. One angler had three nice flounder caught somewhere east of Beaufort, along with about 15 undersized released flounder.

Piers/Shore: Spot, pigfish, sea mullet, croaker, have been hooked along with sharks. There are also many sharks in the Intracoastal Waterway off Swansboro. Bluefish and Spanish continue to be caught from the end of the piers.

Southern District Pender, New Hanover, & Brunswick Counties

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Offshore, it was another banner week for the dolphin. Along with the dolphin there were some decent wahoo catches. Large red grouper continue to bite well in the 45 to 55-mile range. Closer to shore, school size king mackerel are biting well on most ledges in the 10 to 30-mile range. These same areas are producing amberjacks, gags, and the occasional cobia. The Spanish mackerel have been thick along area beaches of late.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Trout fishing seem to slow some last week. Best catches are coming in the morning hours. Fish are being caught on live shrimp, top water, and D.O.A shrimp. Flounder fishing has been better so far this year than last, with fish over five pounds being seen at area ramps. Carolina Beach Inlet and the Cape Fear River have been producing the bigger flounder of late.

Piers/Shore: Fishing has been good. Topsail Island piers reported several tarpon catches last week. They also caught some kings and a few cobia as well. Spanish fishing has been outstanding at times. Spanish were reported on the New Hanover piers as well, and Brunswick County piers are doing good on the trout. Live shrimp has been the ticket.

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North Carolina Regional Saltwater Fishing Reports - 5/25/2008

May 25, 2008

Northern District Dare, Hyde, Currituck, & Beaufort Counties

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters. Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Offshore anglers are pleased with much-improved catches of dolphin - specimens of 40lbs were not uncommon. A few wahoo, little tunny, Atlantic bonito, assorted sharks, and both yellow and blackfin tuna were also caught. Billfish catches increased slightly. Midrange anglers are still catching some very nice specimens of striped bass and red drum about 1.5-2 miles offshore in a very concentrated area from Duck southward to the Oregon Inlet area. Anglers that encountered these fish were almost guaranteed a good catch of both, regardless of bait or tackle. Inshore success rates remain constant with spotted seatrout and bluefish making up the bulk of the catches. Anglers that were able to access the near shore surf zone when seas were calm caught limits of both, along with moderate amounts of kingfish and spot mixed in.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Spotted seatrout and red drum have been the primary target of most anglers in these waters, with the bulk of both species being caught off of the Melvin Daniels Bridge and underneath the Washington Baum Bridge opposite of Pirates Cove Marina. Catches of striped bass have made a modest improvement throughout the area with Manns Harbor yielding the bulk of them. Black drum, croaker, spot, and kingfish were caught everywhere. Sheepshead and triggerfish catches near the bridge pilings at Oregon Inlet have been very good, especially at night.

Piers/Shore: Anglers have been catching plenty of 2 to 3-lb. bluefish with very little effort most of the time. Limits were caught very quickly due to short term, high volume catches. Spotted seatrout took more patience and persistence to catch, but when they were biting all anglers with a line in the water caught at least a few, with most of them being of legal keeping size. Dawn & dusk yielded most of the catches but nice specimens were had throughout the day. A few others were caught, including silver perch, spot, kingfish, puffers, skates, cownose rays, burrfish, and assorted sharks. Cobia have been caught with increased regularity off of all the local piers.

General Overview: Water temps in the surf are finally on an upward trend with lower-mid 60s throughout the northern district area. Favorable weather conditions have allowed anglers to access most sites on a regular basis with moderate-good success rates in all modes of fishing. Weather conditions are predicted favorable for the coming week.

Central District Pamlico, Craven, Carteret, & Onslow Counties

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Fishing has finally taken off. Dolphin were found at the 90’ Drop which also happens to be the best place for king fishing. Blue marlin are thick. Big 10, Little 10 also has dolphin and kings as does Northwest places. Charter boats are bringing in nice catches of dolphin and wahoo - they range from peanuts to bulls. The smaller guide boats are catching cobia and Atlantic bonito. Spanish are in 30’ of water off the beach and anglers are catching them from the Cape Lookout area to Topsail Beach. Most are still pretty skinny. Bluefish can still be found around the Cape Lookout Shoals in early morning. Headboats are doing great with snapper and grouper. A 23-pound red grouper was boated Sunday and lots of vermillion snapper in the 2 to 2.5-pound range.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Fishing is slower. We are still seeing nice red drum coming from the creeks and marshes of Swansboro. There are a few weakfish and spotted seatrout caught at the mouths of creeks..

Piers/Shore: Nice sea mullet can still be found on piers and along beaches. We are also seeing fair-sized croaker, spot and pigfish. Spanish and bluefish can be hooked early morning from the ends of the piers. Black drum and sheepshead are small, but anglers are keeping just about everything they hook except skates and rays. Small shark are everywhere.

Southern District Pender, New Hanover, & Brunswick Counties

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Offshore, fishing has been world class of late, with lots of big dolphin and a very good number of wahoo. This fishing should last a couple more weeks or so. Boats fishing a little deeper report a good week for marlin. Closer to shore the red grouper are biting well in the 35 to 50-mile range along with some gags and scamps. King mackerel fishing remains good on most ledges in the 10 to 20-mile range that is holding bait. Most fish are on the small side with some bigger fish mixed in. Along the area beaches, Spanish mackerel have been biting well. Didn’t really hear of any cobias being reported last week, but there should be some around.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Fishing was fair last week. There are some nice flounder starting to show up. Lockwood Folly Inlet and the Cape Fear River have been producing some fish of late. The trout bite is good right now, with the Little River rock jetties producing the best right now. The bays and creeks around Bald Head are producing some nice fish as well. Drum are also being reported in good numbers at both locations

Piers/Shore: Fishing has been good. Brunswick County piers are starting to really get into the trout. Live shrimp in the early morning hours are pretty much a sure thing right now. Other area piers are reporting Spanish, blues of all sizes, sea mullets and some very nice pompanos. Surf fisherman are catching blues, sea mullets, pompano, and some black drum.

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N.C. Regional Saltwater Fishing Reports

May 6, 2008

Northern District Dare, Hyde, Currituck, & Beaufort Counties

Contact: Brian Melott April 27, 2008

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters. Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Offshore anglers continue to have moderate-good success rates. Most prevalent were yellow and blackfin tuna, wahoo, king mackerel, amberjack, Atlantic bonito, little tunny, and assorted sharks. Several bluefin tuna were caught out of the Hatteras marinas this week. There were very few billfish catches.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Modest improvements gave anglers some hope as compared to the previous week’s poor fishing trends. Spotted seatrout in the 2.5-3 lb range were caught throughout the area with most of them being caught in Oregon Inlets “Green Island Slough.” Triggerfish and sheepshead were caught with increased regularity near the pilings of the bridge at this location as well. Striped bass were caught at Manns Harbor, but most were undersize.

Piers/Shore: Spotted seatrout and bluefish were the primary catch of these anglers. Spotted seatrout were caught from early to mid-morning, bluefish were caught throughout the day in short term but high volume blitzes. Dogfish sharks, skates, and stingrays remain plentiful. Red drum catches from the beaches between Rodanthe to Avon were somewhat improved.

General Overview: Success rates have improved in all modes of fishing this week. Water temps are on the rise with upper 50s in the surf throughout the Outer Banks. Weather conditions are predicted favorable for the coming week.

Central District Pamlico, Craven, Carteret, & Onslow Counties

Contact: Suzanne Hill April 27, 2008

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Headboats are having good catches of vermillion snapper, grouper, ( red, gag and scamp ) black sea bass, grunts and banded rudderfish. They are also bringing in Hatteras blues and dolphin. A cobia was hooked on the Captain Stacy. Charter boats are having a great time catching large and small dolphin and nice sized wahoo. Flounder in the 4-pound range are being hooked on the wrecks. The Hatteras blues are from the shore to 10 miles out. Right whales were sighted about one mile off the beach. Anglers are looking hard for Atlantic bonito- they have been reported off Bogue Inlet.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Sheepshead are plentiful under the Atlantic Beach Bridge. Plenty of folks are out on a pretty day searching for sea mullet. There were a few lucky anglers catching them in the Beaufort Inlet. Fishing the inside waters has not yielded much - a few puffers, small croakers and bluefish. A cobia, approximately 25 pounds, was caught about 2.5 miles off Atlantic Beach but jumped off the hook. There are lots of small shark reported.

Piers/Shore: Fishing is slow. There are bluefish and shark reported.

Southern District Pender, New Hanover, & Brunswick Counties

Contact: Dennis Trowell April 27, 2008

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Offshore things are a little slow. The yellowfins have not made a showing but there still are some fish being caught - blackfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin. The dolphin fishing should really get good over the next couple of weeks. There were a good many blue marlin releases reported last week. Closer to shore, kings are being reported around the Wr4 and they showed up last Thursday on the beaches of Brunswick County. I’ve also heard of some Spanish mackerel being caught as well. The Atlantic bonito are being caught in good numbers around divers rock, but won’t be around too much longer with the warming water temperature. This is the time of the year when cobia start showing up along the beaches and inlets. One was lost off of an area pier last week. Offshore, the red, gag, and scamp groupers are biting well in the 40 to 50-mile range.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Not much change. There are some decent trout catches coming out of the river still. Live shrimp fished under a float has been the key. Along with the trout there are some drum. The sea mullet fishing slowed considerably last week.

Piers/Shore: The big news this week was the first kings of the year were caught on the Oak Island Pier. Ocean Crest Pier caught some Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. A New Hanover pier had a large cobia on but it got away. Area piers saw blues and sea mullets mostly, but there were a few large pompano reported as well. The Spanish mackerel should show any day now.

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N.C. Regional Saltwater Fishing Reports

April 27, 2008

Northern District Dare, Hyde, Currituck, & Beaufort Counties

Contact: Brian Melott April 27, 2008

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters. Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Central District Pamlico, Craven, Carteret, & Onslow Counties

Contact: Suzanne Hill April 27, 2008

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state’s coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Headboats are having good catches of vermillion snapper, grouper, ( red, gag and scamp ) black sea

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