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North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Report - 7/20/2008

July 20, 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: Catches slowed this week, with offshore anglers catching small amounts of dolphin, wahoo and various tunas.  Billfish catches have been the exception, with sailfish, blue and white marlin being caught most of the time by anglers targeting them.  Midrange catches have been light, with only a few triggerfish, black seabass, and an occasional striped bass being caught   King mackerel and a few cobia continue to be caught about 8 to10-miles offshore.  Inshore anglers had the best success rates in the ocean with some very nice flounder being caught in the 0 to 2-mile range. Most were legal keeping size and a few were in the 4 lb range.  Bluefish and Spanish mackerel were also caught in this same range, but were tough to access in the near shore surf zone due to rough seas.  Atlantic sharpnose sharks, assorted skates and rays, and kingfish were also caught.  

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Flounder catch rates were the best news for anglers in these waters, with success rates similar to those fishing the inshore ocean range.  Weakfish and spotted seatrout were caught by early morning anglers at Oregon Inlet’s Green Island Slough.  Plenty of large croaker were caught throughout the area with kingfish and  spot mixed in. 

Piers/Shore: Flounder catches improved for these anglers also with results similar to those listed above.  Spanish mackerel were caught in the very near-shore surf zone by anglers working the surface with assorted spoons and lures.  Bluefish, kingfish, croaker, spot, weakfish, skates, sharks, and a host of others were also caught.  Red drum catches from Avon southward have improved on a steady basis.  Cobia catches from piers were moderate to good most of the time, especially at night.

General Overview: Tropical storm Cristobal will keep waters stirred up in the early part of the week but will depart quickly and should have a positive effect on fishing. 
 
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:  King mackerel were caught around  the 14 buoy, the sea buoys and Atlas tanker. Nice wahoo were caught at the Atlas tanker. Dolphin were the main catch on the charterboats. Anglers caught Spanish mackerel around both Beaufort and Bogue Inlets  and down the beaches in 10 feet of water. They also caught them around the Cape.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Reports from New River showed very good catches of spotted seatrout. Sheepshead were around all the bridge pilings in the county, and anglers did great catching them.  Several 6-pound flounder were hooked in the turning basin at the port. Anglers were using mullet minnows.

Piers/Shore:  The pier beside the Morehead-Beaufort high-rise bridge surprised and pleased anglers who landed some very nice sea mullet. Fishermen were catching more than four per person and they were all 12 inches or longer. Those fishing from shore were also hooking kingfish.

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: Typical summer time fishing. Bottom fishing in the 30 to 55-mile range has been producing lots of red groupers along with some gags, and scamps. King mackerel fishing has been a little slow over the last couple of weeks. The shark hole has been the most consistent place to fish of late. Sailfish have moved close to the beach and boats targeting king mackerel typically catch them this time of year. Flounder fishing on the near/shore reefs has been good. The reefs off Brunswick County are a good place to fish this time of year, with anglers often landing large red drum and spadefish.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Fishing has been good. The trout are biting well around the Southport/Oak Island area. There are also a decent numbers of flounder being landed, with some up to 8 pounds. Sheepshead and black drum are biting well. The rock jetties at Little River and Masonboro Inlet are good places to try as well as the ADM dock and Snow’s Cut. I haven’t heard anybody fishing for them, but tarpon fishing on the shoals is another option this time of year.

Piers/Shore: Fishing was a little slow. The tropical system that passed through the area slowed fishing. Area piers are seeing pompano, sea mullet, bluefish, and some flounder. Shore anglers using sand fleas are catching some nice pompano.



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DNR Seeks Angler Support For Cobia Research

May 3, 2008

 

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources is seeking help from anglers targeting cobia to collect DNA samples and to donate racks of fish caught in 2008. 

Research is underway at the Marine Resources Center to improve our understanding of the life history of this important recreational species.  The samples donated to S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) provide valuable information about cobia recruitment, age, growth, and habitat use.  In addition, genetic analysis will help characterize the wild population structure and identify fish that originated in the hatchery.  Angler cooperation is a vital aspect of DNR’s stock enhancement efforts. 

Interested anglers are encouraged to contact DNR’s Karl Brenkert for additional information at (843) 953-9838, or BrenkertK [at] dnr [dot] sc [dot] gov.  Free collection kits may be picked-up and dropped back off once full at:

Participating anglers may also submit their collection kits by mailing to DNR: attn Karl Brenkert, P.O. Box 12559, 217 Ft. Johnson Rd, Charleston, SC 29422.  Cooperating anglers will be sent a reward of a hat or t-shirt for their donations.  

Anglers who wish to participate in the fin clip program will be provided a collection kit, at the locations noted above, that includes 10 small vials and a data sheet with instructions on how to collect the samples.  Fin clips can be taken quickly and easily with no harm done to the fish itself, yet they contain all the DNA necessary to characterize the population.  Because sampled fish can be released alive, this method is ideal for fish under the minimum size limit and for those anglers practicing catch and release.   

Anglers who wish to keep their catch are asked to drop off the filleted rack in one of our collection freezers.  There is no need to take a DNA sample of these fish.  Freezers are located at Edisto Watersports and Tackle on Edisto Island, B&B Seafood at Bennett’s Point, Port Royal Landing Marina in Beaufort, Hilton Head Boathouse on Hilton Head Island and at the DNR’s Waddell Mariculture Center.
 
Racks should be placed inside a garbage bag with an ID card that includes the anglers’ name, the capture location and date, and length and weight of the fish.  Blank ID cards are located inside the freezers and can be filled out at the time of drop off.  From these racks, scientists will be able to utilize the otilith (ear bone) to assess age, gonads to assess sexual maturity, stomach contents to assess feeding habits of cobia, and liver tissue to determine genetic characteristics. 

DNR protects and manages South Carolina’s natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state’s natural resources and its people.



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