Hello Folks, I hope everybody is enjoying the summer so far. Fishing for the most part has been very good this year for me and my charters. We are starting to see more people on the water, in the last couple of weeks. Which I guess is a good thing, "tip": if you want to beat the crowds; go earlier! To the fishing report!
We've had some good Speckled trout, Redfish and Flounder fishing lately south of Wrightsville beach. The trout are hitting grubs and shrimp pattern lures. The grubs that are working well are Saltwater assassin sea shad pattern. In colors chicken on a chain, pumpkinseed chart tail and morning gory; we are rigging them with 1/8 oz red & black jig heads. Live shrimp are also working well for the trout and flounder. Light float rigs when we are using the live shrimp. It you would rather use artificial, you can use a SWA rattling Kwik-cork and a shrimp pattern lure under it.
The Redfish are hitting top water plugs and spinner baits. The best top water plugs we are using is the Rapala skitter walk, size 4-3/8" in colors hot chartreuse, red/white and black/gold/orange. Spinner baits we are throwing; SWA Red daddy and the Mac daddy. These spinner baits are some of the best on the market they hold up well and they swim great too.
Some Sheephead and black drum are biting around docks and bulkheads. There has been a few very nice black drum caught lately, some fish over twenty pounds reported "that's a good pull"! These fish are hitting fiddler crabs, live shrimp and fresh shrimp. We fish mostly using small Carolina rigs, with forty pound mono leader and small but strong live bait hooks. Sheephead and smaller black drum make great table fare.
The King mackerel and Mahi fishing has been great last few weeks. We've caught from six to twelve kings and two to four Mahi's on most trips lately. There has been a few Sailfish around as well; keep your eye out for jumping and feeding Sails! Most of the Kings and Mahi's are hitting fast trolled small ballyhoo or slow trolled menhaden and cigars minnows. One trick that has worked very well for us lately has been Blue water Candy's bling feather weight dusters in colors pink and light blue. We are fishing in the eight to twenty mile range off the beach; around wrecks and live bottom areas.
Shark fishing is really starting to pick up just off the beach. I'm not talking about one to three footers; I'm talking about four to seven plus footers, running fifty to two hundred pounds; on light tackle and fly rods. Don't knock it til you have tried it! It's a lot of fun most of the sharks come right up to the boat and take the bait or fly. This is always a lot of fun for the young and the new to the sport of fishing. We are catching Lemon, Dusky, and Black tips with a few Hammerheads from time to time as well.
Gear used: Redfish, Trout, Flounder and Sheephead: reels Penn Sargus SG2000 and SG4000 Rods: Ugly Stick Lite 7'0" Med light and Med act. Line: Fire Line crystal in 10 and 20 pound test. Sharks: Penn spinning reel 760L (Live Liner) and Penn Torque 100TRQ. Rods: Penn Torque 6'6" 30-80 class spinning and Torque 6' 80-130 casting. Kings and Mahi: Penn spinning reel 560L (Live liner) Rod: Penn Torque 7' 20-50 class.
* I will be heading to Orlando, FL this next week for ICAST: International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades. This is the biggest fishing tackle show in the world; all the new tackle for 2010 is shown at this show. I know that there is some very cool tackle coming out from Penn at the show. I will have all the details for y'all as soon as I get back!
Thanks for taking the time to read this report, don't forget to take a kid fishing!
Capt. Jot Owens
Ranger Boats and
Pure Fishing Pro Staff
www.captainjot.com
910-233-4139