# NC Coastal Report



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

The fishing is really heating up on the NC coast. Red drum and trout are really biting well, especially in the Pamlico Sound. The Spanish scouts are arriving, and by Memorial Day it should be wide open on Spanish mackerel! Flounder and southern kingfish (whiting) are biting, and a few large pompano and blues as well.
Off shore, bonito, albacore, king mackerel, and some really nice wahoo are being taken.
Some best of the week:
51 pound red drum, Pamlico
12 pound flounder, Bogue Inlet
48 pound wahoo, off Cape Hatteras
43 pound king mackerel, off Indian Beach

One Pamlico report.
http://www.ncangler.com/forums/blog.php?b=1649


----------



## Wmbuckeye557 (Apr 14, 2012)

I will be at Topsail on June 18!


----------



## rattlin jones (Nov 16, 2012)

Nc


NCbassattack said:


> The fishing is really heating up on the NC coast. Red drum and trout are really biting well, especially in the Pamlico Sound. The Spanish scouts are arriving, and by Memorial Day it should be wide open on Spanish mackerel! Flounder and southern kingfish (whiting) are biting, and a few large pompano and blues as well.
> Off shore, bonito, albacore, king mackerel, and some really nice wahoo are being taken.
> Some best of the week:
> 51 pound red drum, Pamlico
> ...


 n c bass have you ever heard of a lady fish and are they good to eat


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Heard of them, saw one caught once, but the Captain released. Not common in our waters, more like south of us to Florida.


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Wmbuckeye557 said:


> I will be at Topsail on June 18!


I will be there in October with Doboy and company. You out to wear the Spanish out then.


----------



## Wmbuckeye557 (Apr 14, 2012)

I a want to do that trip but being a dad and work is preventing it.


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Spanish being caught off the jetties now. Some really nice ones too. Bonito still biting well, along with great trout and bluefish. Looks like to me a repeat of 2004, when the Spanish were huge and plentiful!


----------



## Wmbuckeye557 (Apr 14, 2012)

What are they catching the Spanish with.


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Gotcha lures and silver and pink Kastmaster spoons.


----------



## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

rattlin jones, the ladyfish looks like a mini tarpon & is a great fighter. Not so much for eating though & everyone C & R's them.


----------



## caseyroo (Jun 26, 2006)

rattlin jones said:


> Nc
> 
> n c bass have you ever heard of a lady fish and are they good to eat


Great fighter...oily and bony...great cut bait


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Thanks for adding that Casey. We've caught them time to time deep sea fishing, and they are always chunked back. I wasn't sure why.


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Good fishing appears to be in full force on the coast now. Spanish mackerel are beginning to show up in good numbers, and spotted sea trout, along with some gray sea trout, are being caught in numbers. Tidal flats are producing some nice red drum and flounder. Surf fishermen are getting good numbers of bluefish and whiting, with some nice pompano.
Offshore, wahoo and kings are doing well, along with some nice mahi mahi (dolphin). Loks like another good year on the coast.


----------



## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I've caught lady fish fishing in florida, we just always threw them back.
sherman


----------



## lacdown (Apr 25, 2007)

We'll be in Cherry Grove (N. Myrtle Beach) on June 4th right next to an inlet/creek area that fills up with the tide. We saw a small hammerhead in there a couple years ago. Any ideas on other fish that may go back in there and what to use to catch them from shore? Thanks in advance!


----------



## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

Reds, trout, & flounder are the mainstays, but whiting, bluefish, ladyfish, & several types of smaller sharks are pretty common. Also, various stingrays are in the marshes & can be caught on bottom. Cut bait (whiting, ladyfish, mullet, menhaden, etc.) on bottom is the easiest way to hook up with something and you can also use shrimp, sand fleas, or squid with good results. We caught most of our trout on trout eye jigs with trout trick plastics. My son also caught two rays & hooked a 4.5' - 5' black tip shark on it ...... that was insane in that skinny water.
That small "hammerhead" was likely a bonnet head shark ; looks like a little hammerhead, but is a crab eater in the tidal marshes. I was down in the marsh around Hilton Head last week & we saw several of them cruising the oyster bars.


----------



## lacdown (Apr 25, 2007)

Thanks T-180! Yeah last time it seemed the crabs were tearing apart any shrimp I would cast out there so I'll get some hardier bait this time.


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

My cousin was down there last week, and caught several big spotted seatrout down there, and two young red drum. Caught them on a Rattletrap! Said it was off the road that runs up from Bolinieu's store. Probably not spelled right..lol


----------



## lacdown (Apr 25, 2007)

Thanks, NC!


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

The fishing is still good down along the coast. The big red drum are becoming scarce now, but good catches of spotted and gray sea trout, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel, and some nice flounder are being reported. Whiting and pompano in the surf, along with some croakers and spots early and late in the day. Offshore, nice grouper, king mackerel, a few huge wahoos, and mahi mahi. Bottom fishing yielding nice catches of black sea bass, red grouper, vermilion snapper, gray snapper, and a host of others. Just four weeks and I will be there myself! Can't wait! We are staying near the state line, at Cherry Grove, SC. Anybody going to be in the area then let me know, we'll take you drum fishing, we have a nice bay boat all ready to go!


----------



## harrison08 (Oct 4, 2004)

I will be in Ocean Isle, NC from July 9-16th with the family. We are staying on a canal. Last year we caught some flounder right off the back dock. Any tips for fishing that area?


----------



## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

you gotta love saltwater fishing, you put a shrimp down and you never know what your going to bring back up. a sea robin is the one fish everybody should catch. they have legs like a crawfish and wings like a flying fish. the 1st one I caught I was afraid to take it off the hook so I cut the line, LOL. just google it for pictures.
sherman


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Harrison, we'll be there the same dates, only 30 minutes south of you. Cherry Grove Beach, right on the state line.
Give me a holler when you get there, we'll do some red drum fishing. Will send you my cell# before we leave. 'Just grab some shrimp and two hook bottom rigs, you'll be set for pier or surf. We have several rods rigged from drum, should y'all decide to come down. 

Sea robin.


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

I'm gonna be at Topsail Sat-Sat 4th of July week . Have always taken my boat and fished the inlets and the intercoastal but not taking a boat this yr . Probably spend most of my fishing time fishing the New River inlet . Hopefully get into something


----------



## Wmbuckeye557 (Apr 14, 2012)

I am leaving the June17 for topsail, I'm hoping to fish some at the new river inlet, I will shoot you a pre trip report.


----------



## harrison08 (Oct 4, 2004)

NCBass..... thanks for the offer. I will get with you as the time gets closer!


----------



## Leschamp19 (Aug 21, 2010)

Ncbassattack, you guys get into any offshore fishing ?


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Les, we do sometimes. May this year, we just are not sure. There's eight of us that fish charters, so we may book a Gulf Stream trip. If we can find Cap'n Rick. lol That dude always puts us on the fish. Mahi mahi, red snapper, vermillion snapper, gray snapper, red grouper, black sea bass, king mackerel, wahoo, you name it. And two years ago had over 90 pounds of fillets!!! Sucks we have to release the red snappers though, but there's no limit on bee liners. (vermilion snapper)


----------



## coastal210 (May 1, 2015)

Never fished salt water but need to give it a shot.


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Getting ready to leave this weekend for the coast! Some reports are: Flounder fishing is good now, and so are blues and sea trout of both species. Whiting and pompano in the surf, along with sharks. Off shore is hot now, king mackerel, wahoo, mahi mahi, and grouper all good.


----------



## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

coastal210 said:


> Never fished salt water but need to give it a shot.



LOL,,,, I still have rooms/beds for 8 more fishermen! N Topsail Beach, Oct


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

May have another couple wanting to go. Will let you know shortly.


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

We got into some decent fishing this week, mainly in the bays around Sunset Beach, NC. Caught some nice flounder, lost two big doormat sized ones right at the boat! Got a few spotted sea trout and a couple of blues. One 17" drum (red). Caught on finger mullet on Carolina rigs.


----------



## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

Thanks Jerry
I like the sound of those 'DOORMATS',,, even if you did loose a few. 
I just talked to two NCangler 'friends' that are/ were doing very good night gigging,,,, sounds like there's a bunch of big ones around!
I CAN'T WAIT!
I just emailed you some Erie walleye & perch reports. 
Maybe it's time for you 'Carolina Boys', to make plans for a ROAD-TRIP' to the BIG LAKE??????


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

May make it happen next year, Jerry. Would love to see Erie again!


----------



## dgfidler (Sep 22, 2014)

We stayed at a beach house in Duck NC and I took a couple surf rods this year. Caught a few whiting, a small flounder, and this...


----------



## pastordon (Jul 21, 2008)

Went down to Cape Hatteras and fished the inlet, beach and sound for Spanish, sheepshead, spade fish and flounder. Week before and week of 4th of July. It was a great 2 weeks, wind blew hard some days but got out 4 days. Report is 50 Spanish, 7 sheepshead, 6 spadefish, and 14 flownder(all throwbacks) hand full of bonita(false albacore) and a blue fish. Gotta love the salt! Last year caught 14 keeper flounder, the year before 26 keeper founder, but not this year all shorts, so learned to target some new fish(sheepshead and spadefish.)


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Good job! Y'all ought to come down there in October for the big red drum and chopper bluefish that begin their fall runs at that time!


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

I was down in NC in the N topsail area the week of the 4th . First yr I didn't take my boat . Didn't have much luck rod and reel fishing but had good success wading and gigging flounder . It's amazing all the cool stuff ya see at night


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Here's a nice haul of flounder from our coast!
http://www.ncangler.com/forums/threads/97233-Kayak-Flounder!


----------



## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

WOW! jer,,,, that's one awesome YAK haul,,, Thanks for the link!
We fished that same area the first 2 times down,,,, ended up with a load of spots & grunts,,, back by 'the bridge',, but never caught A keeper flounder. :<(

lol,,,, I think 'Carpn' NEEDS to come down with us,,,,,,,,,


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

Haha . I'm sure it'd be a good time ....Keep in mind not all of us are retired ..lol . Got 12.5 days vacation left for the yr ...Tween deer , ducks , a misc family day ...and perhaps rolling some over over to help with a Western hunting trip next yr I'm out of time .... I'm sure you'll post plenty of pics to rub it in tho ...


----------



## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

Carpn said:


> Haha . I'm sure it'd be a good time ....Keep in mind not all of us are retired ..lol . Got 12.5 days vacation left for the yr ...Tween deer , ducks , a misc family day ...and perhaps rolling some over over to help with a Western hunting trip next yr I'm out of time .... *I'm sure you'll post plenty of pics to rub it in tho* ...


YEP,,,, you can bet a bunch on that! DIG-DIG lol,,,,,,
(But,,, I'll also send you the exact spots! )
Take Care


----------



## RiparianRanger (Nov 18, 2015)

`


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Good places at Cherry Grove. Inter coastal waterway. Behind Boulineu's store is good.


----------



## Hoosier Daddy (Aug 19, 2005)

I will be in Topsail in two weeks. Any ideas on what to target? I will be fishing from the surf and possibly from a kayak or the sound side.

Thanks for any advice


----------



## Specwar (Sep 22, 2014)

Will be surf fishing Hatteras from Avon to Buxton the first two weeks of September. Hoping for clear water to hook up with the Pompano. If you've never had one just gutted and grilled over the charcoal you've never tasted Pompano.


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Hoosier, they are doing well there now on many species. Flounder are fair, red drum is slow now but will be picking up soon. Sea trout, whiting, croakers, and a good run of spots reported this week.
Here's a nice red drum..
http://www.ncangler.com/forums/threads/98185-Giant-Drum
Specwar, pompano are spotty now, but some really big ones have been taken near Duck and Salvo!
Good eating for sure..Good luck guys when you come..


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

And the hits just keep on coming..Another monster red drum!
http://www.ncangler.com/forums/threads/98385-Nifty-50-quot-from-the-yak


----------



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Really looking forward to going down this October. Believe it's gonna be a good fall on the coast, if my indications are right. Big blues should be showing up soon, and red drum will be feeding heavy! Got a new plan for flounder..
Kahle hook and Carolina rigged finger mullet or mud minnows. And there's always the croakers, spots, sea trout and whiting...


----------

