I hope everybody is doing well and catching a few fish! I have got to say I'm glad Bill did not make it up here, but his power was felt up this way. We've had some strong swells the last couple of days, which has kept me out of the ocean and in the back water areas. Before the swells we did some good ocean fishing for Flounder and Gray trout.
Most of the flounder inshore are mixed in size, but the fish in the ocean are a little better in size. Live bait and grubs are the best bet. Carolina rigs for the live bait and heavy jig heads for the grubs. I prefer bright grubs; Saltwater Assassin's sea shads in colors chart/diamond and silver mullet work real well.
How bout' those Gray trout, the trout bite has really picked up the last couple of weeks. We are catching most of the Grays the same way we've been catching the Flounder; Carolinas rigs and live bait. My favorite live bait for Grays is finger mullet. If you would rather use lures, small jigging spoons and grubs will work just fine. I like to put a shot of scent on my grubs; "Bang's" shrimp, crab, and Taxes tea are some of my favorites.
The Flounder and Trout are holding on near shore live "hard" bottom, wrecks, and ledges.
When we are Flounder and Gray trout fishing in the ocean, I prefer to use Carolina rigs with heavier egg sinkers. We use one, one&½ and two ounce egg or "river" sinkers. River sinkers are the ones that are flat or pan caked sinkers. We still use a L42 EC 1/0 hook and thirty to forty pound mono leader. This rig works well for many different kinds of fish you can catch on the hard bottoms just off the beach.
My charters have had some good early Redfish morning bites. We are fishing mud flats and oyster flats in creeks and along the ICW. Multi fish hook-ups are not uncommon at all! Top water plugs like the Rapala skitter-walk have done very well. Rattle and popping corks with live mullets and little menhaden have been working great! The best rattlin' corks for me have been the Saltwater Assassin's "Kwik-cork" this is one of the loudest corks on the market they work!
The Speckled trout have decided to bite from time to time the last few weeks south of Wrightsville Beach. Most fish are coming out of creeks and channels around the waterway and flats. Best bet for the trout so far has been grubs, working the grubs slow in holes and drop-offs. The grubs I like in the summer mouths when the water gets hot are Saltwater Assassin sea shad in 4". Colors silver mullet, chart diamond, and chicken on a chain. I like to use shrimp (Bang) scent to help those trout find that grub in dirty waters we get from some of the recent down pours! I don't use a lot of scents for Trout, but in dirty and stained water it can really help.
There are some Bull Reds starting to show up in the ocean on hard bottoms and around the inlets. You never know when you might hook one of these big fish might bite. When we try to catch these Bulls, we use fresh cut or live menhaden. We use fish finder rigs with 11/0 and 12/0 circle hooks, keep your drag tight and the circle hooks will do there job.
Speaking of Bull Reds, I'm heading up to Oriental, NC this week to try my luck at some of those Bull Reds and maybe just maybe a Pamlico Tarpon. I'll give you a report when I get back.
Thanks so much for reading this report, if you would like a guided fishing charter; give me call or drop me a line. Don't forget take a kid fishing and good fishing to ya!
Fishing gear we use:
Gear used: Redfish, Flounder and Gary trout: 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. Bull Redfish and Tarpon 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. Line: forty pound Spider wire Ultracast.
I have recently tried a new landing net that I saw at ICAST this summer and I really like this net. Super light weight, floats and yet is still very strong! The net is an EGO made by www.adventureproducts.com I use the clear rubber net in the large size product # 71157. This net is great for Flounder, Trout and Reds! Try one, trust me you will love it!!!
Capt. Jot Owens
Ranger Boats &
Pure Fishing Pro Staff
www.captainjot.com
910-233-4139
