I'm very happy that fall is really starting show here in eastern North Carolina. This is by far my favorite time of the year for outdoors and fishing in North Carolina. As the air temps Fall the fishing action just heats up more and more every day. I just hope we don't get to much rain this fall!
We've done a lot of Flounder fishing the last couple of weeks, with some pretty good days of fishing. Most of the Flounder are eating Mullet and Mud minnows on light Carolina rigs. The Flounder are mixed in size to just under keeper size to a few over five pounds. If you would rather use artificial bait, I would try a Saltwater Assassin Blurp grub in molting color. Rig the Blurp on a red or black jig head for best results.
We have found most of the Flounder in the creeks in mixed size but higher numbers. Fishing the drop of the main channel in the creeks, this is where we have found the most fish. The bigger Flounder seem to be around the inlets and just off the beach. There seems to be less action and Flounder but, they are very nice Flounder; in the three the over six pound range.
There have been some very good Spanish Mack runs lately. Most of the Spanish hit Clark spoons on number one planners, a few fish hit on top as well. We did get a few on Marie jigs and fly's; casting when the Spanish get on top feeding. The Spanish were very nice in size; most fish were two to some over four pounds "nice fall size". There has also been some False Albacore mixed in with the Spanish. They were biting just off the beach to about two miles off the beach. I don't know how much longer they will be here with this cooler air moving in; will just have to see!
There are still fair amounts of good ole' Redfish around, some in the creeks and some in the ocean. In the creeks and waterway top water plugs and live baits are doing the trick. We are fishing top water early in the morning and late afternoon when the sun in low. Rattle and popping corks with live mullets have been working great too. The ocean Redfish is eating; live bait and scented shrimp and or shad grubs. Extra scent never hurts when Red fishing!
The Trout are starting to show up around the area. We've caught Trout from right around Wrightsville Beach to down in the Cape Fear River. Most that we have found are in the creeks and channels running along the drop offs to deeper water. The trout that we have caught are hitting grubs in colors Chart Diamond, Pump Seed/Chart tail, chicken on a chain and sliver mullet on red jig heads. Hard baits getting the luck are Mirrolures redhead silver body and white back-white belly.
As water temps drop the Trout fishing will get better and better. The last couple of seasons have been the best Trout fishing I have ever seen around Wrightsville Beach, it seems to get better every year; with lots of big trout. I do a great deal of Trout charters in November, if you would like to go book soon for I will book up fast!
There are some Bull Reds 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 9/0, 10/0 and 11/0 circle hooks, keep your drag tight and the circle hooks will do there job.
The Fishing gear we use:
Reds, Trout and Flounder: Reels Penn Sargus spinning in sizes 2000 and 4000. Rods: Ugly stick lites 6'6" and 7' Med & Med-Heavy. 20 pound Ugly Braid. Bull Redfish: 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.
Don't forget take a kid fishing and good fishing to ya,
Captain Jot Owens
Ranger boats and
Pure Fishing Pro staff
www.captainjot.com
910-233-4139
Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington NC Fishing Charters
