Hello folks, I hope everyone is doing well. The weather has really turned to the summer trend in the last few days. We've had some good fishing weather; hot temps and light winds. The fishing has been pretty hot it's self! With that said; here is the fishing report>>>
We have been looking for Cobia on a lot of my trips lately and we've had some success. This last week we caught three, kept one and released two. They were not the biggest cobia I've seen around lately but, still very good eating! Most cobia that we are seeing are sight casting fish; we just cruise up and down the beach looking for them. We are throwing big jigs, swim baits and live bait to the Cobia. Color really does not seem to matter; "go bright"! When I'm not sight casting for them, we are fishing around inlets, shoals and near shore artificial reefs.
The Shark fishing is really starting to pick up as well with the warm weather we are having. My charters this week have caught ten to twenty sharks a day. The sharks are in the ten to a few over 150 pounds; we released one around 150 to 175 on Tuesday this last week. We are fishing with live and dead menhaden; light lining and bottom fishing. The shark rigs are ten inches of number nine or ten single strand wire, with a 9/0 or 10/0 J off set hook. To six to ten foot of eighty pound Berkley bid game mono (wind-on leader). Some people don't like fishing for sharks; but it can be a lot of fun with kids who have never seen a shark before.
Spanish mackerel are feeding well in the mornings and afternoons. We are catching most of the Spanish around the inlets, shoals, and up & down the beach strands; in fifth teen to thirty feet of water. Most of the Spanish are biting Clark spoons trolled behind #1 planner's. The Clark spoons that are working the best for us are sizes; 00 and 0 in plan silver and pink flash. When the Spanish are on top feeding and jumping, Maria jig spoons have been the trick.
The King mackerel and Mahi fishing has pick up nicely the last few weeks. There has been a few Sailfish around as well; we released a Sail on Wednesday 6-10. We were fishing around the school house area, when we saw the sail jumping on some bait. We ran over to the area we thought we saw the sail and threw out two live menhaden. It took about ten seconds and bam she was jumping and running. 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 dusters in colors pink and light blue. We are fishing in the ten to twenty five mile range off the beach; around wrecks and live bottom areas.
Redfishing is still going good on most days. The best fishing has been earlier in the day or later in the day (lower light). We are catching the reds on top water lures and rattling corks (SWA kwik-croks) with live bait in shallow water (one to three foot). When we fish docks and channels (deeper waters); we are using live bait, fresh cut bait and scented grubs. The scented grubs we are using are Saltwater Assassin Blurps in colors molting and good penny; patterns shrimp and sea shad.
Sheephead fishing is starting to pick up as well around the area. The best bet is fishing around bridges, docks and bulk-heads. Fishing in water from six to fifth-teen feet for Sheephead seems to work the best for us. We fish mostly using small Carolina rigs, with forty pound mono leader and small but strong live bait hooks. Baits we are using; fiddler crabs and sand fleas have worked just fine. Give it a shot, it takes time but you'll get one; Hold-on tight!
Gear used: Spanish, Blues, Reds 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. Cobia and 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. Line: This is a new super braid I'm trying; so far it's been a real good braid: Spider Wire Stealth Camo in 50#.
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
