Fall fishing can’t get here soon enough for a lot of the anglers in our area as warm and humid weather continues. Add to that a week of rain, compliments of the remnants of Julia, and you got the making for a bunch of sour grapes. The good news, though, is that the month of September is coming to a close and more times than not, when September ends and the water temperatures start to come down, the really good fishing begins.
Inshore, it has been much of the same with flounder and red drum filling up the reports. Speckled trout have also started to make a good showing, mainly in the lower Cape Fear River, but as the conditions start to cool, look for the trout just about anywhere. Live minnows rigged on Carolina Rigs placed around the docks and creek mouths are an almost guaranteed bite. Flounder have been found in the deeper creeks and the area inlets with some fish pushing 5 pounds.
From the surf, there are reports of pompano and Virginia mullet being caught in good numbers with fresh shrimp and sand fleas working the best as bait. Some red drum, black drum and flounder have been caught on cut bait and strips. As the rain subsides in the coming days, the surf fishing should really take off.
Along the beach, the Spanish mackerel have shown up again, although this week’s weather may hamper them until the water clears. Trolled Clark Spoons are the ticket if it’s quantity you want, while floating some of the larger minnows or smaller menhaden around the reefs will more than likely produce some of the larger Spanish. Bluefish are once again being reported and they, too, should be showing up in numbers once the cooler air gets in here.
King mackerel are being found closer to the beach by the live baiters and this, too, will get better as the month progresses. A stray cobia is not out of the question as anglers have seen some of them over the past few weeks. Menhaden are cruising the shoreline so once the seas lay down, dropping a hooked bait in or near a school of menhaden might just be a good idea.
Offshore, the bottom fishing has been good all summer and it will continue to be decent through the month of November. As water temperatures fall, fishing a little deeper water will be necessary. The Gulf Stream will be coming alive in the coming weeks with lots of reports of wahoo being caught. Dolphin and tuna will round out the targeted species.
No matter what you fish for, this fall is looking to be a good one, so if the heat has you hunkered down in the a.c., just make sure you’re prepared for when the fishing really gets good.
