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N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries

Regional Saltwater Fishing Reports

Northern District  Dare, Hyde, Currituck, & Beaufort Counties
Contact: Brian Melott November 4, 2007
For the 2006 fishing year, all owners/operators of vessels recreationally fishing for and/or retaining regulated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) (Atlantic tunas, sharks, swordfish and billfish) in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, must obtain an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling permit. This permit has replaced the Atlantic tunas Angling category permit. In North Carolina, additional HMS harvest reporting requirements are also in place.

Please Note: Anglers sometimes confuse small king mackerel with Spanish mackerel. King mackerel and spanish mackerel have different size and catch limits. Make SURE you properly identify the mackerel you are catching. (Tips here)

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state's coastal and ocean waters. Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Dolphin, wahoo, and both yellow and blackfin tuna were caught by offshore anglers with moderate success.  King mackerel catches improved in these waters with some very nice specimens caught.  Billfish catches were almost nonexistent.  Midrange anglers have been catching plenty of king mackerel also.  Blueline tilefish, black seabass, tautog, amberjack, and triggerfish were caught, but in lower numbers. Inshore anglers continue to catch Spanish mackerel in the 0-2 mile range for some short term-high volume action.  Assorted others were caught, including bluefish, red drum, croaker, striped bass, and kingfish.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Flounder and seatrout were the primary target of these anglers, with most of them caught near the islands and land masses at Oregon Inlet. Flounder keeper rates remain much improved with well over 50% of them being legal keeping size. Spotted seatrout and weakfish have been caught in the early morning hours at Oregon Inlet’s Green Island Slough with increased consistency.  Anglers near Swanquarter have caught their share of both types of seatrout also. 

Piers/Shore: Red drum catches have been the good news for these anglers with most of them falling in the legal slot limit.  Most were caught in the backwash area of the surf with sand fleas being the bait of choice.  Spanish mackerel encountered by the inshore boaters were also caught by pier and shore anglers.   

General Overview: Hurricane Noel limited fishing efforts at the end of the week, but conditions should improve soon and fish tend to feed after departing storms.  Anglers should try their luck as soon as conditions permit.  Water temps in the surf (Kill Devil Hills) are in the upper 60s to lower 70s.
Central District  Pamlico, Craven, Carteret, & Onslow Counties
 Contact: Suzanne Hill November 4, 2007
For the 2006 fishing year, all owners/operators of vessels recreationally fishing for and/or retaining regulated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) (Atlantic tunas, sharks, swordfish and billfish) in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, must obtain an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling permit. This permit has replaced the Atlantic tunas Angling category permit. In North Carolina, additional HMS harvest reporting requirements are also in place.

Please Note: Anglers sometimes confuse small king mackerel with Spanish mackerel. King mackerel and spanish mackerel have different size and catch limits. Make SURE you properly identify the mackerel you are catching. (Tips here)

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state's coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean:  Charter boats were weathered out all week. The headboats did not  get in much fishing either.  The bluefish and kingfish (sea mullet) are still in the Beaufort Inlet and Dead Tree  Hole. King mackerel were reported at AR 315 and one mile out the Beaufort Inlet. Boaters were searching for seatrout and spots.  We saw very little.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Summer spots are being caught around the Beaufort drawbridge and  in the Turning Basin, but in  small numbers. These fish are not the "yellow bellies" everyone drools over.

Piers/Shore: Black drum  were thick up and down the beaches.  They were also caught on the piers.  Anglers were filling coolers with small black drum. Nice sea mullet (over a pound) and summer flounder were seen.  There were heavy reports of throwback flounder- some anglers catching 20. Bluefish and small pompano could be added to the catches.

Southern District  Pender, New Hanover, & Brunswick Counties
 Contact: Dennis Trowell November 4, 2007
For the 2006 fishing year, all owners/operators of vessels recreationally fishing for and/or retaining regulated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) (Atlantic tunas, sharks, swordfish and billfish) in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, must obtain an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling permit. This permit has replaced the Atlantic tunas Angling category permit. In North Carolina, additional HMS harvest reporting requirements are also in place.

Please Note: Anglers sometimes confuse small king mackerel with Spanish mackerel. King mackerel and spanish mackerel have different size and catch limits. Make SURE you properly identify the mackerel you are catching. (Tips here)

A recreational Recreational Fishing License went into effect Jan. 1, 2007 for all of the state's coastal and ocean waters.

Tagged Red Drum: Download PDF with reward details.

Ocean: Very little activity last week due to gusty winds. No reports from offshore. Nearshore, there were some kings biting in the river channel off and on last week. The nearshore reefs are producing some nice gray trout and a few flounder.

Inlets/Sounds/Bays:  Again, activity levels were way down due to the winds. There are some good trout catches taking place around Bald Head Island and area creeks, as well as some good puppy drum fishing as well. The spot fishing slowed some last week, but fish are still around.

Piers/Shore: The spot fishing slowed some last week, but runs are still happening daily. Along with the spots there are blues, sea mullets, and a few black drum.

 

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