I haven't posted in a while. Migraines have been bad. I haven't fished in two weeks until today. Didn't have much luck. But the water is cooling. I think it is about 72, thanks to Chris at East Coast for that reading. Just a few more degrees cooler and the speckled trout should start showing up. The spots are running off and on. I have reports of catches ranges from a few dozen to six hundred. But there still hasn't been that two or three day constant spot run that gets everyone so excited this time of the year. There are still lots of black drum in the water. This has been the best black drum year in recent memory for me. Sea mullet and whiting are still slow. There are some nice ones being caught, but the numbers aren't there like last year. Gary, a friend from Mebane, NC. caught a couple of really nice ones (over two pounds) from near the end of Surf City Pier Monday. He had several others that weren't so large, and released a bunch of smaller ones. The flounder are still biting in large numbers, but not much big enough to keep, just one here and there. Red drum are in the surf. Fish the suds, in really close. You will over throw these fish if you are not careful. They are only a few feet out. Remember these are slotted keepers, and only fish that are over 18 inches and under 27 inches are legal to keep, and the fish and game folks are checking the coolers on the beach and piers regularly. More this year than I have ever seen. Keep up the good work! The boats in the backwaters are still picking up puppy drum in the flats and shallow creeks. In windy conditions, check behind the islands and grassbeds where the water is still. They are still hitting the Berkley Gulp Saltwater Shrimp baits, but as the water cools they may prefer the darker colors such as the copper penny. You can get these at East Coast Sports, Herrings Outdoor Sports, or Surf City Pier. The speckled trout are biting well in the New River, but I can't give you the specific locations, and there is a lot of river there around Sneads Ferry and Jacksonville.
That's all I have for now. Don't forget to Support our local tackle and bait shops to insure they will be here for your next fishing trip. Wallmart don't need our business, but these local business' survival depend on us. Thanks.
Until next time....
Tight Lines!
Johnny
19584
