It may be winter, but inshore anglers still can hit for the saltwater cycle at Swansboro, north to Bogue Inlet and south to Brown’s Inlet.
“We’re catching (spotted sea)trout, red drum and nice keeper-size flounder right now,” said guide Robbie Hall of Swansboro’s Hall ‘Em In Charters.
The specks include “a lot of throwbacks,” but Hall’s clients also are landing fish that weigh up to 4 pounds.
Specks must be 14 inches in length and anglers now are relegated to four keeper fish of any size as the size and creel limit changed again this summer.
“The trout are hitting Gulp 5-inch jerk shads in the smelt color,” he said.
The reds also are whacking Gulp lures but Hall uses 4-inch natural (color) shrimp.
“The reds are in the marshes behind Bear Island, Emerald Isle and inside Brown’s Inlet,” he said. “You can find big schools from 70 to 200 fish.”
Most of the reds are running from 22 to 28 inches in length.
“On nice days when the winds are calm, and the ocean lays down, you can get a boat out and run the surf zone (just behind the breakers) and find big schools of reds, too,” said Hall (910-330-6999, www.hallemincharters.com).
Those reds also exclusively attack jigheads and soft-plastic grubs.
Sporadic flounder bites occur when Hall takes his clients for specks.
“They’re hitting the same lures as the trout, the Gulps,” he said.
Be the first to comment