Topwater Hatteras blues thrill Cape Lookout anglers

The Hatteras bluefish blitz that has been occurring up and down the central N.C. coast during May isn’t restricted to ocean piers.

“Not a lot of people know about it, but we are having a blast catching chopper blues, 12- to 15-pounders, in 2 feet of water around Cape Lookout on topwater lures and chunk baits,” said Capt. Noah Lynk of Harkers Island.

Lynk, owner of Noahs Ark Fishing Charters (252-342-6911, www.noahsarkfishingcharters.com), said the blues may be spawning.

“It’s almost like fishing for tailing red fish,” he said. “They’re tailing in that shallow water, and you can see them. When you catch one, it’s a lot of fun when they’re jumping out of the water 2 or 3 feet.”

Lynk said Hatteras blues come inshore to Cape Lookout’s shallows each May.

“But not a whole lot of people are onto it,” he said.

In nearshore waters at the Cape, Spanish mackerel are providing a lot of action on small Clark spoons that resemble glass minnows.

“The best way to catch them is throw out a hand line with a small spoon on it,” he said, “but you can catch them with a rod and reel and spoon, too.”

Anglers also are landing nice-size flounder (longer than the legal keeper size of 15 inches) “from the ocean to Middle Marsh,” Lynk said.

Live baits (finger mullet, mud minnows) fished with Carolina rigs are landing flatfish, while jigs and scented baits also are working well.

“There’s a product called Procure that’s a paste made of menhaden and shrimp ground up you can put on soft or hard baits that really works good for flounder,” he said.

Pan-size bluefish (Taylor blues) also are present while a big cobia bite is occurring about 2 miles outside Beaufort Inlet.

“Good ladyfishing will heat up pretty soon too, under bridge and dock lights,” Lynk said.

Anglers can hook 20 to 30 per night, floating live shrimp under the lights, “but you won’t get that many into the boat,” he said.

These fish, that fight light mini-tarpons, ran from 2 to 3 pounds and regularly jump 6 to 7 feet in the air and often leap completely over a boat when hooked.