I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends. Maybe you got out on the water or in the woods; the weather was pretty good for the most part! The warmer weather should help the local inshore and near shore fishing. I got out on the water before Thanksgiving and those big Speckled trout were biting! Let’s get to that in this fishing report.
I think the trout bite should carry on with this hit of warmer weather; the water temp has come up a few degrees. This is a very good thing; the water temp almost got to low to fast in the last couple of weeks. Here are a few tricks for colder water trout fishing. Work jigs and hard baits slower; use baits that don’t sink as fast. This will keep the lures looking more natural for cold water and slow moving fish.
The real winner for the most part on the Specks has been; you guessed it Live Shrimp, especially the four to over seven pound trout! We are fishing the live shrimp on float rigs and light Carolina rigs. Fishing around the Masonboro jetties; on the falling and raising tides. I know the live shrimp are not cheep, but they really do work! I always have some in the live well this time of year.
We have caught some trout on grubs; numbers has been the deal with the grubs. I had a few charters caught well over thirty trout in less then four hours grub fishing. Grubs colors that have been productive; chart-diamond, silver mullet, salt & pepper-chart tail and chicken on a chain. These grubs are in the (sea shad) pattern and are made by Saltwater Assassin. I’ve really had great luck this season keeping the jig heads light (weight) for grub fishing. We’re using 1/8 and ¼ oz for the most part in colors red and black.
The Flounder have been a nice bonus for us lately while we are trout fishing; most of the fish are in the 15 to 20inch range (good eating size). The flounder are hitting the live shrimp as well as the grubs we are using. We are catching most of our flounder in the creeks and around the inlets; they are usually not far from the trout.
We are starting to see a few stripers showing up in and around the Cape Fear River. Most are in the smaller range two to ten pounds; with the colder water temps bigger ones should start to show up very soon.
Thanks for reading this report, if you would like to go fishing drop me a line!
Fishing Gear we use:
Trout and Flounder: Reels Pflueger Medalist spinning in sizes 6030 and 6035. Line: Ugly braid 10 and 15# Rods: Ugly stick lites 6’6” and 7’ Med-light& Med. Another new rod that has just been a treat to use for the trout this season has been the All Star ASR series: ASR844S. This is truly a very sensitive rod for feeling those light trout bites! Check it out at www.allstarrods.com
Good Luck,
Captain Jot Owens
www.captainjot.com
910-233-4139
Wrightsville Beach NC Charter fishing
Wilmington NC Fishing charters
Posted in Fishing Reports on August 18th, 2011
Today was a cold but great fishing trip! We caught 17 Specks, 23 Reds, 6 Sheephead and 2 Flounders. All the trout were two to high six pound range. The trout hit live shrimp and grubs in colors (Chicken on a chain) and “Blurp” good penny. I had a lot of fun today; cold YES but Fun!! Good luck they biting!!
Captain Jot Owens
www.captainjot.com
910-233-4139
Wrightsville Beach Charter Fishing
Wilmington, NC Charter Baots
Posted in Fishing Reports on August 18th, 2011
Well folks, it looks like winter is about to really show its face in eastern North Carolina! I don’t like to see such cold air coming in so fast but, that’s fishing and weather for ya. With that said; here is the fishing report pre cold air and forecast for after the cold air.
The Speckled trout fishing has been up and down for the last few weeks. We will catch good numbers of small fish one day, then we will catch a few big fish another day. So far this season we’ve caught as many as 30 plus trout on a half day charter. My charters have caught Specks on artificial as well as live shrimp; the bigger fish seem to be hitting the live shrimp. With that said we have caught a few nice trout on artificial too. I always try both during trout season; you just never know what they want some days!
Artificial baits that are producing for us have been grubs, shrimp grubs and hard baits. One grub color by Saltwater Assassin that has really been a great one this season is the new color (Chicken on a Chain). I don’t know why the trout like it so much but they DO; so I’m using it! Some other colors that are producing well are silver mullet, chart-diamond, space guppy and pearl. All these grubs are in the (sea shad) pattern. Don’t forget as the water temps drop fast; slow your retrieve on the grubs for the trout.
Shrimp pattern grubs we are using; Assassin’s shrimp cock tail in colors bone-diamond, clear and electric chicken. We are rigging the shrimp grubs on light jig heads 1/8oz to 1/4oz; this gives the shrimp a very natural look. When the water cools down, I will put a shot of (Bang shrimp scent). This seems to help with the trout holding on to the grubs a little longer when they hit.
The warmer weather we have had in the last few days gave us a great but quick redfish bite on the docks in the water way (ICW). We fished three to six docks a trip and found reds on every dock we fished; some more than others. The reds were in the 16 to a few over 30 inches, one good pull on light tackle! The reds hit fresh cut mullet and scented (Blurp) grubs. When fishing with the grubs we are rigging them on jig heads for the reds that are in deeper water five to ten feet of water. If the reds are in shallower water; rattling corks are paying off.
The Speckled trout fishing should really pick up with the colder air coming in; also the bigger trout should start show as well! I’m really looking forward to seeing those gators show up on the Cape Fear coast! Thanks for reading this report. If you would like a guided fishing trip drop me a line or give me a call.
Fishing gear my charters use:
Trout and Red Drum: Reels Pflueger Medalist spinning in sizes 6030 and 6035. Bait cast reel Pflueger Summit. Ugly braid 10 and 15# Rods: Ugly stick lites 6’6” and 7’ Med & Med-Heavy. All Star bait cast rod Team series TISCS1 7’6” “Great bait cast trout rod”
Good Luck,
Captain Jot Owens
www.captainjot.com
910-233-4139
Wrightsville Beach NC Charter fishing
Wilmington NC Fishing charters
Posted in Fishing Reports on August 18th, 2011
I hope everybody is enjoying the fall weather, It did get a little to cold for a couple days. I think that is over for the most part; “for now”. Water temps dropped very quickly during the cold snap. Now that the weather is getting back to normal; fishing has really picked up in the last couple of days! With that said here is the fishing report!
Trout has been the story for the most part lately. Grays and Specks are feeding well around in creeks, channels and inlets. The grays are hitting grubs and jigging spoons. Saltwater Assassin grubs in colors Chart-Silver glitter and Salt-pepper with chart-tail have worked well for the grays. The body shape that has worked for us is the sea shad in four inch size. We are using jig heads in colors pink and red; in weights ½ oz to 1 ½ oz. Colors for the jigging spoons that have worked well for the grays are Pink, Green/blue, and gold. Going with bright colors is a good “go too” choice when fishing for gray trout.
The Speckled trout fishing is really getting good and will continue to pick up. We have already caught some very nice trout in the four and five pound range on live and artificial baits. My charters have caught specks on a wide range of lures this season; some new and some good ole’ timer’s. Let’s start with the hard baits. Mirrolures; Catch 2000 jar, 52M and the new 17MR. The best Mirrolure colors that are catching the trout are; pink, chartreuse and silver. Grubs and soft baits; in the grub style baits colors chart-diamond, silver mullet and a new color that is working very well for us (chicken on a chain). Yes that is the real name of this grub color.
In the shrimp style grubs the colors we are using; Arkansas glow, clear and bone-diamond. We are rigging the Saltwater assassin shrimp with worm hooks and Texas style worm weights. To the live bait; it’s hard to beet the good ole’ live shrimp, they just work! Rigging the live shrimp with float rigs and light Carolina rigs has worked for us.
My charters have caught lots of bluefish while we have been Trout fishing; there really has been all the bluefish you can deal with lately!! If you like catching blues; Go Fishing! Flounder are biting as well, we’ve caught a good number while trout fishing. Some of the flounder are in the three to five pound range; a nice bonus while trout fishing. Thanks for reading this report, if you would like to go fishing drop me a line!
Fishing Gear we use:
Trout and Flounder: Reels Pflueger Medalist spinning in sizes 6030 and 6030. Bait cast reel Pflueger Summit. Ugly braid 10 and 15# Rods: Ugly stick lites 6’6” and 7’ Med & Med-Heavy. All Star bait cast rod Team series TISCS1 7’6”
Good Luck,
Captain Jot Owens
www.captainjot.com
910-233-4139
Wrightsville Beach NC Charter fishing
Wilmington NC Fishing charters
Posted in Fishing Reports on August 18th, 2011
Well Folks, fall is really showing strong this week! One day with warm temps and light winds the very next day very windy, rainy and cold for October! Hey that’s what gets those fall fish biting so we can’t complain too much. With that said lets talk fall fishing!
Last week 10-13 to 10-17 we had some very good Spanish Mack runs. Most of the Spanish hit Clark spoons on number one planners, a few fish hit on top as well. We did get a few on Marie jigs casting when the Spanish got on top feeding. The Spanish were very nice in size; most fish were two to some over four pounds “nice fall size”. They were biting just off the beach to about two miles off the beach. I don’t know how much longer they will be here with this cooler air moving in; will just have to see!
The Flounder fishing has been good for the most part, on some trips we’ve caught over twelve keeper fish. Most of the Flounder are eating Mullet and Mud minnows on light Carolina rigs. The Flounder are mixed in size to just under keeper size to a few over five pounds. We have caught some Flounder on Artificial baits as well. We have had the best luck with Saltwater Assassin Blurp grubs in molting color and “Chicken on a chain” color grubs. Rig the grubs on a red or black jig head for best results.
We’ve caught some bigger bull Redfish in and around the local inlets. We are catching Reds in the 24 to over 32 inch range, some days their over the slot some days their in the slot. Most of the Reds around the inlets are hitting mullets and fresh menhaden on Carolina rigs; using heavier egg sinkers with circle hooks 9/0 to 11/0. On some days we have had some luck on Saltwater Assassin Blurp grubs in colors molting and pearl; using heavier jig heads.
And last but Not lest, Speckled Trout are starting to show and bite! The Speckled trout fishing has gotten better and better around this area every year! It looks like it will be the same this year as well; “I Can’t wait, I love Trout fishing”! The best trout bites lately have been on grubs and hard baits, but we have caught some on the good ‘ole live shrimp as well! The best grub colors for us have been; chart-diamond, greenback shiner and silver mullet. In the Shrimp pattern colors; clear, bone-diamond and root beer. Rig the grubs and shrimp patterns on a red or black jig head for best results.
Hard lure’s that seem to be bringing the trout to the boat are Mirrolures and X-raps in colors pink, chartreuse, and white. Most of the trout we have caught have been in the creeks and main channels connecting to the ICW and inlets. There are still lots of pinfish, lizardfish, and small bluefish around: so we have not jumped in to the live shrimp full force yet.
In other fishing news: The 2008 Cape Fear Red-Trout Celebrity Classic to benefit Cystic fibrosis was held this last weekend 10-16 to 10-18. I really enjoy fishing this tournament year after year. It’s well run and very fun, there are a lot of very good guides that fish this tournament. I had the pleasure fishing with Adam Meyer and Liz Bielski with Charter Lakes Insurance group. I’m very happy to announce that team Charter Lakes took Lady Angler Grand Champion, Liz even caught more fish than Adam! Congrats Liz, great job! I look forward to fishing this tournament next year.
Fishing gear we use;
Bull Reds: Reels Pflueger Contender G15L, Rods Shakespeare Custom “USCB 1166 MH” Penn spinning reels 560L Live Liner with Penn Torque jigging rod 7’ 20 to 50 braids.
Spanish, Trout, and Flounder: Reels Pflueger Medalist spinning in sizes 6035 and 6040. Rods: Ugly stick lites 6’6” and 7’ Med & Med-Heavy.
Good Luck,
Captain Jot Owens
www.captainjot.com
910-233-4139
Wrightsville Beach NC Charter fishing
Wilmington NC Fishing charters
Posted in Fishing Reports on August 18th, 2011
