The big story continues to be the record-setting summer heat and the lack of much fishing action during the day. There are some channel catfish hitting in freshwater while the sun is up and some flounder biting during the day in saltwater. Otherwise it pays to fish very early or after dark.
For plenty of free fishing articles and updated links see my blog A Dash Of Salty and my website Surf and Salt.
Charlotte-area freshwater report:
Wes Lewis reports that bass fishing is still hot on High Rock Lake.
There are still some bass around the docks in Lake Norman, but the bass fishing is best at night. During the day the main fish biting on Lake Norman are channel catfish, which can still be found in the shallows. There are also some bream around the docks.
Larger catfish are biting at night on all area waters, on cut bream or live bait. Lakes holding white perch are seeing the perch still active in deep water.
Southeastern NC saltwater report:
Pier and surf fishing remains something of a struggle due to the heat, and the best bite is inshore right now. Most of the best catches are nice redfish or flounder, although the fishing is still awfully inconsistent.
Decent catches of redfish are coming from the inshore creek areas and just over the border in SC. Although many of the schools are holding under slot-size fish there are some nice red drum around too. Redfish are hitting live shrimp under floats if you can find it, as well as finger mullet, mud minnows, and Gulp baits.
Redfish are running the tides in the inshore areas, with the bites coming when the tide is running strong (either incoming or outgoing) and shutting down on the slower tides.
Flounder and black drum, along with small redfish, continue to be caught around the bridges, docks and other structure. Flounder are still about 50/50 throwbacks and keepers. Flounder are hitting live finger mullet and mud minnows. Fish live bait very slow but keep it moving to avoid blue crabs.
Black drum are biting live or dead shrimp around any structure and over oyster beds, and are very active at night.
Fishing at the jetties is hit and miss with some very nice redfish still available. The speckled trout bite is now very inconsistent, and the Spanish are present but mostly feeding on very small baits.
The surf continues to hold a few flounder, whiting and pompano, as well as plenty of dogfish sharks and skates. Fishing for whiting on the piers is best at night on very fresh cut shrimp. Some Spanish mackerel continue to be taken off the piers but the bite is very slow.
For plenty of free fishing articles and updated links see my blog A Dash of Salty and my website Surf and Salt.
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