When I think of fishing in July, I think of variety. There are so many species available in our area during the month and there’s so much bait around…it makes for a pretty consistent month for fishing, no matter what the weather conditions are.
King mackerel will start to show up on all the nearshore structure out of Bogue Inlet. Good numbers of fish will be in the 3 to 12-mile range. Slow trolling live baits on naked or skirted king rigs will be your best bet. Cigar minnows and lipped crankbaits will also get the job done. Most of these kings with be in the 8 to15-pound range with the occasional 20-pound+ fish mixed in. We will also be finding the occasional mahi-mahi, amberjack, and cobia mixed in with the kings. There will still be good numbers of trophy sized Spanish mackerel on all the nearshore live bottoms. Smaller menhaden on light king rigs will be your best bet.
The red drum bite will be pretty consistent during July. We will be finding smaller schools of fish in the marshes behind the barriers islands and in the White Oak River. Topwater baits such as MirrOlure’s TopDawg are an exciting way to trigger a strike from a feeding red drum. Spinnerbaits and scented soft plastics on jigheads are also good artificial baits. Live mullets and pogies on a Carolina rig or beneath a rattle cork will also work on these reds.
Flounder will also be available during the month of July. We will be finding good numbers of keeper size fish around structure in the internal waters. Docks, bridges, oyster beds, etc. will be holding fish waiting to ambush bait being swept past by the current. Deep channels along the inlet mouths will also be holding good numbers of flounder. Live bait rigged on a Carolina rig will get the job done on the flounder. A scented soft plastic on a lead jighead or bucktail jig will also get the attention of a hungry flatfish.
Other fish on tap for the month of July will be speckled trout, sheepshead, and black drum. Live shrimp fished along oyster beds and marsh creeks will produce the best for these.
Capt. Robert Hall
Hall’em In Charters
910-330-6999 » www.hallemincharters.com
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