The fishing in Swansboro has been pretty consistent. The key has been getting some pretty weather and the fishing will be good. The hottest bite has been the kings. We have easily been limiting out on every trip with kings in the 10#-15# range. We have also had some bigger fish in the 20#-40# range mixed in with teenagers. One trip we were able to land 3 fish that were NC citations (over 30 lbs.). We have been landing most of the kings with 4"-5" peanut pogeys. The bigger kings have be smoking 1lb-2lb blue fish. For the smaller baits I have been using double #4 treble hooks with #5 Malin hardwire. For the blue fish I have been using (4)-#4 treble hooks with #7 Malin hardwire. We have not had to venture more than 3-5 miles out to find success. The Red Drum have also been biting well. All though I am not finding the inshore schools we were in the warmer months there have still been good numbers of fish scattered throughout the marsh. Most of these fish are still hitting topwaters but we are having the best luck with Catch 2000's, Strike King's Redfish Magic and Shadalicous, and gulp baits. The flounder bite has been reliable with big numbers of keeper size fish. I have been finding most of these fish along structure in the inshore waters. These fish have been attacking live mullets, pogeys, shrimp, pinfish. Gulp baits and other soft plastics have also been producing good numbers of flatfish. Most deeper channels with drop offs and oysterbars are holding good numbers of flounder. We had a 6.9 lb hammer a live pinfish on a creek mouth with an out going tide late last week. I have still been waiting on a consistent speckled trout bite to arrive here in our area. I have some good days and then a couple of bad days. I have been picking a few specks off in the marshes behind all the barrier islands but I have yet to have big number days. Most of the fish being caught have been good size fish ranging 2-4 lbs. The best baits so far have been the 52TTHP (Pink Mirrolure), Gulp jerkshads (smelt), and Strike King's Glass minnow. The best bet for early fall specks is floating live shrimp,finger mullet, or pinfish. My bigger fish have come on finger mullets and pinfish.
