Spanish are biting

Part-time hunter

Ten Pointer
Cap'n Frank and I went trolling off Carolina Beach this morning for Spanish mackerel. Well, actually we never left the area just outside the inlet around the sea buoy. We started at 6:30am and had limited out by 8 o'clock. I don't know how to do pics on here but some of them were three to four pounders. So if anybody's thinking of coming down they are biting the best of this season so far.
 

C52

Eight Pointer
We did good yesterday at Emerald Isle. Caught 14 in less than 2 hours. 3 were over 20 inches and most were 16 to 20. Of course there were the 12 and 14 inches too.
 

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
They're hitting off Ocean Isle also. Best bite seems to be off downriggers fishing 10 to 15 ft down in 30-35 feet. Hitting on/near top also, just not as hot.
 

Jake NFC

Twelve Pointer
Last week we wore them out of Shallotte Inlet. Top bite was great until the sun got high and it switched to down below. Headed back in two weeks.
 

Part-time hunter

Ten Pointer
They're hitting off Ocean Isle also. Best bite seems to be off downriggers fishing 10 to 15 ft down in 30-35 feet. Hitting on/near top also, just not as hot.

We used our standard rig system of two rods with a one and two ounce weight respectively and 20 foot leaders, and two handlines with numbers one and two planers off the stern cleats. The clark spoons we use are also varied by size and color. Everything worked on this particular morning. I'm 68 now and have been fishing since my teens and one thing I've learned is that whenever you think you've got it all figured out the darn fish decide to show you who's boss.
 
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