Capt. Raymond Pugh
North Carolina Fishing Report for:
The Outer Banks and Oregon Inlet Areas.
Outer Banks Inshore 12/25/2004
The past week fishing was unbelievable. There
were days that the fish were so thick, that you could almost
walk on them. All fish were boated in open water casting
lures. Some boats are still trolling, buts that is a last
resort type of fishing for us. Most fish are in the mid 20lb.
range. Every few days someone catches a 40lb. plus fish, but
not as often as I would like to see. It looks like the next
few days will be inside the inlet with a 25-knot wind from the
north and 10-15 ft. seas.
On a different note, I would like to thank
everyone for a great fishing season. From all my sponsors to
all the emails I received, thank you very much. I hope all of
you have a safe and Happy Holiday. I look forward to an
outstanding 2005.
12/14/04
Fishing this
week has been from bad to outstanding. Several days we had to
hunt around to find the fish. This has meant some 15-mile boat
rides, which was not too bad on the calm days. Sunday was a
great example of this. We came out of the inlet and got a call
that the birds were going crazy 15 miles south, so off we went.
When we arrived, thousands of birds were diving into the ocean.
We just knew that the fish we here. Wrong guess. Tons of bait
and birds, but no fish. After an hour of trying with no bits, I
received a call the fish were 10 miles north of the inlet. So
now, we are on a 25-mile boat ride against the waves for fish.
By the time we get there, the bite is slow at best, with no
bites for us. Now I am getting mad that I have motored 40 miles,
burned too much fuel, and I have to run 10 miles back to the
inlet with no fish. As we get close to the inlet, the birds are
going wild on the backside of the shoal. It is an outgoing tide
bringing all the sound bait across the bar into the feeding
Rock. We pull up to the bar and toss our eels. As soon as the
hit the water, our poles bend over. After we ran out of eels,
we cast some lures with almost the same success. Most fish were
in the 20-25lb class. The day was saved right where we
started. The water temperature is still in the mid 50s, but
should be dropping with the approaching cold fronts. This
should push some
 of
the bigger fish down from up north. We will keep plugging
away.
Tight lines,
Capt. Ray
PS
Here is a 38 1/2 Rock caught by Capt.Ray
Outer Banks
Inshore 11/23/04
Due to the last
several cold fronts, the ocean Striped Bass, AKA Rockfish, Rock,
are showing up. The last several days we have limited out on
20-25 lb. fish. These fish have been caught on the shoals around
Oregon Inlet using live eels. Some boats also caught fish north
of the inlet trolling lures. Today a 42 lb. Rock was pulled from
the surf in Nags Head. The fishing is only going to improve as
the water cools down. The draw back to fishing the shoals is
seeing inexperienced boaters get to close to the shallow water and
have there boat flipped by a wave. Friday a 27ft. boat flipped
and Saturday, I pulled three people that were in a 16 ft. boat.
The water was 58 degrees and these people were very scared. No
fish is worth dying for. Always be safe fishing. Here is a
picture of Woodie Spruill holding a 23 lb. Rockfish. Email me for
your Rockfish trip.
October 18, 2004
Outer Banks, NC
The fishing on the
Outer Banks has just been getting better by the day. Cooler weather
has pushed in the baitfish, which are followed by the bigger ones.
With Striped Bass, aka Rockfish season opening the 15th, we have
boated limits everyday. The sound fish are holding tight to the
bridge pilings and are not schooling up as of yet. The big ocean
Rock have not shown up yet, but with water temperatures dropping, it
will not be long. Some on the inlet Stripers we have caught are
well over the 28” size limit, while the sound fish just have to be
18”, which have been no problem. There are still some large Spot
and Flounder around, but they should be headed out soon. The Grey
and Speckle Trout are still here, but some days they bite better
than others. Friday we caught them like crazy and Saturday we could
not find one. I am sure the King Mac’s are out in the ocean, but it
has been to ruff lately to go look. Drop us a line or call for a
trip.
Tight lines,
Capt. Ray
10/05/04
Fishing on the
Outer Banks has been good and so-so, depending on the weather. For
the past month, we have had extremely windy conditions. There have
only been a few days that we have fished the ocean, but there is not
much happening. The ocean water Sunday was 74 and we saw a few
Spanish & Albacore, but nothing was hungry. In the sound, Gray &
Speckle trout having been showing up early mornings on certain marsh
points, eating soft grubs and live minnows. Large Flounder have
been caught the same way. The sound has also been producing large
Spot and Croaker. Some have been over 12” long and weight over a
pound. The Striped Bass are everywhere. You can catch them around
all the bridges on lures, but the best action is to use live bait
like small Croakers or Spot. Last Sunday the biggest one we had
went 35” with many over the 28” ocean size limit. On days that the
current is moving, casting lures is your best bet. With the
nighttime temperatures dropping, the Striper fishing should only get
better. The sound season opens Oct. 15, with the limit of two fish
per person a day over 18”, but you can catch and release all you
want. Half-day trips of over 50 fish are not uncommon. They can be
caught trolling many different types of lures, but I prefer to cast
lures or live bait. It is just more fun to feel the strike, rather
than just reeling in a fish off trolled bait. I like to take the
time and show people how to cast. That to me is fishing, not boat
riding.
Offshore, I have
heard good catches of Tuna, Dolphin, and a few Wahoo. The King
Mac’s should be showing up anytime. Some boats have been doing well
on the bottom fish like Tiles and Triggers. The big ocean Stripers
should be moving down as soon as the ocean water temperature drops
significantly.
Tight lines, Capt. Ray
Aug. 24, 2004
Well now that we survived two hurricanes, its
back to fishing. The past few days the wind has been out of the east,
which has help, clean the water up. The trout fishing has picked up
as well as the puppy drum. The Croaker, Spot, Pinfish, and Pigfish
are still hitting hard along with the flounder, as long as the water
stays clear. The Striped Bass
are still around with keeper size (over 28”)
being caught on live bait. The smaller ones that are 20-25” can be
caught on lures as long as the tide is moving. The Bluefish are
everywhere outside the inlet. Just look for the schools of fatback
and you can catch all you want. The inshore reefs are still holding a
few Triggerfish and Sea bass. Now that the days are getting shorter,
the day trips are not so hot. Those 90 plus degree-days were getting
tough. Remember the fall Rockfish season is just around the corner so
book
your trip now. Those 40 & 50lb fish are fun to
pull on.
Thanks, Capt.
Ray
07/01/04
Sorry for the delay in getting a report out. Anyway, here's
the scoop. Inshore we are catching nice size Spot, Croaker, and Black
Drum. The Trout and Flounder are great on the days the water is clear.
Striped Bass are still around with many keeper size still to be had.
The Red Drum have been moving in and out. Its just a matter of being
there at the right time. Inshore are Bluefish, Spanish Mackerel, and
the the most prized fish, Cobia. The last one I caught went 52 lbs. on
light tackle. What a blast. A little ways offshore, we have caught
Dolphin, Tuna, Amberjack, and King Mackerel. Give us a call and go
fishing or you could stay at WORK.
Thanks, Capt. Ray
04/02/04
 Fishing
on the Outer Banks has been like the weather lately. Hot one day and
cold the next. The only good fishing seems to be at the Manns Harbor
bridge. Most anglers have either caught their limit quick or its takes
all day. There's no reasons to the feeding habits of our local
Rockfish, but when they're biting its a blast. Most fish have been fat
and in the
22-28" range, but Lee Bradley of Elizabeth City hook this nice 33"
Striper. Can you tell he was happy about it.
The fish have been eating Bucktails, Rattle Traps, live eels, and
different types of trolled plugs. I've had the best luck casting
different lures. Shad type lures are working the best if you pull them
by the pilings very slow. Maybe if we can get some sunshine and warm
weather the fishing will start to improve. Its getting time for the
spring fish to show up and get out of this winter gear.
Keep fishing,
Capt. Ray
03/05/04.
The Striper fishing has just been unbelievable, but
I think its getting ready to end . The water temp is slowing rising
and the fish are pushing north. This Striper season has been the best
I can ever remember, except for the occasional boater who decides to
drive his boat thru a school of Rock that are on the surface while
most of the other boats are jigging or casting. I surprised some of
the guys were not shot. Just an idea.
Now that I’ve vented, back to the fish. Most have
averaged 15-low 30lb range but a few 40,50,and yes even in the 60lb
fish have been caught. Unfortunately no fatties for me. The biggest on
my boat was 48lbs caught by John Willard of Virginia.
The past several days have felt like summer and
I’ll be glad to see some different fish. The Rock have been fun, but
I’m looking forward to catching some Trout, Cobia, and Drum. I just
hope the water temperature gets warmer than it did last summer. Its
hard to catch summer time fish when the water is almost as cold as the
fall, but I’ll think my fingers crossed.
The surf fishing should be getting better also.
I’ve haven't heard of much being caught. The offshore boats have been
catching a few tuna and that should also be improving.
Keep fishing,
Capt. Ray
February 17, 2004
Inshore on the Outer Banks
What would be better on Valentine’s Day, fishing for
Rockfish or spending time with significant other? Well most fisherman
around tried to do both. This week has been outstanding if you find the
fish. One day they’re north of the inlet, next day there south. It’s a
guessing game some days. Most of the time you’re motoring around looking
for birds and bait marks, but seeing marks is not a guarantee that
you’ll catch fish. Other days you’ll be in the meat and catching fish.
The wind will do a shift and the fish get lockjaw.
When the fish are biting, it does really matter what
you’re using, cause there eating everything in site. 4-7 inch shads by
RL Custom lures on 2-6 oz. lead heads work well. Storm lures and any
type of Bucktail also will do the trick if you want to cast or jig. When
trolling I try to use single hook rigs. It just makes it easier when
releasing fish. There’s several trolling rigs that work well, such as
parachutes and Mojo’s. I seem to have the best luck on a white double
parachute rigs, but everyone has there favorite.
The fish have been from Corolla to south of Buxton
and even farther south. Most fish seem to be in the 30-60 ft. range, but
this isn’t set in stone. One day we were catching them in 12 ft. of
water, almost to the shoreline. The fish have also been scattered in the
surf from Corolla to Hatteras. You just have to be in the right place at
the right time. It looks like the fish have been pushing to the north
lately, but I think with the cool water temps, these fish will stay
around for another month. We all hope so.
Tightlines, Capt. Ray
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Capt. Raymond Pugh is a 3rd generation guide in the Outer Banks
area. He has over 25 years experience fishing fresh and
saltwater. Capt. Ray is also a member of RL Custom Lures Pro
Staff and regularly contributes to several fishing publications.