Redfish Tailing & Tarpon on Mullet

Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly **hidden content**) reports that in late July young-of-the-year redfish showed up in droves, which provide a ton of action for anglers and also indicate that it should be a good fall for fishing. Anglers can still pick up some bigger fish in the creeks, particularly around creek mouths with oyster beds, but in August targeting tailing fish on the flats may continue to be one of the best ways to find a bigger grade of fish. July also saw good catches of trout on live shrimp, and the trout should only get bigger this month as we approach the fall. While legal fish are still relatively uncommon there have been more flounder caught this year than usual, particularly around structure, and a few good ones. At the rocks they expect to continue to catch lots of black drum this month, and with fiddler crabs you can also catch numbers of sheepshead. Later in the month more big sheepshead should be landed if there is a little cooling. Migratory species like jacks, tripletail and tarpon should be around until the fall and, finally, don’t overlook sharks which can provide a ton of action for anglers.

Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly **hidden content**) reports that in July tailing redfish can be found on good flood tides when they are in the short grass eating fiddler crabs, and on moving tides fishing live or cut bait in areas where they ambush prey is a good bet. There should also continue to be a good bite on lower tides around docks and other structure. The trout bite turned on late in June and should continue into July, and fish will be caught on both live bait and imitation shrimp drifted around grass lines and in front of shell beds in clean, moving water. Rock close to the ocean has also been a trout magnet. There should also continue to be a good topwater bite for multiple species early, and jack crevalle and tarpon showed up in late June and should be around until the fall. Flounder fishing can be good with live finger mullet, mud minnows, or soft plastics, especially close to the ocean. Sheepshead are also around inshore, but generally they are on the small to medium side. Finally, keep your eyes open for tripletail in the rivers – especially closer to the ocean.

Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly **hidden content**) reports that June is an excellent month in Beaufort for a number of species, and even as air temperatures get hotter the fish typically still bite very well. A good year for cobia means the fishing is likely to extend into June in the Broad River, and fish should continue to be caught sight-casting with flies, lures, and live bait. Redfish can be found tailing at high tide on the main river grass flats where they are eating fiddler crabs, and at lower stages of the tide you can find them in deep holes surrounded by shallow water in the smaller creeks or around docks. Redfish will eat a wide variety of baits and lures. Trout can be caught this month fishing along grass lines at higher stages of the tide with live shrimp or mud minnows under a popping cork, and you will also pick up other species this way including bluefish, aerially exciting ladyfish, and more. Also, don’t overlook an early topwater bite for trout, reds, and sometimes other species. On the bottom around structure and creek mouths you can catch flounder with mud minnows, finger mullet, or artificial baits, while fishing fiddler crabs around docks and downed trees is a great way to pick up sheepshead and sometimes black drum. Finally, the inlets have delicious whiting that will take small pieces of shrimp and abundant sharks that will take cut bait.