Fishing

The third annual Cape Fear Flounder Classic is July 28 at the Southport Marina.
This event is organized as a fundraiser for the Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce. Following the prize structure of the chamber’s U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament, the all-cash guaranteed prizes total $5,300. Capt. Adam Sellers and crew of Michael Lynn Sellers and Wes Knox, of Bolivia, aboard Magic Stik cashed in last year and took home $3,147 for a 6.5-pound flounder.

Local catches of flounder, redfish and speckled trout remain decent though the heat, wind and rain mean you have to work a little bit and time your fishing.
Early morning fishing is by far the best bet right now, especially if you can time a moving tide in the morning. Fishing should remain moderate inshore until the weather starts to cool with the coming of fall and the fish become more active.

Folks, there is no way to sugarcoat it—this week has been a difficult week for offshore fishermen. The good news is the constant southwest wind at 10-20 knots gives us some relief from the oppressive heat while on the water; the bad news is this wind stirs up the ocean and makes catching fish tough and the conditions for fishermen even tougher. Nothing stays the same forever, and it appears this week the weather will change with a so-called cool front coming, which will change the wind flow, hopefully, at some point this week.

n Heat takes a bite out of inshore fishing but fish remain to be caught
The rising heat has taken a bit of a bite out of inshore fishing as we have entered July, although there are still fish out there to be caught, especially in the morning. The high temperatures coupled with the threat of afternoon thunderstorms bear watching by those on the water. For now, morning fishing is popular and less is going on in the heat of midday.