Partly cloudy skies. Near record high temperatures. High 77F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

Partly cloudy skies. Low 61F. Winds NNE at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

Are we in fall fishing mode or not? For the last two weeks, the Emerald Isle surf temperatures have hovered around 68 degrees with less than one degree of variation. In fact, the surf temps have been exactly 68 nearly every day and the sound steadily in the low to mid-60s.

Ohhhhhh, that’s scary! Yes, the daylight hours continue to lose around two minutes per day, as we are now under 11 hours of daylight, but we know that water temperatures are often key for the comings and goings of the fish we target and the baits they eat. Much of the year, up to now, water temperatures have noticeably held above my averages garnered over 25-plus years of data collection.

We are now well into fall, so how has the fall fishing held up? This time of year, as the temperatures slip below 68 degrees, we see the Spanish mackerel getting uncomfortable, hightailing it to the ocean to overwinter in warmer waters. And yes, they are. Currently, we mainly see some scattered smallish fish that you best measure before they go into the cooler. Not only that, but the king mackerel are also moving offshore, with the best action being at least 10 to 12 miles offshore.

How about other goers? The flounder are exiting on time for their offshore spawning areas. Of course, the fleeting season for keeping flounder, regardless of their spots has fleetingly been frittered away until…who knows when. Speaking of spots and spawners, how about them spots? Numbers are staging up around the Morehead Port Turning Basin and outside of New River Inlet, along Onslow Beach and the Topsail piers, but not so much here along Bogue Banks.

We also have seen the kills along the Ocracoke beaches where the bluefish terrorized the spots in numbers, driving them up onto the beach in certain death. There have been a few boats along the Intracoastal Waterway near the mouth of the White Oak River, so there have been a few there, but has anyone seen the traditional spot armada surrounding the Emerald Isle bridge, with the Coast Guard and Auxiliary keeping the waterway open? How long has that traditional sight been merely a memory of spots past?

We wonder about “delayed fall season.” Note that the local Bogue Banks stop-net fishery that targets striped mullet,was again delayed to start in mid-October rather than Oct. 1 and has been extended through December again this year.

Speaking of spots, have you stood on Bogue Inlet Pier and looked east lately. It’s so late October that it’s really November, and there was not even one trout fisherman throwing the traditional red head white body or other “fave” MirrOlure (I like the 808) meant for spotted sea trout and also not one angler angling to the speckled trout. No “trout line” so far this year. Indications are that the fish are still held up in good numbers in our backwaters from The Haystacks to the Neuse marches to Emerald Isle and Swansboro to New River. Hurricane Ian may have slowed their progress, and there are still plentiful mullet and shrimp for them and other spotted fish, our red drum aka, spot-tail bass.

Interestingly, I’ve tried lately to fish for specks in some of the local creeks that are sanctuary for overwintering trout, but I’ve had very little success, except for one 17-incher I caught in early October. That’s usually my go-to locations throughout the winter. But if things are merely delayed, there’s plenty of time. But indeed, the surf action of trout and reds is nearly nonexistent except for some gray trout. So, if it’s reds in the surf you crave, I guess Ocracoke is your best option. They should be around Cape Lookout later this fall and winter too.

The surf has had some activity with good catches of pompano, but they are about gone by now, blues and even some shore-adventuring false albacore. The sea mullet are another story. A few weeks ago, they were staging outside of Beaufort Inlet, and there have been catches in the inlet, and one day last week, there was a late afternoon blitz at Bogue Inlet Pier where the fish were way out at the end in kingland.

Some good news – the fall false albacore season has been very good for conventional, spin tackle and fly gear. Surprisingly, there were even a few blackfin tuna showing within two miles of the beach. What a treat. Over the past 10 years or so, we have seen the blackfins showing up both in the spring and sometimes fall within sight of the beach and even a few caught from the ocean fishing piers.

One spring and fall staple of the piers is the northern puffer, the blowfish, whichhave an amazing temperature tolerance from the 40s to the 90s, and they are right on time this year.

Now for some specifics for the piers:

The pier action is slowly heating up with all the Bogue Banks and Topsail piers reporting scattered mixed baits, with trout and pompano showing and a typical cornucopia of fall fish, but a noticeable dearth of fall kings since the hurricane blows that we often see.

Oceanana Pier reports slow fishing with some blues, small pompano, and late last week, specks, reds and sheepshead.

Bogue Inlet Pier had a disappointingly slow week with some puffers, small flounder, some blues and a speck. Kings seem to be 10 to 12 miles offshore.

Seaview Pier reports no kings since Ian, but do have mullet, spots, trout, mainly small grays, especially at night and sheepshead on fiddlers and clams.

Surf City Pier reports Spanish, sea mullet, spots and one slot red.

Jolly Roger Pier reports BIG sea mullet at night, blues and Spanish, spots, puffers and those smallish pompanos.

1) Check me out at www.Facebook.com/Dr.Bogus.

2) Log onto my website at www.ncoif.com. It’s now better than ever.

3) I’m located at 118 Conch Ct. in “Sea Dunes,” just off Coast Guard Road., Emerald Isle, NC 28594. Mailing address is P.O. Box 5225, Emerald Isle, NC 28594. Don’t forget a gift certificate for your favorite angler for fishing lessons or my totally Bogus Fishing Report subscription. Please stop by at any time and say “Hi” (252-354-4905).

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