Topsail/Sneads Ferry – September 2025
Jerry, of East Coast Sports, reports that inshore anglers have been seeing a mix of red drum, speckled trout, and flounder. The mullet are starting to move around a bunch, and this should only help to fire up the inshore fishing action.
Out in the surf, sea mullet have made up most of the catches.
The local piers have been landing some spanish mackerel, and there’s been some tarpon caught in the past month.
Nearshore action in general has been light, but spanish mackerel are showing up.
Anglers running offshore have been picking up some wahoo on the troll.
Those bottom fishing have been mostly keyed in on vermilion snapper.
Ray, of Spring Tide Guide Service, reports that the red drum fishing has really fired up, especially when fishing topwater plugs and gold spoons. A lot of this improved action is likely due to the slight drop in temperatures matched with a run of NE winds. Anglers are having success moving down the ICW and fishing creek mouths and little pockets along the shoreline.
Cut menhaden can generate some action on those days that the artificial bite isn’t working (or if water temperatures ramp back up).
Another red drum tip is to focus on finding clean water that is holding bait. Around the inlets is a great place to start looking.
While using these red drum tactics, keeper speckled trout are making a showing. The trout bite only gets better in September as they start to move towards their usual fall holes.
Spanish mackerel continue to show up just off the beach, but the numbers haven’t been good all year. Trolling has been the best tactic due to the fish being so scattered.
Anglers are catching sheepshead around bridges and deep oyster structure.
Kevin Shaw, of Huntersville, NC, caught this 25″ speckled trout in the New River on a MirrOlure She Pup. He was fishing with Capt. Allen Jernigan of Breadman Ventures Guide Service.
Ricky, of Speckled Specialist Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite has been strong. Most of the trout action is being found in the Sneads Ferry area by focusing on oyster beds or reefs both shallow and deep. Throwing topwaters, such as Heddon Spook Jrs. (in white or chartreuse), is having success early in the day, with the soft plastic bite being the better option throughout the rest of the day. Pure Flats Slick Jr. soft plastics in their peppermint or pink color patterns have been some of the more successful baits.
It’s also the time of year when anglers start to fish live shrimp under slip corks. Some unfavorable species are still around and taking interest, but a black drum may also take to the shrimp. When the black drum can get to the shrimp, the class of fish is often in the 4-5 lb. range.
Scattered red drum are around, and they’re striking at just about anything used to target trout.
Joe, of Atlantic Sportfishing, reports that bottom fishing has been strong, including a good mix of vermilion snapper, black sea bass, and even some triggerfish all inside the 100’ mark.
Mahi fishing can be good in this same area, if you can find a pocket of fish over structure or under grass/flotsam.
Gul Stream trips have been producing blackfin tuna, wahoo, and a bigger class of mahi. With fall getting closer, anglers will see some bigger wahoo showing up (and in better numbers).
Taylor, of South End Adventures, reports that spanish mackerel fishing has finally started to pick back up along the beaches.
Getting further out, nearshore trolling has been slow, with no kings and very few mahi being found inside of 25 miles.
Moving into September, anglers are anticipating the king mackerel to move back in closer to the beach to take advantage of bait as it leaves the inlets.
Bottom fishing has been fair, with a bunch of gag grouper releases being found in the 12-25 mile range.
Jake Schuster, of Philadelphia, PA, with a 30” red drum caught in the North Topsail area on a piece of cut mullet.
Robin, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that bottom fishing anglers are doing well. Croakers, red drum, and Virginia mullet have made up the majority of catches, with spot and sheepshead likely to be mixed in (especially when water conditions are clean).
Anglers on the pier early in the morning or at night are catching speckled trout.
Live bait off the end was enticing a few tarpon to hit before the big storm, and hopefully the tarpon will return with cleaner water.
King mackerel should be making a showing very soon.
Fishing live baits will likely produce a flatfish or two.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that bottom fishing anglers are finding croakers, bluefish, and sea mullet.
Speckled trout are around, with the early or late hours seeing the better bite.
Sight-casting, especially with the cleaner water, is hooking spanish mackerel (to 4 lbs.), bluefish, and jacks.
King mackerel will soon be making a showing.
Joseph, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are catching spanish mackerel and bluefish while sight-casting during the day.
At night, black drum and speckled trout are the main catches.
Anglers fishing live bait on king rigs have been seeing large spanish mackerel and the occasional tarpon.
The pier had a 34 lb. king mackerel caught, and anglers on the end look forward to the action picking up as these fish make their push to the beachfronts.
