Wrightsville Beach August 13, 2009
Sarah Brownlee and Tania Atwood with their first flounders. They hooked the flatties on Gulp baits and cut shrimp around docks in Pages Creek.
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the flounder bite is still solid inshore around the inlets, the creeks, and the marshes. Anglers are also starting to find good numbers of quality flatties on the nearshore reefs and other structure. Live finger mullet or peanut pogies will fool the flatties, and anglers can also hook up on Gulp baits.
Red drum are feeding in many of the same areas and on the backwater flats behind Wrightsville, Figure Eight, and Topsail. They’ll fall for live baits and Gulps, too, and topwater plugs will also attract some attention from the reds.
Bridge and dock pilings and other rocky structure in the area are holding good numbers of sheepshead. Fiddler crabs and other crustacean baits are tops for the sheeps.
Off the beaches, the spanish mackerel bite is picking back up now that the water’s starting to clear after last week’s blow. Trolling Clarkspoons or Yo-Zuri Deep Divers will fool the spanish.
Kings have returned to feeding along the beaches around schools of pogies and the inlet tide lines, as well as near structure from the beaches to well offshore. Live pogies are the best baits for the larger kings.
Plenty of big sharks are feeding outside the inlets and around shrimp boats working the area. Anglers can tempt the sharks to bite with cut and dead baits.
The dolphin bite has pushed offshore a bit, but boats are still hooking decent numbers around 23 Mile Rock, WR4, the 30/30, and other spots in the 20 mile range. Live pogies or dead baits like cigar minnows will fool the ‘phins.
Some sailfish are in the same areas as the dolphin, and they should fall for the same baits.
African pompano have moved into the area around Frying Pan Tower. Live baits will catch the pomps.
Boats making the run to the Gulf Stream have found decent wahoo fishing and decent numbers of billfish lately.
Robbie Trask, of Hampstead, NC, with a dolphin that fell for a live pogy on 10 lb. tackle while he was fishing near 23 Mile Rock on the "Hotsam."
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that the flounder bite is still excellent inshore and at structure just off the beaches. Gulp baits and Carolina-rigged live baits will fool the flatties into biting.
Anglers are finding good numbers of red drum inshore as well. The action’s been best in the marshes and creeks, where anglers are hooking good numbers of the reds on topwater plugs and Gulp baits.
Boaters reported several sailfish releases within 10 miles of the beaches last week.
More sails and good numbers of king mackerel and dolphin are coming from spots 20-25 miles offshore. Live and dead baits are fooling all three species.
Danny, of 96 Charter Company, reports that some large sharks are feeding just off the inlets and beaches. Anglers are drawing them to the boat while chumming, and they’re hooking the fish on pogies and other baits.
Spanish mackerel have begun to move back into the area since the water has cleared up and the bait’s returned.
Inshore, there’s been some good action in the lower Cape Fear River with red drum, speckled trout, and flounder. Topwater plugs are fooling some of the drum and trout, and live baits and soft plastics are fooling all three fish.
Joey Warren and Paul Wolff, of Scotts Hill, NC, with sheepshead they caught near the Figure 8 Island Bridge on fiddler crabs.
Ken, of Swell Rider Sportfishing, reports that anglers are still finding an excellent grouper bite in the 30-35 mile range when the wind allows them to make it that far. Fishing at bottom structure in that area is producing action with gag, red, and scamp grouper. Sardines, cigar minnows, and Boston mackerel baits are all drawing them to strike.
The inshore grouper bite has been solid at ledges 10-20 miles out of Masonboro, where anglers are hooking gags on all the above baits. Hammered diamond jigs have also been attracting the gags’ attention.
Small dolphin are still scattered throughout the 10-35 mile range, and anglers are hooking a few while light-lining and bottom fishing.
Mike, of Corona Daze Charters, reports that there have been some big king mackerel (20-25 lbs.) feeding at spots 15-20 miles off the beaches. Live pogies are fooling most of the kings.
Inshore, good numbers of red drum are feeding in the marshes, and anglers can draw strikes from the reds on topwater plugs.
Matt, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers have been catching some speckled and gray trout from the pier while bottom fishing at night.
Some keeper flounder and red drum are falling for live baits fished on the bottom.
Bottom fishermen baiting up with shrimp are also decking some spot and whiting.
Plug casters have been finding decent action with spanish mackerel in the mornings and evenings while working Gotcha plugs.
Live baiters landed several king mackerel last week (with the largest going 30 lbs.).
The water is 81 degrees.
