Added on Thursday, June 4, 2009  Fish Post

Wrightsville Beach June 4, 2009

Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the dolphin bite is still on fire in the Gulf Stream, with boats up and down the break hauling back big catches of gaffers. Trolled ballyhoo are the top baits. Boats trolling the stream also hooked some big wahoo and saw some sailfish last week.

Red and gag grouper are feeding at structure 30-40 miles off the beaches, and they will take an interest in cigar minnows, cut baits, and live baits or vertical jigs.

King mackerel are spread out from nearshore areas to around 40 miles offshore. Live baits are the best bet for the kings, but they’ll also take an interest in dead cigar minnows or Yo-Zuri Deep Divers.

Anglers have seen a number of cobia nearshore recently, and a few have finally been caught as close in as the Masonboro jetties. Live baits, dead baits, and bucktails or other jigging lures will fool the cobia.

Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still attacking Clarkspoons and other lures that boats are trolling along the beachfront, and anglers have caught some fat spanish (up to 5+ lbs.) while casting metal lures into the schools recently.

Chopper bluefish have invaded the surf, the inlets, inshore channels, and the marshes, and anglers should have little trouble hooking them on the same baits and lures they’re casting for flounder and red drum.

The flounder bite is finally on just about everywhere, but anglers are still having to weed through a number of short fish to get to the keepers. Live mud minnows, finger mullet, or pogies on Carolina-rigs are the top flatfish producers, but they’ll also take an interest in Gulp baits.

 

Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that boats are still hooking all the gaffer dolphin they want up and down the break. Excellent reports especially came from the Same Ol’ last week. Some fat wahoo and a few yellowfins have been accompanying the dolphin, and boats also saw some white marlin last week. The blue marlin bite is still on up around Morehead, too.

Bottom fishermen are finding action with keeper grouper at structure as close as 8 miles off the inlet. Bottom rigs baited with cigar minnows, false albacore chunks, and other baits will produce grouper bites.

Good reports of cobia and king mackerel action are coming from the nearshore spots off Southport.

There are good numbers of red drum working the marshes behind Figure Eight Island. Anglers can hook them on topwaters or Gulp baits.

The flounder bite is in full effect, and anglers found some double digit catches last week.

 

Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers found some hungry king mackerel off New River Inlet near Christmas Rock last week. Trolling Yo-Zuri Deep Divers and dead cigar minnows will fool the kings. Some dolphin are in the same vicinity, and they should fall for the same tactics.

There’s still a solid spanish mackerel and bluefish bite going on along the beachfront, and small Clarkspoons trolled behind planers are certified spanish killers.

Larger chopper blues are feeding in the inlets, and they will fall for a variety of baits and lures.

 

Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that dolphin are the big story right now, with boats catching them from 15-20 miles on out to the break, and from Wrightsville to north of Morehead. Trolling skirted ballyhoo is the most productive technique for the ‘phins, but anglers can also hook them while vertical jigging.

 

Danny, of 96 Charter Company, reports that there are still some stripers feeding in the river. Casting topwaters or swimbaits will give anglers their best shot at strikes. Some large gar are also feeding in the river near downtown Wilmington.

Offshore, dolphin are moving closer to the beaches every day, and anglers found an excellent gaffer bite around the Schoolhouse last week while trolling plugs.

 

Ken, of Swell Rider Charters, reports that the bottom bite’s been good lately 30-40 miles off the inlet. Anglers are hooking up with a variety of bottom feeders including red, gag, and scamp groupers, beeliners, triggerfish, sea bass, and more. Cut mackerel and cigar minnows are producing most of the bottomfish action.

Dolphin are feeding in the same areas, and anglers are catching them while trolling and on light lines while bottom fishing.

 

Rob, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that plug casters are still catching good numbers of spanish mackerel (with some to 4.5 lbs.) and bluefish. A 15 lb. cobia also fell for a Gotcha plug last week.

Anglers are also picking up a few flounder on Gotcha plugs, and more on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.

Bottom fishermen are also hooking good numbers of whiting at night and some black drum and small hammerhead sharks.