Wrightsville Beach May 10, 2012
Capt. Jon Huff leaders a large (est. 100+ lbs.) white marlin that angler Tara Avant battled to the boat after it bit a trolling plug in 200 fathoms of water offshore of the Steeples. They were fishing with Keith Avant on the "Salty Squirrel." Photo by Reel Cam Productions.
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are seeing increasing numbers of flounder around the inlets (with some fish to 20”+). Gulp baits on jigheads and live baits on Carolina rigs (or the new Billy Bay Flounder Fanatics) will fool the flatfish.
The red drum bite has been solid on the flats of the lower Cape Fear River and behind the barrier islands from Figure Eight to Topsail. Topwater plugs and soft plastics rigged weedless are the ways to go for the reds.
Sheepshead and black drum are showing up along the bridge and dock pilings and other hard structure in the ICW. Fiddler crabs or sand fleas are hard for both fish to resist.
Surf casters are catching plenty of bluefish and a few spanish mackerel when the water’s clean on small metal casting jigs.
Sea mullet, pompano, and some puppy drum are feeding in the deeper holes along the beachfront, and double-hook rigs baited with shrimp will get attention from all three.
Gray trout and flounder are feeding at nearshore structure just off the beaches, and anglers are hooking both while bouncing bucktails tipped with Gulp baits off the bottom.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been solid lately (with good numbers over 18”). Trolling Clarkspoons and spanish daisy chains has been the most productive tactic with the spaniards.
King mackerel are feeding in good numbers at spots 15-25 miles offshore. Dead cigar minnows are fooling most of the kings, along with false albacore and even a few blackfin tuna.
Cobia are showing up around the wrecks in the same range, and casting bucktail jigs tipped with soft plastic trailers or live baits to fish that anglers see on the surface is the way to hook up with the cobes.
Grouper season is now open, and anglers are catching good numbers of gags in the 20-30 mile range. Gags, reds, and scamps are feeding tighter at structure 40 miles and further offshore. Dead baits like cigar minnows, sardines, and mackerel are producing most of the grouper action, but anglers are also catching some on vertical jigs.
Boats making the run to the Gulf Stream are putting together good catches of blackfin tuna, dolphin, and wahoo. Sailfish have been mixed in, and anglers are also hooking some marlin in deeper water off the break. Ballyhoo under skirted trolling lures are captivating the wahoo, dolphin, and sailfish, while smaller lures like cedar plugs have been tops for the tuna lately. The marlin are taking an interest in larger skirted trolling plugs.
Shedd Hewlett and Mike Sasser, of Wilmington, with a big bull dolphin that bit a blue/green-skirted ballyhoo near the Nipple while they were trolling off Wrightsville Beach with Mike Ward on the "Black Flag."
Jon, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that billfish are showing up in increasing numbers at local Gulf Stream spots, and blue water trollers have seen and hooked sailfish and white and blue marlin in recent weeks. Artificial trolling plugs are fooling most of the marlin, which have been feeding out in deeper water off the break.
There are still plenty of wahoo, tuna, and dolphin feeding along the break, and anglers are hooking those while dragging skirted ballyhoo and artificials.
Some sailfish are mixed in with the other blue water pelagics, and anglers are starting to see a few inside of the break as well.
Bottom fishermen are reporting solid action with gag, red, and scamp grouper at spots in around 100’ of water, with good numbers of gags in closer to the 80’ depths. Live and dead baits on bottom rigs will tempt bites from the grouper.
King mackerel are feeding at spots 10-20 miles out, and dead cigar minnows or live baits (if anglers can find them) are fooling the kings.
Spanish mackerel are still on the feed along the beachfront and out to a few miles offshore, and boats trolling Clarkspoons are catching good numbers.
Inshore, the red drum action remains consistent on the flats from Topsail to the lower Cape Fear River. Topwater plugs, Gulp baits, live baits, and flies will all fool the reds.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that the wahoo bite was on fire (with several double-digit days) in the Gulf Stream before the full moon, and it should improve again as the moon’s effects wane. Plenty of dolphin are also feeding in the blue water, along with a few blackfin tuna. They’ll all bite skirted ballyhoo or a variety of baitless trolling lures.
Bottom fishing in deep water along the break lately has been producing plenty of action with scamp and gag grouper (with gags to 30+ lbs.), red porgies, beeliners, triggerfish, and plenty of other bottom dwellers.
Fishing bottom structure a bit closer to shore, anglers are connecting with gag grouper, hogfish, and more.
Live, dead, and cut baits, along with vertical jigs, will tempt bites from the grouper and other tasty bottomfish.
King mackerel are feeding strong in the 10-30 mile range, where trolling live baits or dead cigar minnows ought to produce bites.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that the king mackerel bite has been solid around the 23 Mile Rock area lately. There are some kings feeding closer to shore, but the bite’s been more consistent out 20+ miles. Dead cigar minnows and Drone spoons are both fooling the kings, with spoons working better in closer to the beach.
Grouper fishing has been a bit tough due to the full moon and abundant and hungry black sea bass, but the fish are feeding at bottom structure from the 10 mile range on out. Live baits will help anglers weed through the sea bass to get to the grouper.
Flounder are feeding around nearshore structure in 30-50’ of water, and bucktail/Gulp combinations are tempting the flatfish to bite.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been good around Masonboro Inlet recently. Trolling 0 and 00-sized Clarkspoons behind planers has been producing plenty of action with the spanish (and lots of bluefish), and gold spoons have been the most effective.
Jordan Goins, of Reidsville, NC, cradles a citation gag grouper that bit a dead sardine at some structure 18 miles off Wrightsville Beach while he was fishing with Capt. Lynn Perry of Shearwater Charters.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that dolphin are making a solid showing in the Gulf Stream, and anglers caught good numbers of gaffers last week while trolling ballyhoo under sea witches in the blue water.
King mackerel have been moving closer to the beaches, with good action in the 20 mile range last week. Both Drone spoons and sea witch/cigar minnow combos have been tempting bites from the kings.
Gag grouper are abundant on bottom structure in the 20 mile range as well, and dropping bottom rigs baited with dead sardines or other baits is the way to connect with the gags.
The spanish mackerel bite has been on around Masonboro Inlet lately, with some of the best action not far offshore. Clarkspoons trolled behind planers are top spanish mackerel producers.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish have been taking an interest in Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier when the water’s been clean lately.
Some chopper bluefish and a 17 lb. king mackerel fell for live baits on king rigs off the end of the pier last week.
Bottom fishermen are hooking some sea mullet at night on cut baits.
The water is 74 degrees.
