Wrightsville Beach May 24, 2007
Chris, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that Gulf Stream fishing has been incredible when boats can make it out. Yellowfins, wahoo, and dolphin are all on the feed, along with a few billfish.
Most of the tuna have been running 35-50 lbs. lately, with a few brutes of up to 75 lbs. around as well. Wahoo are a variety of sizes, with some fish 60+ lbs. The tuna and wahoo bite has been best to the north, between the Swansboro Hole and the Same Ol’.
Some blue marlin have been reported in the same area.
Further south around the Steeples, dolphin are dominating the catch. Skirted ballyhoo are the baits of choice for all these blue water battlers.
The grouper bite has been hottest in the 30 mile range. Reds are the dominant species, but some gags and scamps are there as well.
The kings are in the 30-35 mile area as well, especially around the Red and White. The kings are so thick that bottom fishermen are having difficulty getting baits to the seafloor without a king attack.
Cobia fishing is getting better, and fish have been sighted around Mercer’s Pier. Warmer weather will put the cobia on the feed at the jetties and the sea buoy.
The Liberty Ship is playing host to plenty of 2-3 lb. spanish mackerel.
Big chopper bluefish are feeding in the inlets, on the beach, and around the pier. They’re falling for live baits and Gotcha plugs
Flounder are moving inshore, but fishing is still best in the inlets, as most of the fish haven’t worked back into the creeks yet.
Inshore, the rising water temperature has gotten the red drum active enough to hit topwaters.
The speckled trout bite is petering out, but there are still a few around the area, mostly to the north.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel are feeding from the Liberty Ship to John’s Creek. They can often be tempted to strike by casting lures like plugs and jigs; however, if the spanish are finicky, a Clark spoon trolled behind a planer will get bites when seemingly nothing else will. There are still a few bonito mixed with the spanish.
Bottom fishing around the Liberty Ship has been productive on tomtates, croakers, sea bass, and even some triggerfish. Drop squid on two hook bottom rigs for best results with the bottom fish.
Cobia have begun to move inshore, and some have already been caught at the Masonboro Sea Buoy.
The king bite has been red hot at the School House. The most effective trolling baits recently have been cigar minnows on Hank Brown rigs.
Inshore, there has been a good bite of red drum and flounder in the creeks behind Figure Eight Island.
Mike, of Corona Daze Charters, reports that before the NE winds came on strong, king mackerel were on spots in the 10-15 mile range. Clown colored Yo-Zuri Deep Divers and cigar minnows were producing well on the kings.
Anglers caught several cobia while king fishing, presenting baits to curious cobia checking out the boat. The cobia were responding well to cigar minnows.
Dolphin will continue to move inshore of the Gulf Stream to the 30 mile area as the water warms back up.
Inshore, the trout have moved to the Cape Fear River and up to Topsail. Some smaller red drum have been biting in creeks off the ICW between Topsail and Wrightsville Beach.
Randy, at Cutting Edge Charters, reports that big numbers of chopper bluefish are feeding between the Masonboro Jetties and Mercer’s Pier. The blues are some of the largest seen in area waters over the past few years (from 8 to 16 lbs.).
The most exciting way to catch these tough fighters is by casting big topwater plugs near the rocks and the wall at Masonboro Inlet. Higher tides in the evening are the prime time to target the bluefish.
Along with the blues, cobia are starting to make an appearance around the jetties. Fish up to 60 lbs. have already been sighted.
Ladyfish are also hanging around Masonboro Inlet, and they will eagerly strike soft plastic grubs and other lures.
The speckled trout bite has been decent in the lower part of the Cape Fear River (south of Snow’s Cut).
A few flounder are around and hungry, but the flounder bite hasn’t gotten really hot yet. The jetty wall, creeks, and bays behind Masonboro Island are producing some flatfish, and peanut pogies have been the bait of choice, as finger mullet haven’t shown up yet.
Henry, at Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that bluefish have been providing most of the rod bending action off the pier over the past week. Blues from snapper size up to 11 lb. choppers have been hitting Gotcha plugs and bottom rigs. When the water clears up, some spanish mackerel have been mixed with the blues.
The water at the pier is 69.9 degrees.
