Wrightsville Beach May 27, 2010
Jessica Beatty, of Charlotte, NC, with her first cobia. She hooked the 45 lb. fish on a ballyhoo behind a pink South Chatham Tackle Pirate Plug at the John D. Gill while fishing with Jared Cranford on the "Blood Vessel."
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been good up and down the beaches and on out to about the 5 mile range. Anglers are catching most of the fish while trolling Clarkspoons and other lures, but a few larger ones (5+ lbs.) are falling for small live baits.
Flounder are beginning to feed at nearshore structure within 10 miles of the beaches, and anglers are hooking them while bouncing Gulp-tipped bucktails off the bottom.
King mackerel have been reported everywhere from the beaches to the 30 mile range. The typical fish are larger the further anglers get offshore, but a few particularly big ones (40+ lbs.) have been caught between the beaches and the 5 mile areas. Live pogies and dead cigar minnows are producing most of the action with the kings.
Like the kings, cobia have been seen from the beaches on out to offshore structure. Anglers can cast bucktails or live baits to tempt them to bite.
Bottom fishermen have found solid gag grouper action (with fish to 20 lbs.) at structure in around 80’ of water recently. Live and dead baits have proven the most effective on the gags.
Red and scamp grouper are feeding at structure a bit further from land, with more action and larger fish the further boats get offshore. The bite has been much better to the south than the north lately. Live and dead baits and vertical jigs are fooling the fish.
A few dolphin have begun to work their way into the 30-40 mile range, and they’ll be pushing even closer to the beaches as spring gives way to summer. Live and dead baits will attract attention from the dolphin.
Gulf Stream trolling has been producing action with dolphin and a few billfish lately, mostly for anglers dragging skirted ballyhoo.
Vertically jigging in the blue water has been effective for African pompano, several species of grouper, amberjacks, and more.
Mark Johnson with a pair of king mackerel he hooked on a solo trip to the 5 Mile Boxcars. The smaller fish fell for a live pogy and the larger one attacked a Yo-Zuri Deep Diver.
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that the bluefish and spanish mackerel bite along the beaches has been stellar lately. Anglers are catching the fish while trolling Clarkspoons and casting metal jigs to breaking fish.
The king mackerel bite has been good 5+ miles out recently, and some dolphin and a sailfish have already been reported inside of 10 miles. Slow-trolling live baits will fool the kings, dolphin, and any sail that anglers are lucky enough to encounter.
Anglers bottom fishing at structure 25+ miles from the inlet are hooking up with some grouper, sea bass, pinkies, grunts, and a variety of other bottom feeders.
Gulf Stream trollers are finding decent dolphin action in the blue water, with a few wahoo in the mix as well. Ballyhoo under skirted trolling lures are producing most of the action.
The flounder and red drum bite has been on in the inlets and the surf, and anglers are hooking both on cut baits and Gulp shrimp.
Flounder fishing has been excellent in the Cape Fear River near Snow’s Cut recently, and anglers are hooking most of the river flatfish on live pogies.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that there’s been a decent king mackerel bite 20-25 miles offshore lately, with live and dead cigar minnows producing most of the action. Amberjacks are feeding in the same areas.
Gulf Stream trips have been producing good numbers of dolphin and a few wahoo while trolling.
Dropping jigs to the bottom in the stream has proven effective on African pompano, yellowmouth grouper, amberjacks, and a host of other species lately.
Alice Gaylord with her first red drum, a 29" fish she hooked in a creek north of Wrightsville Beach.
Danny, of 96 Charter Company, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been excellent along the beaches lately. Most of the fish are falling for trolled Clarkspoons and diving plugs.
Some cobia are in the same areas, so anglers should be on the lookout for a brown shadow investigating the boat and have something prepared to cast.
Mike, of Corona Daze Charters, reports that the red drum bite is solid inshore around docks, creeks, and on the shallow flats. Gulp baits and live peanut pogies are producing the lion’s share of the action with the reds.
Good numbers of flounder are mixed in with the reds (with anglers landing fish to 4 lbs. recently).
Off the beaches, the spanish mackerel bite has been excellent around schools of pogies within a few miles of shore. Trolling green flash Clarkspoons has been the ticket to spanish bites lately.
The king mackerel bite has been excellent at spots in the 15-25 mile range recently. Anglers are landing most of the kings while slow-trolling live pogies.
A few dolphin are starting to work their way into the same areas, and speeding up to troll with ballyhoo will produce bites from the ‘phins.
Rob, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that fishing at the pier broke wide open last week when the water temperature jumped from 68-76 in the course of 24 hours. Live baiters fishing from the end of the pier landed several barracuda, a cobia, and a king mackerel, and they also saw several more cobia that refused to take baits.
Plug casters have been catching plenty of spanish mackerel, and, interestingly, the bite’s been on after dark as well.
Some fat (to 3+ lbs.) pompano are also falling for Gotcha plugs worked from the planks.
Bottom fishermen are decking good numbers of flounder (most still undersized) and a few whiting.
The sheepshead bite is on as well, and anglers caught good numbers of the striped fish while dangling clams next to the pilings last week.
