Topsail May 30, 2013
Wilma Gohsler with a 3.39 lb. spanish mackerel that bit a Yo-Zuri plug outside New River Inlet while she was fishing with her husband Bob.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that the Gulf Stream has been hot lately. Boats making the run are returning with solid catches of wahoo (some to 60+ lbs. lately) and dolphin (most gaffers). Both are taking an interest in skirted ballyhoo.
King mackerel have shown up in the 30 mile range, and anglers managed to put together some decent catches last week while trolling dead cigar minnows.
Grouper fishing remains solid at bottom structure between 20 miles out and the Gulf Stream (with gags in closer and gag, red, and scamp groupers in the deeper water). Live baits, dead cigar minnows, sardines, and mackerel, as well as a variety of other offerings, will tempt the grouper to bite. Plenty of black sea bass (open to harvest June 1) are in the same areas and even closer to shore. Cut baits, squid, and small vertical jigs are tough for the bass to turn down.
Plenty of pods of menhaden are moving along the beachfront, and good numbers of cobia have been swimming along with them. Casting bucktails jigs with large curlytail trailers around the bait has been producing hookups with the cobes.
Boats trolling just off the beachfront are connecting with good numbers of spanish mackerel on Clarkspoons, diving plugs, and small daisy chains.
A few Atlantic bonito were caught nearshore this past week, but they’re likely about gone for the season.
Jen King, of Deep Run, NC, with a 3 lb. black drum that bit shrimp in the surf at Topsail Beach.
Plug casters are catching big numbers of bluefish and a few spanish mackerel while working Gotchas and diamond jigs from the piers.
Sheepshead have shown up around the ocean piers and inshore (big numbers inshore). Live fiddler crabs and sand fleas are prime baits for the sheeps.
Some chopper bluefish are roving the inshore waters around Topsail and will attack virtually anything that anglers can cast to them.
The red drum bite is still strong in the bays and marshes off the ICW and New River. Topwater plugs, Gulps and other soft plastics, and live and cut baits will all fool the reds.
Not many anglers have been chasing speckled trout lately, but there has been a decent bite in the creeks for those who have.
Flounder giggers are connecting with some solid numbers of big fish, but the hook and line bite is still a bit slow. It’s time for it to improve, however, and Gulp baits or live mud minnows and menhaden will fool the flatfish.
Surf casters are hooking some citation-class sea mullet and pompano on shrimp and sand fleas, with a few black drum mixed in.
Red drum are feeding around the shoals at Topsail Inlet, where anglers can tempt them to bite finger mullet, cut baits, and gold spoons when the water’s clear.
Tim, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are hooking bluefish and a few spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs from the planks.
Ryan Tillman, of Calypso, NC, with a citation 6.2 lb. spanish mackerel that bit a silver diamond jig off New River Inlet.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with some black drum, pompano, and a few spot on shrimp.
Ed, of Surf City Pier, reports that bluefish have been the big news lately, with big numbers coming over the rails for anglers working Gotcha plugs. A few spanish mackerel have been mixed in (with some to 3+ lbs.).
Some flounder (with keepers to 2 lbs. in the mix) are taking an interest in small live baits under the pier.
Bottom fishermen are hooking a few sea mullet at night on shrimp, but the bite is slowing down.
Josh, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that bluefish and some fat spanish mackerel are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs that anglers are working from the planks.
Some sheepshead are feeding around the pier and biting sand fleas.
Pompano and black drum are taking an interest in shrimp and sand fleas on bottom rigs.
Bottom fishermen are also catching a few sea mullet and spot at night on shrimp.
