Wrightsville Beach July 7, 2011
Allie Phillips with her first red drum, an upper-slot fish that fell for a live mud minnow near Topsail Island while she was fishing with Capt. Lee Parsons of Gottafly Charters.
Chip, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers have been finding some dolphin within 25 miles of the beaches recently. A few sailfish are working their way into the same areas, and both will take an interest in live baits or rigged ballyhoo.
The sailfish and white marlin bite went off in the Gulf Stream for a few days last week, with several boats releasing 5+ of the billfish while trolling dredge teasers and naked ballyhoo. The best action was in 100-120 fathoms.
The king mackerel bite is still a bit off. Boats are catching a few, but they’ve been scattered from the nearshore spots on out towards the break.
Bottom fishermen have found action with gag grouper within 20 miles of the beaches lately, mostly while dropping live baits.
Red and scamp groupers and plenty of other bottomfish are feeding at structure 30+ miles off the inlets. Live and cut baits and vertical jigs are solid choices in the deeper water.
Spanish mackerel are feeding in the inlets and just off the beaches, and trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and trolling weights is the way to tempt them to bite.
Inshore, the flounder and red drum fishing in solid in the inlets and around structure like ICW docks. Live baits and Gulps will fool both fish into biting.
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that Gulf Stream trollers found a solid white marlin and sailfish bite in 100 fathoms and deeper right off Wrightsville Beach last week. Trolling dredge and squid chain teasers and small “dink” ballyhoo is the way to hookup with the sails and whites.
Good numbers of dolphin and some wahoo and blackfin tuna are feeding in the blue water and falling for ballyhoo as well.
Some king mackerel have been caught from the beaches out to the 30-40 mile areas over the past week, mostly by anglers trolling dead cigar minnows and live menhaden.
Bottom fishing has been good lately, and anglers are connecting with grouper (red, gag, and scamp), hogfish, and a variety of smaller bottom feeders around structure 30-40 miles off the inlets. Live baits are top choices for the bigger grouper, but cut and dead baits and vertical jigs will all produce results as well.
George Brinson, of Wilmington, caught this cobia while flounder fishing 8 miles off Wrightsville Beach with his children Sarah Kate and Fisher. A bucktail tipped with a Gulp shrimp fooled the fish.
Spanish mackerel are feeding in the inlets and along the beaches. Trolling Clarkspoons or casting small metal lures around diving birds and fish feeding on the surface is the way to connect with the spanish.
Inshore, red drum are feeding in the bays, on the flats, and around docks and other structure in the ICW. Topwater plugs, Gulp baits, and a variety of other lures and baits will fool the reds.
Flounder are also feeding around ICW docks and in the inlets, and small live menhaden and finger mullet or Gulp baits will get their attention.
The sheepshead bite is still solid around dock and bridge pilings and other hard structure in the ICW. Fiddler crabs are top baits for the sheeps.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that the amberjack fishing around structure in the 10 mile range remains solid. Live menhaden are difficult for the jacks to pass up.
King mackerel are feeding in some of the same areas, but they’ve been somewhat tricky to locate this season. Slow-trolling live baits or speeding up with dead cigar minnows will help anglers find the feeding fish.
Black sea bass and some grouper are feeding at bottom structure 10-15 miles out. Squid and cut baits or small vertical jigs will fool the bass. Live baits, cut baits, or whole dead fish are solid choices for the grouper.
There’s been good spanish mackerel action just off the beaches in 25-30’ of water recently, and trolled Clarkspoons have been putting the fish in the boat.
Rick, of Rod-Man Charters, reports that anglers are catching solid numbers of spanish mackerel between Wrightsville and Carolina Beach in 25-45’ of water just off the shoreline. Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers or casting small metal jigs at fish feeding on the surface is the way to connect with the spanish.
Flounder fishing is still good in the inlets on rising tides, and live menhaden or finger mullet will tempt bites from the flatfish.
Inshore, docks along the ICW are producing plenty of action with red drum, and like the flounder, they’ll have a hard time turning down live finger mullet or menhaden.
Shaun and Cole Raynor, of Wilmington, with a 26" red drum that fell for a live mud minnow in Motts Channel.
Tim, of Fishin’ Days Sportfishing, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been excellent off Masonboro Inlet lately. The boat has limited out or come close on every trip recently while trolling Clarkspoons.
Offshore bottom fishing has been productive lately, producing grunts, snappers, grouper, black sea bass, and more.
Some dolphin and sailfish have pushed in from the Gulf Stream and are feeding 15-30 miles out. Rigged ballyhoo will get their attention.
More sails are around in the Gulf Stream, along with some blue and white marlin.
Mike, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that some upper to over-slot red drum have been biting Gulps and cut and live baits under the pier recently.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with some spot, sea mullet, and small flounder on shrimp.
Bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs and other lures worked from the pier.
Plenty of sheepshead are feeding around the pilings, but few people have been fishing for them.
The water is 82 degrees.
