Wrightsville Beach July 21, 2011
Griffin Kiger with a 47" barracuda that struck a live bluefish under a balloon five miles off Wrightsville Beach while he was fishing with Gary Kiger on the "Old Reddy Drum."
Chip of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking up with some sailfish and dolphin from the 20 mile range on out to the break. Live baits and dead cigar minnows or ballyhoo will tempt bites from both.
Bottom fishermen are finding some action with gag grouper at spots from 15 miles on offshore. Red and scamp groupers are feeding a bit further from land (30+ miles). Plenty of smaller bottom feeders like black sea bass, grunts, pinkies, and more are feeding in the same areas. Live and dead baits and vertical jigs will fool the groupers. Smaller cut baits and pieces of squid on bottom rigs or small jigs will take care of business with the smaller fish.
Closer to the beaches, the spanish mackerel bite is still good. Trolling Clarkspoons or spanish daisies in clean water around the inlets and just offshore is the way to find the spaniards. If they’re feeding actively, casting metal jigs like Shore Lures will also tempt them to bite. Plenty of bluefish are mixed in with the spanish.
Large sharks are feeding just off the beaches, with more action down south. Cut baits will produce fast action if the apex predators are in the area.
Inshore, red drum and flounder fishing along the ICW has been excellent lately. Live baits like finger mullet or scented soft plastics like Gulps will fool both fish. Docks, creekmouths, and other inshore structure are some of the best places to target.
Increasing numbers of speckled trout are being reported by inshore fishermen from Wrightsville down to the Cape Fear River. Live baits and soft plastic shrimp imitations are fooling the specks.
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that there are still good numbers of sailfish and dolphin (most smaller, but some gaffers mixed in) feeding well inshore of the Stream, with good action reported around 23 Mile Rock last week. Ballyhoo, cigar minnows, and live baits will attract attention from the ‘phins and sails.
More and larger dolphin are feeding in the Gulf Stream, along with some wahoo and decent numbers of white marlin and sailfish. A few blue marlin are in the area as well. All of the Gulf Stream predators will take an interest in skirted and naked ballyhoo.
King mackerel fishing is getting somewhat better, and anglers are finding a few kings feeding at a variety of offshore spots in the area. The Cucumber was hosting the most consistent fishing last week, and live menhaden or dead cigar minnows will fool the kings.
Bottom fishermen are reporting decent grouper action at spots from the 15-20 mile range on offshore. Live baits and vertical jigs are the best choices for the larger groupers.
Anglers are finding some good flounder fishing at structure within five miles of the inlets. Live baits or bucktails tipped with Gulps will attract attention from the flatfish.
Erin, Rick, and Matt Ketner with a sailfish Rick fought to a clean release after it fell for a green trolling lure near the Schoolhouse while they were fishing with Matt Best.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding in the inlet and just offshore. Trolled Clarkspoons will tempt plenty of bites from both.
Inshore, the red drum action is still solid around ICW docks and the marshy flats. Topwater plugs, live baits, and soft plastics like Big Bite shrimp are fooling the drum.
Sheepshead are feeding near bridge and dock pilings inshore. Dangling fiddler crabs near the structure is the way to go for the sheeps.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that bottom fishing around structure in the 40-50 mile range has been producing action with red grouper (many around 20 lbs.) and good numbers of other bottom feeders. Live and dead baits will tempt bites from the grouper.
Closer to the beaches, the spanish mackerel bite has been solid for anglers trolling Clarkspoons, spanish daisies, and other small, flashy lures.
Flounder and some larger (30”+) red drum are feeding at nearshore structure. Both will pounce on live finger mullet or menhaden.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers found some action with dolphin 10-15 miles off the beach last week. Dead cigar minnows produced most of the bites.
Amberjacks are feeding at structure from a few miles offshore on out, but they were a bit tough to get to bite last week.
Spanish mackerel trolling along the beaches is still going strong. Clarkspoons are fooling the lion’s share of the spanish.
Large sharks are feeding in the same areas as the mackerel, and cut baits will tempt them to bite.
Rick, of Rod-Man Charters, reports that red drum are feeding beneath docks in the ICW. Live finger mullet and smaller menhaden will attract their attention.
There’s been good flounder fishing in the creeks lately (but many fish are on the small side). Gulp baits have been doing most of the damage on the flounder.
Spanish mackerel are feeding off the beaches and inlets, with the best action in around 40’ of water last week. Trolled Clarkspoons are tempting the spaniards to bite.
Grace Haley, of Chapel Hill, NC, with a 24" red drum that bit a finger mullet in the surf off Figure Eight Island.
Tim, of Fishin’ Days Sportfishing, reports that there’s been decent action with dolphin (some smaller slingers with some larger fish mixed in) around the 15-20 mile range lately. Decent numbers of sailfish are feeding in the same areas, and both will bite rigged ballyhoo.
More dolphin and sails are feeding out towards the edge of the Gulf Stream, and a few wahoo are mixed in.
Nick, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are catching a lot of sea mullet on shrimp and sand fleas from the pier.
Some red drum are also falling for the fleas.
Small live baits fished on the bottom are producing action with flounder.
Plug casters are hooking bluefish and some spanish mackerel on Gotchas.
Live baiters landed several barracuda and hooked some tarpon last week.
The water is 84 degrees.
