Topsail June 28, 2007
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf anglers are landing whiting and pompano while fishing with shrimp and sand fleas. Red drum are feeding on the beach at night, and anglers are landing them by fishing cut baits on bottom rigs. Bluefish and ladyfish are also in the surf taking cut baits.
Inshore, good numbers of flounder are on the feed, but many are undersized. Anglers have landed a few fish up to 5 lbs. over the past week, though. Carolina-rigged mud minnows or Gulp baits are the way to hook up with the flounder.
Red drum are feeding in the creeks, particularly Virginia Creek and Becky’s Creek. Anglers looking for drum should cast Gulp baits for best results.
Trout fishing has been somewhat slow except in the New River, where anglers are hooking specks on pink shine Gulp Jerk Shads.
Spanish mackerel and small kings are chasing bait just outside the inlet. Trolled Clarkspoons and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers will get strikes from both fish, and anglers need to be sure to positively identify any fish they plan to keep.
Around AR355 and AR362, boats are catching good numbers of kings (from 12-20 lbs.). These kings will hit Clarkspoons and Deep Divers as well, but anglers should use larger sizes appropriate to the size of the fish. Dead cigar minnows will also draw plenty of king mackerel strikes.
Big amberjacks (up to 80 lbs.) have invaded the artificial reefs and other structure. For a back-busting battle, hook up with the AJ’s on butterfly jigs.
Dolphin are holding 15+ miles offshore, with good catches coming from Christmas Rock. They’ll hit live baits and cigar minnows.
Sailfish are mixed in with dolphin and kings around structure and schools of bait, and they will take live baits, cigar minnows, or ballyhoo.
Dolphin and wahoo are still feeding in the Gulf Stream. Skirted ballyhoo will take both species.
Concentrations of grouper are located 15 miles and further offshore.
Ricky, of Speckled Specialist Fishing Charters, reports that speckled trout fishing in the New River is excellent. The fish are coming on soft plastics like Billy Bay Halo and Storm Wildeye shrimp imitations.
Red drum have also been on the feed, both in the ocean and inshore. The reds are aggressive and more than happy to strike topwater lures, making for explosive surface action.
Ed, of Surf City Pier, reports that spot and pompano are rewarding bottom fishermen’s efforts. Shrimp and bloodworms are both good baits, and the pompano are also hitting diamond jigs well, particularly the 1/4 and 3/8 oz. sizes.
Some keeper flounder were landed over the past week, amongst lots of smaller ones. Live baits on Carolina rigs accounted for most of the flounder.
Spanish mackerel are hitting Gotcha plugs and diamond jig/gold hook rigs.
Live baiters caught some kings last week on pogies.
Gordon, of Sea View Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are taking spot and whiting on shrimp. Those fishing with sand fleas at night are getting in on a wide open black drum bite, with a few over-slot sized reds mixed in. The black drum are running 3-12 lbs.
Anglers are catching a lot of flounder, but most are on the small side. The flounder are hitting live baits and strip baits, and anglers are also landing quite a few on diamond jigs.
Blues and spanish mackerel are biting Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs.
The king bite has been wide open for anglers fishing live baits from the end of the pier. Live baiters are also landing some 6-7 lb. spanish. Bluefish and grass shad are the hot live baits.
Jen, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that pompano, black drum, and small flounder are hitting shrimp fished on the bottom.
Plug casters are hooking up with bluefish and spanish mackerel.
Several kings were caught over the week on live bluefish, with the largest weighing 30 lbs.
Eric, of New River Marina, reports that flounder fishing is good in the creeks. In addition to live baits, the flatfish are biting spinnerbaits well.
Trout fishing remains solid in the New River. The trout will take live shrimp, Halo shrimp, and Gulp baits.
Red drum are feeding in creek mouths and around inshore structure, and anglers are catching them on spinnerbaits, spoons, and soft plastic lures. Rising tides have been the best time to target the reds.
Anglers fishing with shrimp and clams are catching lots of black drum (up to 15 lbs.) around the 172 Bridge.
Along the beach, boats are hooking up with spanish mackerel and bluefish by trolling Clarkspoons. Large king mackerel (20-40 lbs.) and cobia are also cruising along the beaches, and both will pounce on slow-trolled live pogies.
Boats are finding good numbers of sailfish 15-20 miles off the beach, and they’re hooking up with the acrobatic speedsters by trolling rigged ballyhoo.
Gag grouper are holding 12 miles and further off the beach. The reds are out on bottom spots in the 30-50 mile range.
In the Gulf Stream, boats are catching big dolphin (30-50 lb.) and wahoo, as well as an occasional billfish.
