Wrightsville Beach May 30, 2013
Chandler Knight, of New Bern, NC, with a big red drum that struck a bottom rig baited with cut shrimp behind Masonboro Island while he was fishing with Ethan and Jim Knight.
Hunter, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are connecting with big numbers of spanish mackerel from Wrightsville to Carolina Beach right now. Trollers are hooking most of the fish on Clarkspoons behind planers and trolling weights along with daisy chains and bird rigs on the surface. Anglers can also cast small metal jigs at fish feeding on the surface.
Plenty of bluefish are in the same areas and will eagerly strike the same lures.
Cobia are cruising along the beach and feeding on menhaden pods in the area. Anglers can hook them on live baits or by casting bucktail jigs and soft plastic trailers at fish they spot on the surface or along the edges of the bait pods.
Inshore, the speckled trout bite was excellent in the Cape Fear River over the past weekend, with most fish falling for soft plastics and suspending hard baits like MirrOlures.
Red drum are feeding in the marshes and around docks and other structure throughout the inshore waters. Anglers can fool the reds with topwater plugs, Gulp baits, and a variety of other lures. Live and cut baits are also very effective on the reds.
Flounder fishing is improving inshore as well, with fish feeding near the inlets and in the marshes and creeks. Gulp baits and live mud minnows or menhaden are solid choices for the flatfish.
Offshore, grouper fishing has been good since the season opened May 1. Gag grouper are feeding at structure from 20 miles on out, with reds and scamps out a bit deeper. Live baits are top choices for the grouper, but frozen cigar minnows, sardines, and mackerel are also good producers. Huge numbers of black sea bass are in the same areas, and their season opens June 1. Cut baits, squid, and small vertical jigs are tough for the sea bass to turn down.
King mackerel are also making a much-anticipated appearance, with decent action reported in the 20 mile range last week. Both dead cigar minnows and live baits like menhaden will tempt bites from the kings.
Gulf Stream trollers are still reporting some excellent dolphin fishing. Scattered wahoo and some sailfish have been in the mix as well, and all are taking an interest in ballyhoo paired with skirted lures. The dolphin have begun to move inshore of the Stream, too, and anglers caught them into the 35-40 mile range last week.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been excellent within a few miles of the beaches lately. Clarkspoons are fooling most of the fish, and they have been effective both on the surface and trolled deep behind planers lately.
A few Atlantic bonito are still feeding at nearshore structure within a few miles of the inlets, but they’ll likely be moving out of the area soon.
King mackerel have moved into the 15 mile range, where anglers can hook them on live baits or dead cigar minnows.
Dolphin are also starting to move inshore of the Gulf Stream.
Trevor, of ProFishNC Charters, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of spanish mackerel while trolling Clarkspoons and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers just off the beaches. The Yo-Zuris have been producing some larger fish when they’re around.
Marshall Fowle and Thomas Alligood with a bull dolphin that bit a Blue Water Candy Mini JAG near the Nipple while they were fishing out of Wrightsville Beach on the “Raunchie Conch.”
Plenty of bluefish are also around and falling for the same lures.
Cobia have made an appearance around the inlets, but they’ve been a bit tough to pattern lately. Keeping a live bait or bucktail jig ready to toss at fish that anglers spot while trolling or fishing near the inlets is a good idea in case one of the cobes shows up.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with flounder and red drum in the local inlets. Live baits will fool both, and anglers can also tempt the reds to bite a variety of cut baits.
The spanish mackerel action has been excellent in the early morning hours lately, and anglers are hooking them both while trolling spoons and other lures and casting metal jigs at fish feeding on the surface. The best bite has been in 35-40’ of water recently.
Big numbers of bluefish are feeding alongside the spaniards and taking an interest in the same baits.
Inshore, red drum are feeding under docks and taking an interest in cut baits.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that anglers have caught some dolphin while trolling around 23 Mile Rock lately. King mackerel and amberjacks are also feeding in the area, and all will take an interest in live baits. Dead cigar minnows and ballyhoo are also effective.
The dolphin bite has been a bit better further offshore.
Bottom fishing around structure in the 20 mile range is producing action with grunts, red porgies, black sea bass (which open to harvest June 1), and more. Squid and cut baits will fool all the bottom dwellers.
Ryan, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are still catching plenty of bluefish while working Gotcha plugs. A few spanish mackerel have been mixed in in the mornings and evenings.
Some pompano and a few sea mullet are taking an interest in fresh shrimp.
Red and black drum are also feeding near the breakers, where shrimp and live mud minnows will tempt them to bite.
Some flounder (with a few keepers) are also biting the mud minnows.
The water is 72 degrees.
