Wrightsville Beach September 25, 2008
Capt. Lynn Perry, Andy Trant, and Carl Allen with a sailfish caught and released in 150' of water off Wrightsville Beach aboard the "Shearwater."
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the surf fishing is beginning to heat up as the air temperatures cool down. Anglers are finding some good action around Wrightsville, but the best has been up towards Lee Island and Topsail.
Anglers fishing the breakers are hooking up with black drum, red drum, pompano, whiting, bluefish, and some flounder. Fresh shrimp and cut baits fished on bottom rigs are producing the lion’s share of the action for surf casters.
Inshore, the speckled trout bite is heating up again in the Cape Fear River, and anglers are also finding some specks around Rich’s Inlet. MirrOlures, Gulp baits, and live baits will tempt bites from the trout.
Red drum and flounder are still feeding near the inlets, in the creeks and marshes, and around inshore structure. Live finger mullet on Carolina rigs are top producers with the reds and flatfish, but they’ll also take an interest in Gulp baits and other artificials.
Mullet are beginning to run along the beaches, and bluefish and spanish mackerel are chasing the schooling baitfish. Anglers can troll Clarkspoons for the blues and spanish or cast small metal lures when they’re schooled up.
Kings are also feeding along the beaches and at near and offshore structure. Boaters slow-trolling live baits stand the best chances of hooking up with the larger kings.
Not many boats have been offshore lately due to the winds, but at last report the grouper bite was still solid in the 30 miles range. Also, wahoo, blackfin tuna, and some small dolphin were feeding in the Gulf Stream.Jim, of Plan 9 Fishing Charters, reports that in between the windy periods lately, there’s been some solid action with red drum around the Masonboro jetties. Carolina-rigged finger mullet or other live baits fished close to the rocks should attract attention from the reds (most are upper-slot to over-slot fish).
Speckled trout are beginning to go on the feed around Wrightsville, and anglers caught some around Shinn Creek last week.
There’s been an excellent spanish mackerel bite when boats can get out lately, especially up to the north off Mason’s Inlet. Casting Maria jigs and other lures to the fish enables anglers to catch them on lighter gear than typical trolling tackle.
Bill Harveson, from Raleigh, with his first grouper. The 25" red fell for a cigar minnow near the Red and Whites while he was fishing with Capt. Jim Sabella of Plan 9 Charters out of Wrightsville Beach.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that there’s been a pretty good wahoo bite in the Gulf Stream lately (though most of the fish are 20-25 lbs.). Some sailfish are also around. The best action last week came to the north in 250-325′ of water, between the Nipple and the Scallop Beds.
Inshore of the Stream, deep jigging is producing some huge amberjacks in around 300′ (some fish up to 100 lbs.).
Some nice red grouper (averaging 28-30″) are holding on bottom structure in around 280′, and they are also responding well to vertical jigging.
The king mackerel bite was excellent at ledges in the 35 mile range last week, and anglers had little difficulty scoring action even on dead baits.
Mary Whitehurst and her grandson Layton Whitehurst with a handful of spanish mackerel taken a mile off Masonboro Inlet on trolled Clarkspoons. They were fishing with Clay Whitehurst aboard the "Buddy Row."
Mike, of No Excuses Charters, reports that the fall mullet run is in full swing, and schools of red drum are chasing the baitfish up and down the beaches. Inshore, the smaller reds have been very active lately.
All the bait on the beach should mean that the nearshore king mackerel fishing is heating up as well.
The fall flounder run is getting kicked off as well, and anglers are finding fast action with the flatfish in the inlets, creeks, marshes, and around inshore structure. Carolina-rigged live baits and Gulps should produce action with the flatfish.
Danny, of 96 Charter Company, reports that anglers are starting to see a good speckled trout bite in the creeks around Wrightsville Beach and Topsail, and the fish are falling for topwater plugs. Some bluefish and red drum are feeding in the same areas.
There have been big numbers of mullet running along the surf line, and plenty of red drum are feeding in the breakers as well.
The mullet are drawing spanish and king mackerel close to the beaches to feed as well, and anglers have been watching kings sky through the bait within a few hundred yards of shore.
James, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that a new pier record king mackerel, weighing 41.2 lbs., was landed on a live bluefish last week.
Live baiters have also been having steady action with barracudas, and a pair of jack crevalle was also landed recently.
Plug casters are hooking some spanish mackerel on Gotchas.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with some legal flounder, gray trout, whiting, and spot on shrimp and bloodworms.
Small live baits fished on the bottom are producing action with flounder, bluefish, and red and black drum.
The water is 81 degrees.
