Topsail September 25, 2008
Adolfo Gillioz, from Hampstead, NC, with a 35 lb. king mackerel caught on a live bait fished from the end of Surf City Pier. The king is the largest landed from Surf City Pier this year.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that fall fishing is just around the corner, and the strong NE winds lately should usher it in even faster. Anglers can expect to see the first runs of spot showing up over the next several weeks as the water temperatures begin to fall.
Surf anglers along the island are hooking up with red drum and whiting, along with a few black drum. Shrimp and cut baits will produce action with these bottom feeders.
At the north end of Lee Island, some ladyfish are mixed in along the breakers, and they’ll take cut baits or a variety of lures.
The piers are seeing some big black and red drum, with good numbers of bluefish and spanish mackerel showing up as well. Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs should tempt bites from the blues and spanish on the piers, and boaters can troll Clarkspoons or other lures to hook up when the winds let them get out.
Some king mackerel are beginning to feed nearshore, and they should only get more numerous as the water cools and there’s even more bait on the beaches.
Boats are finding plenty of action with amberjacks and barracuda around AR-355. Live baits will get attention from both fish.
Inshore, anglers are finding action with speckled trout and flounder around the inlets and in the creeks and sounds. Live shrimp or finger mullet and Gulp baits will attract attention from both fish.
Ladyfish are still feeding around the inlet and lighted structure at night, and anglers can hook them on live baits or find action with topwater plugs.
Sheepshead are feeding around hard structure in the area like the Surf City swing bridge. Fiddler crabs and other crustacean baits will attract attention from the sheeps.Eric, of New River Marina, reports that anglers are finding some fast action with bluefish and spanish mackerel just inside New River Inlet. Live finger mullet free-lined in the current will get attention from both fish.
The inshore flounder bite has been solid lately as well, with anglers finding good numbers of flatfish around the inlet, the 172 Bridge, and other inshore structure. Live finger mullet on Carolina rigs are generally too much for the flounder to resist.
Red drum are feeding in the creeks, on flats, and around structure throughout the New River and the waterway nearby. They’ll fall for live shrimp and finger mullet or a variety of artificials like spinnerbaits, Gulps, and topwater plugs.
Speckled trout fishing has been a little slow over the past few weeks, but the fish seem to be feeding a bit more actively in recent days. Live shrimp are the top choices in trout baits, but they’ll fall for a variety of artificial lures as well.
Sheepshead and black drum continue to feed around the 172 Bridge, where anglers can find action by baiting bottom rigs with shrimp or other crustaceans.
Offshore, grouper fishing has still been productive for gags within 15 miles of shore.
The king bite’s been a little slow lately, as has action with blue water fish like dolphin and wahoo.
David Swart, of Wilmington, with a 23 lb. scamp caught on a live pinfish. He was fishing out of Topsail Beach on the headboat "Vonda Kay" with Capt. Dave Gardner.
Ricky, of Speckled Specialist Charters, reports that the trout fishing is still solid. Anglers are hooking up with the specks around New River Inlet, the 172 Bridge, and other structure in the New River and ICW near Sneads Ferry. Live shrimp under floats are the top trout producers, but anglers are also hooking them on imitation shrimp made by Storm and Billy Bay in pink and chartreuse.
There have also been some big trout landed in the creeks up near Jacksonville lately.
Will Schoolfield, from Wilmington, with a 34" red drum caught and released near New Topsail Inlet on a 4" swimbait on a rod and reel purchased hours before at Tex's Tackle. He was fishing with his uncle Henry.
Steve, of Surf City Pier, reports that there’s been a little of everything landed lately, but no big numbers of any one fish. Anglers bottom fishing with shrimp are scoring bites from red and black drum, pompano, whiting, and a few spot.
Those fishing live baits on the bottom are hooking decent numbers of flounder.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are falling for live mullet free-lined from the pier.
A 35 lb. king mackerel fell for a live bait last week.
Glenda, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are landing a lot of bluefish and some spanish mackerel on Gotcha plugs and live baits.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with some puppy drum, flounder, spot, and pompano.
Live baiters hooked several king mackerel last week (including a 46 pounder) along with a massive 192 lb. tarpon that is a pending state record.
Jonathan, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that live baiters are landing a decent number of king mackerel and seeing some tarpon.
The spanish mackerel bite has been excellent lately, and anglers are landing the fish on Gotcha plugs and free-lined finger mullet.
Red drum, black drum, and whiting are falling for shrimp and cut baits on bottom rigs.
Anglers fishing with live shrimp and finger mullet are catching flounder and some speckled trout (some to 5 + lbs.).
