Wrightsville Beach – May 29, 2014
Kayla Hayes, Mary Brooks Parrow, Jennifer Meyer, and Rene Parks with dolphin and a wahoo they hooked while trolling the Gulf Stream off Wrightsville Beach with Capt. Ken Upton on the “Gamekeeper.”
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are seeing increasing numbers of flounder around nearshore structure off Wrightsville with spots in around 60’ of water producing the best action recently. Gulp baits pinned to bucktail jigs and live baits will fool the flatfish.
Menhaden “bait balls” have shown up along the beachfront, and cobia are following the bait. Anglers have hooked several nearshore around the bait recently, and a few have been coming from the Masonboro jetties as well. Large sharks and over-slot drum are also following the menhaden around.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding along the beach and around the inlets, and anglers are hooking both while trolling Clarkspoons and casting flashy lures like Hogy Epoxy Jigs.
Some king mackerel have been feeding 18-25 miles offshore and falling for live baits and dead cigar minnows.
Bottom fishermen are reporting a decent gag grouper bite around structure in the 80-100’ depths, but the action is still a bit slower than usual. Live, dead, and cut baits will all attract attention from the gags.
Boats making the run to the Gulf Stream have been finding some solid dolphin fishing, with the action moving around by the day as they follow current and weed edges. Some wahoo are mixed in, and both are falling for ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures. Billfish have also made an appearance in the blue water, and anglers are encountering solid numbers of blue marlin while trolling skirted plugs in 100 fathoms and deeper. Some white marlin and sailfish are falling for ballyhoo and the trolling plugs.
Inshore, anglers are connecting with red drum in Masonboro Inlet, around docks in the ICW, and in the marshes. Live and cut baits, Gulps and other soft plastics, and topwater plugs will all attract attention from the drum.
Flounder fishing continues to improve inshore, but there are still plenty of undersized fish to weed through to get to the keepers.
Smaller speckled trout are feeding in creek mouths and along deep marsh banks near the inlets, and they’re falling for Live Target Shrimp and MR17 MirrOlures.
Surf casters at Wrightsville continue to connect with some sea mullet, bluefish, and puppy drum.
Tony Del, of A&M Screenprinting in Wilmington, with a flounder he hooked at some nearshore structure off Wrightsville Beach on a Gulp-tipped bucktail.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that anglers are still seeing some excellent dolphin fishing while trolling the Gulf Stream off Wrightsville, with the fish holding wherever anglers can find current or grass edges. Some wahoo and blackfin tuna are mixed in, and all are falling for skirted ballyhoo and trolling lures. White marlin, sailfish, and blue marlin have shown up as well and are feeding from 70 fathoms on offshore.
Vertical jigging along from the 130’ depths to the break is producing plenty of action with amberjacks and a variety of bottom fish like grouper, triggerfish, and red porgies.
Bait bottom fishing in 110-150’ has been producing plenty of action with red, scamp, and gag groupers, along with grunts, porgies, triggerfish, and more.
Cobia have shown up near the beach at Wrightsville, and they are feeding on nearshore structure and following bait balls within a few miles of shore. They’ll bite live baits or bucktail jigs.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that there’s been excellent spanish mackerel fishing from Masonboro Inlet to the Liberty Ship recently. Most of the fish are falling for 00 Clarkspoons behind #1 planers, wihich are also fooling a lot of juvenile king mackerel in the same area. Anglers should be careful to make a positive ID before putting a smaller mackerel in the box.
Larger king mackerel are feeding in the 10-20 mile range, but the action hasn’t been too consistent.
There’s a lot of bait from the five mile areas on out, and plenty of amberjacks and cobia around structure in the same range. The cobia haven’t been too eager to bite lately, however.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that anglers are still seeing some excellent dolphin fishing while trolling ballyhoo out in the Gulf Stream.
Some dolphin have moved into the 30 mile range as well, so anglers shouldn’t be surprised by a dolphin encounter well inshore of the break in the upcoming weeks.
Amberjacks are schooled up around structure in the 20 mile range and will bite live baits, trolled ballyhoo, and often topwater poppers.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are hooking spanish mackerel and bluefish while working Gotcha plugs and other casting lures from the pier.
Some sea mullet, croaker, and bluefish are biting baited bottom rigs in the evening hours.
A 15 lb. cobia fell for a live bait on a king rig last week.
The water is 73 degrees.
