Topsail – July 9, 2015
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf and pier anglers are hooking a mixed bag of summer bottom feeders including spot, sea mullet, croaker, pompano, and occasional red and black drum. Shrimp are producing most of the action.
There’s been some good spanish mackerel action inside New Topsail Inlet, where anglers are hooking the fish while working diamond jigs and Gotcha plugs or trolling lures like Clarkspoons.
Anglers are connecting with good numbers of red drum inshore around docks and other structure and in the bays and creeks off the ICW and New River. The reds will bite topwater plugs, Gulp baits, and a wide variety of other natural baits and artificial lures.
Ladyfish have shown up in the area and are feeding around lighted structure in the evening hours. Live shrimp are nearly impossible for them to turn down and anglers who want to connect with the acrobatic fighters on artificials can find success with Vudu Shrimp, Rapala X-Raps, and other lures.
Anglers have also reported some tarpon rolling in the sound recently.
Out in the ocean, there have been good numbers of school-sized king mackerel feeding at spots 5-12 miles off the beach. The smaller kings will bite live and dead baits or trolling lures like spoons and diving plugs.
Daniel Lucas, of Wilmington, with a 26.5″ red drum that struck a Carolina-rigged menhaden near Sneads Ferry.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that the red drum action around Sneads Ferry continues to provide plenty of thrills for anglers. The fish are feeding along the bays and flats off the New River and ICW. Anglers have been hooking big numbers on topwater plugs recently, and spoons, soft plastics, and other artificials will fool them when they don’t want to bite on top.
A few large speckled trout are feeding in the same areas as the reds and biting topwaters as well.
Richard Walton with a 4.7 lb. speckled trout that bit a live shrimp underneath a float while he was fishing from Seaview Pier.
Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are hooking solid numbers of speckled trout and a few black drum while fishing live shrimp under floats from the pier.
Some founder are falling for live mud minnows and finger mullet.
Anglers soaking cut baits at night are hooking some over-slot red drum.
Bottom fishermen continue to see a mixed bag of spot, sea mullet, and croaker on shrimp.
Anglers working Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs from the pier are hooking some spanish mackerel and bluefish, but the bite hasn’t been on fire.
Live-baiters fishing from the end of the pier have found action with some large spanish mackerel (to 6+ lbs.) and released two tarpon recently.
Garrison, of Surf City Pier, reports that a 40” red drum was caught and released from the pier by a bottom fisherman early in the week. Some black drum and slot red drum are also coming over the rails.
Spot and sea mullet are making up most of the rest of the action.
April, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish have been biting Gotcha plugs in the early morning hours recently.
Live baiters have hooked tarpon and a large king mackerel in recent days.
There’s been a decent puppy drum bite for anglers soaking shrimp, cut baits, and finger mullet in the afternoon hours.
