Wrightsville Beach – October 22, 2015
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers have seen some solid speckled trout action inshore around Wrightsville Beach over the past week. The specks are falling for a variety of artificials including soft plastics and suspending plugs like X-Raps. Topwater plugs can also be effective early and late in the day.
Flounder are feeding inshore around structure like docks, near inlets, and in the creeks (with fish to 10+ lbs. weighed in recently). Anglers are hooking the flatfish on live finger mullet and menhaden along with Gulp baits.
The red drum bite inshore hasn’t been tremendous lately, but anglers are seeing some good action with the drum while surf fishing. Casting cut baits, finger mullet, or shrimp into the breakers is likely to attract some attention from the reds. Anglers can also toss MirrOlures or other artificials when it’s calm enough to spot schools of fish.
Out in the ocean, the king mackerel bite seems to have slowed along the beachfront, but anglers are reporting excellent king action 10-20 miles offshore. Both live baits like menhaden and dead cigar minnows or ballyhoo will fool the kings.
Bottom fishing around structure in 80-100’ of water is producing good numbers of gag grouper along with black sea bass, grunts, and more. Live baits are top choices for the grouper, but cut and dead baits are also effective.
Red and scamp grouper are feeding a bit further offshore in 110’ of water and deeper. Anglers are also connecting with triggerfish, beeliners, and a host of other smaller bottom dwellers in the deeper water. Live, dead, and cut baits are all productive with these fish as well, and anglers can also often drop vertical jigs with success.
Gulf Stream anglers are connecting with solid numbers of wahoo, with the best action up around the 200 Loran line recently (and fish averaging 40-60 lbs.). Some blackfin tuna are mixed in, and boats are also releasing big numbers of sailfish in the same areas. Both traditional ballyhoo rigs and baitless trolling lures will attract attention from the blue water predators.
Christina Bruton with a blackfin tuna that bit a ballyhoo under a Blue Water Candy Bling skirt near the Steeples while she was trolling with Capt. Paul Horning on the “Bruiser.”
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that blue water trollers fishing out of Wrightsville are finding plenty of action with wahoo, blackfin tuna, and good numbers of sailfish at local hotspots like the Same Ol’ Hole. All three will bite skirted offerings like Fathom Lures.
Anglers can also hook the blackfins while vertical jigging around schools they spot on the depthfinder.
Dropping vertical jigs to structure along the break is producing a mixed bag of amberjacks, African pompano, groupers, and much more.
Ryan Gregory with a 43″ red drum he caught and released after it bit a cut bait off Johnnie Mercer’s Pier.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers have seen action with spanish mackerel and false albacore just off the beach at Wrightsville in the past week. Both fish are falling for trolled spoons, small casting jigs, and flashy flies. The spanish will likely move on for winter soon, but anglers can expect the false albacore to bite for some time to come.
Some large king mackerel are biting live baits along the beachfront, and anglers are hooking big numbers of schoolie and teenager-sized fish at spots 8-15 miles offshore. The offshore fish will bite live baits as well, but dead cigar minnows can be equally effective.
Bottom fishermen are seeing an improved bite of sea bass, grunts, and gag grouper in the 15-20 mile range, and the action should get even better as the water cools a bit.
Kelsey Steger, of Wilmington, with an over-slot red drum that bit a chunk of mullet in the ICW near Wrightsville Beach.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that anglers are hooking plenty of spanish mackerel, bluefish, and false albacore while trolling Clarkspoons within five miles of Wrightsville.
King mackerel are feeding 10-20 miles offshore and biting ballyhoo, cigar minnows, strip baits, and spoons.
Anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream are connecting with excellent numbers of wahoo and blackfin tuna while trolling ballyhoo along the break.
Matt, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of bluefish (many 2-3 lbs.) and a few spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
Some keeper flounder are falling for live baits fished in the surf zone.
Bottom fishermen have found action with some fat pompano in the last third of the pier recently. Shrimp and sand fleas are fooling the pomps.
Anglers have also decked several cobia recently, both on live baits and while sight-casting bucktail jigs to cruising fish.
The water is 70 degrees.
