Wrightsville Beach September 28, 2006
Tex, at Tex’s Tackle, reports that the fall fishing is really starting to kick in. There have been lots of red drum in the surf and at the Masonboro jetty. The jetty has seen fish up to 50 inches being caught.
Flounder are biting well in the inlets and in the Cape Fear River.
Spots are on the move in the surf and off the piers. A few nice pompano have also been reported in the surf.
There were speckled trout (up to 5 pounds) reported this week, and they should pick up in the inlets and creeks as the water cools.
Nearshore, some nice spanish (up to 5 pounds) are near the beach. Schools of false albacore are also along the beach. They can be found out to a mile or so eating very small baits.
A few nice kings are in the 10 to 25 mile range (if you can get to them). And some sailfish were reported out 20 to 30 miles.
Grouper and sea bass bit good last week in 80 to 100 feet of water.
Only a few boats have been to the stream lately. Wahoo in the 30 to 40 pound range are making up the bulk of the catches, with some medium-size dolphin mixed in.
Mike, at Corona Daze Charters, reports that the red drum are biting very well in the surf from Masonboro to Topsail. These fish are ranging 27 to 32 inches and are mixed in with some 5 pound bluefish.
On the inside, there are some speckled trout in the 16 to 17 inch range, flounder averaging 17 inches, and redfish ranging from 16 to 30 inches. They’re all hitting Berkley Gulp shrimp in the creeks adjacent to Rich’s and Topsail Inlets.
Along the beach there are some good catches of king mackerel in the 15 to 25 pound range, as well as the usual spanish mackerel outside the inlets.
Jim, at Plan 9 Charters, reports that a little bit of everything is biting right now, and that’s a clear indicator that fall is on its way.
Outside the inlets there are good schools of false albacore eating small baits. They can be found from 1 to 5 miles out.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are also nearshore. They’re hitting spoons and plugs. Gray trout have shown up nearshore as well, along with the usual flounder still holding on structure.
The redfish are biting well in the inlets and creeks, and there is plenty of mullet running the waterway to be caught for bait.
Further offshore, the grouper should be moving closer to shore if seas would allow boats to give it a shot.
Kings are within 10 miles and should be on the beach any day.
Ryan, at Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports several good spot runs over the past week. Shrimp and bloodworms are the top baits, and the runs have been strongest at night.
Finger mullet and mud minnows are attracting attention from flounder up to 18 inches.
Sheepshead are around the pilings towards the end of the pier, but no one has been fishing for them.
Plug casters are catching blues, with a few spanish mixed in.
Some tarpon have been rolling offshore of the pier, but the king mackerel fishermen haven’t seen much action.
The water is around 80 degrees.
