Added on Thursday, May 7, 2009  Fish Post

Topsail May 7, 2009

Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been hot over the past few weeks. Most boats are hooking up with the spaniards by trolling Clarkspoons and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers, but anglers can cast diamond jigs and other metal lures at the breaking schools with success as well.

There are still a few Atlantic bonito around, but they seem to be giving way to the spanish and becoming more scarce by the day.

Bottom fishermen are hooking whiting on the piers and in the surf, and shrimp are the top whiting producers.

Flounder are starting to show up in the ocean and on the inside. The nearshore reefs and any inshore structure are holding the flatfish, and most anglers are hooking up while casting new penny colored Gulp baits.

Speckled trout are feeding at structure throughout the ICW, and anglers are starting to see some solid fish (some in the 4 lb. class were weighed last week). Sebile lures are producing some of the largest specks.

Red drum are feeding back in the area’s creeks, and they’ll respond well to Gulp baits and other lures.

Anglers are starting to see some sheepshead on the piers, and there should be some feeding inshore as well. Target the sheeps around rocky structure with fiddler crabs, sand fleas, or other baits.

Offshore, boats reported good catches of king mackerel around 23 Mile Rock last week, with small ballyhoo on Hank Brown rigs producing plenty of action.

The last time boats were able to make it to the Stream (early last week), the wahoo and dolphin bite was solid around the Same Ol’ Hole. Ballyhoo trolled under skirted lures will fool the wahoo and dolphin.

 

Eric, of New River Marina, reports that there are still some bonito feeding around Diver’s Rock and other nearshore structure. Trolling Yo-Zuri Deep Divers is the most effective method of hooking up with them.

Spanish mackerel and bluefish are chasing bait around the inlet, along the beaches, and at the nearshore reefs. Trolling Clarkspoons or Yo-Zuri Deep Divers will produce action with the spanish and blues, and anglers can also hook up while casting diamond jigs or other metal lures at surface activity.

A few king mackerel have already been caught at Diver’s Rock, so the kings are making their way to the beaches. Most are falling for Deep Divers right now.

The grouper bite has been best lately well offshore. Boats are putting together fine catches of some big red grouper in the 50 mile range. Sardines, Boston mackerel, and cut or live baits will produce action with the grouper.

Gulf Stream trollers found a steady bite of wahoo, dolphin, and blackfin and yellowfin tunas around 60 miles off New River last week.

Inshore, the speckled trout and red drum bite is still strong in the New River and ICW. Gulp baits and Billy Bay Halo shrimp are top producers on the reds and specks, although live shrimp are hard to beat if anglers can find some.

Flounder are feeding around the inlet, and anglers can hook up with Gulp baits or small live baits on Carolina rigs.

Black drum are showing up around the 172 Bridge, where anglers are getting bites on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.

 

Bill, of Eastern Outfitters, reports that the bonito action is slowing down; however, the spanish mackerel are right there to take their places, and the spanish bite is wide open.

Most of the spanish are falling for trolled Clarkspoons or Yo-Zuri Deep Divers.

Red drum are feeding in the marshes behind Topsail and around the inlets if anglers can get their lures past the voracious bluefish. Gulp baits and 27 and 17MR Mirrolures should produce action with the reds.

Anglers weighed in some big speckled trout (up to 8 lbs.) last week. Most of the big trout came out of the New River, and topwater plugs have been working well, particularly Lucky Craft Sammys and Rapala Skitterwalks.

Offshore, blue water anglers found some billfish and a few yellowfin tuna around the Swansboro Hole last week, and the wahoo and blackfins bit well at the Steeples and Same Ol’ Hole.

 

Mike, of Corona Daze Charters, reports that the king mackerel bite was excellent last week in the 10 mile range. Most of the kings are school sized (with a few up towards 20 lbs.), and live baits have been producing plenty of bites. Some amberjacks and bonito are schooling up in the same areas, and live baits are fooling them, too.

Inshore, the red drum are starting to move from the docks where they spent the winter into the marshes. There are also good numbers of reds hanging around the inlets. Live baits like small croakers are the best bet for the drum right now.

The flounder bite is picking up as well, and live baits will also fool the flatfish.

 

Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that the spanish mackerel bite is on from the pier. Anglers are catching the mackerel on Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs, with the bigger fish showing a preference for the Gotchas. Plenty of smaller bluefish are mixed in with the spanish, and a few larger chopper blues are around as well.

Bottom fishermen are catching some whiting on shrimp along with a few black drum and small flounder.

 

Jonathan, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are decking good numbers of whiting and black drum on cut shrimp. Puppy drum are falling for cut mullet.

Plug casters are hooking some large spanish mackerel (some up to 4 lbs.) on Gotchas.