Topsail August 7, 2008
Jason Hacker, Mark Schroeder, Lex Orians, and Bill Knapp, from Sycamore, OH, with kings caught while fishing with Capts. Andy and Adam Powell of All In Charters out of Surf City. The fish fell for live baits fished behind Blue Water Candy skirts.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf and pier anglers are hooking up with a typical summertime mixed bag of bottomfish, including some decent black drum action.
There are ladyfish and some red drum feeding at the north end of Lee Island. Cut baits, live baits and a variety of lures will fool both fish.
There are some king mackerel feeding along the beaches, and boats can hook them while trolling live or dead baits.
Tarpon and big sharks are feeding well near the south end, and they will fall for large cut or live baits.
The school king mackerel and dolphin bite has been hot around structure in the 15 mile range lately, and dead cigar minnows have been outfishing live baits for the most part.
Boats are hooking and releasing some sailfish near the Schoolhouse. Live baits or rigged ballyhoo should get the sails’ attention, but they’ll fall for dead cigar minnows, too.
Chuck Johnson, of Surf City, and Barry Ritter, of Hampstead, with dolphin, kings, and a cobia taken around 15 miles off Topsail Inlet on cigar minnows under Blue Water Candy Skirts.
Eric, of New River Marina, reports that there’s been a good king mackerel bite around AR-355, Christina’s Ledge, and the D Buoy lately. Most of the fish are school-sized, but they’re plentiful. Live cigar minnows and pogies have been producing the best action. Some dolphin have been mixed in with the kings.
Boats are still finding some gag grouper 7-10 miles offshore, but the fishing hasn’t been wide open. Red grouper and other bottomfish are feeding at structure starting 25 miles offshore. Cigar minnows, sardines, and cut baits will get attention from the groupers.
Spanish mackerel are still feeding near the inlet and along the beaches, although the bite is slower than it was a few weeks ago. Trolling Clarkspoons or casting Gotcha plugs around surface activity will produce results on the spanish.
Inshore, the black drum and sheepshead bite is still solid around the 172 Bridge, where anglers are hooking up with the striped fish on shrimp and other baits on bottom rigs.
The flounder bite has improved around the inlet and creek mouths. Carolina-rigged live baits will get attention from the flounder.
Plenty of red drum and speckled trout are still coming from the river and ICW. Anglers are fooling them with Gulps, Halo shrimp, topwater plugs, and live baits.
Ricky, of Speckled Specialist Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite remains solid in the New River. The action has been best between Jacksonville and Sneads Ferry lately, and live shrimp fished under float rigs are the top choices for trout baits.
Red drum are feeding in the same areas of New River: in creeks and around points. Topwater plugs will fool the reds, and they’ll also take an interest in Halo spinnerbaits.
Terry, of Surf City Pier, reports that there’s been a solid spot run over the past few days. Bloodworms are catching the most fish, but they’re also falling for cut shrimp and other baits. Whiting, black drum, and spadefish are also falling for the bottom rigs.
The flounder bite has been decent, and live mud minnows are fooling most of the flatfish.
Plug casters are hooking some spanish mackerel and bluefish on Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs.
Caleb, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching some black drum and whiting.
Anglers are hooking up with sheepshead while dangling fiddler crabs and sand fleas next to the pilings.
Live shrimp and finger mullet fished on the bottom are producing some action with flounder.
Kevin, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are catching some spot and whiting on cut shrimp.
Those fishing live shrimp are hooking up with speckled trout.
Flounder are falling for live shrimp and mud minnows fished near the bottom.
