Topsail/Sneads Ferry – September 2024
Jerry, of East Coast Sports, reports that red drum have been scattered along marsh banks, oyster beds, and docks inshore. Anglers have been seeing a good early morning topwater bite, and then switching over to live bait to have success throughout the rest of the day.
Fishing these tactics will also produce plenty of flounder, as well as the occasional black drum.
Speckled trout are scattered inshore, especially when fishing areas with better current. For trout, artificial shrimp or live bait have been working best.
Off the beach, spanish mackerel fishing has been hit or miss. The bite should heat up as we move closer to fall. As water temperatures continue to drop, the area will also see false albacore showing up off the beaches.
King mackerel are scattered anywhere from the beach all the way to 30+ miles, and the mahi have been about the same, scattered at best from 20+ miles on out to the Stream.
A few wahoo have started to show up closer to the break.
Bottom fishing has been best when getting out to 100’+ areas. Plenty of grouper and the other typical bottom species are all hanging around this area, including grunts, porgies, and vermilion snapper.
Mike, of Native Son Guide Service, reports that inshore anglers are catching good numbers of red drum targeting both ICW docks and holes in the backs of creeks. The key to either area is to be targeting spots where you find a bunch of bait, and be sure to spend time working an area well before moving on. The good news is that a nice class of upper-slot and over-slot reds are making up the majority of the catch.
Some speckled trout are around, especially in the mornings with temperatures slightly cooler. These are fish in the 20-22” range, and they are mostly hanging in current seams with slightly deeper (6-10’) depths. Anglers fishing topwater plugs first thing in the morning will also occasionally find a trout.
A class of 3-5 lb. bluefish have been hanging around just outside the inlet, and these blues can be targeted with casting jigs.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been fairly tough all summer long. Hopefully, as the water cools down, the spanish will move back into the area.
Running out to target the nearshore bottoms, anglers can hook into black sea bass, grunts, and even the occasional triggerfish by getting out to the 10-mile range.
Phillip Fincher, of Monroe, NC, found this 27″ red drum in Topsail Sound using a Carolina-rigged live mullet.
Ray, of Spring Tide Guide Service, reports that red drum have been the main target in the area. Topwater plugs, gold spoons, and bottom-rigged cut finger mullet are all having success getting strikes. A wide variety of sizes are being found, with fish ranging anywhere from 18-43”.
A few more trout are starting to show up in areas closer to the inlet. Anglers are finding these fish predominantly on topwater plugs in the early mornings.
Spanish mackerel have been all but non-existent this summer. Anglers running out of the inlet to scout for fish have been finding the occasional smaller class of spanish (10-12”). As we move into fall, the keeper spanish should start showing back up, and the bite is likely to quickly flip on with all the bait in the area.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that king mackerel fishing has been decent in the 10-15 mile range. Most have been the average “schoolie” kings, with the occasional 20+ lb. fish mixed in. The kings have been falling for both live and dead baits slow trolled around structure.
Most of the spanish mackerel action has been staged up just inside the inlets and right along the beachfronts. These are smaller fish, with a quality fish or two sometimes available for those putting in the effort. The majority of the spanish have been striking at #0 and #00 Clarkspoons behind #1 or #2 planers.
Joe, of Atlantic Sportfishing, reports that the offshore bottom fishing bite (100’+) has been absolutely on fire. Anglers fishing the less targeted structures are catching big red grouper, scamp grouper, vermilion snapper, triggerfish, and black sea bass.
Mahi have been scattered, similar to all summer, with the best chance found by running out and trolling in the 40+ mile area.
The king mackerel bite has been steady and should only continue to get better as temperatures start to cool down.
With falling temperatures, anglers look forward to wahoo action really improving out on the break.
Alice James, of Hampstead, caught this speckled trout behind North Topsail using a topwater plug.
Robin, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers casting Gotcha plugs are catching bluefish, jacks, and a few spanish mackerel.
Live bait fishing off the end has produced king mackerel (to 38 lbs.), with the occasional tarpon still being jumped.
Bottom fishing efforts have found croakers, spot, and speckled trout, and most of this action has been at night.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers fishing at night have been catching a few speckled trout with live shrimp.
Casting efforts are producing bluefish and spanish mackerel.
Bottom-rigged baits are finding spot, croakers, and the occasional red drum.
Tyler, of Seaview Pier, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish have been biting well.
With a run of northeast winds, the pier has seen a few kings being caught.
Some mixed bags of bottom fish are being brought up, though anglers do need to be patient as the action can be slow on some days. The catches off the bottom include red drum, sea mullet, black drum, spot, and bluefish.
