Wrightsville Beach – October 2024
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that slot red drum action inside has been steady, and over-slot fish are starting to show up at the jetties.
The same bottom-rigged live baits for targeting red drum are also getting looks from a ton of flounder that are in the area.
Signs of speckled trout are showing more often.
Anglers fishing from the local piers and just off the beach are seeing the spanish mackerel and bluefish action picking back up. A local pier even had its first fall cobia.
The king mackerel bite remains quiet.
When the window to run offshore opens up, anglers have been finding a class of 30-50 lb. wahoo.
Arlen, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that inshore anglers have been finding the speckled trout action to be improving. Most of the trout have been holding in deeper areas with a little bit of current, and they’re striking at Z-Man soft plastics or MirrOlures.
Red drum action continues to be good, with anglers having success casting live mullet along ICW grass lines and docks.
Anglers targeting the jetties have landed a few red drum in the 30” range with cut mullet.
Some sheepshead are being caught around inshore hard structures with live crabs or shrimp.
Surf anglers have been finding the pompano bite picking up, with Fishbites or sand fleas producing most of the action.
Plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish are being caught both from the surf and the local piers.
Just off the beach, spanish mackerel and bluefish are finally becoming more prevalent than they were through the late summer, and false albacore are showing up in the 2-5 mile areas.
King mackerel remain mostly in the 8-15 mile range, and they are striking at dead cigar minnows or live bait.
Offshore anglers have been getting on a decent wahoo bite, with blackfin tuna also in the mix.
Wade Wallace, of Wilmington, caught this red drum and speckled trout in a creek behind Masonboro Island using mullet.
Luke, of Coastline Fishing Charters, reports that speckled trout fishing has been productive. The trout aren’t everywhere yet and you have to put in effort to find them, but when you do, they are chewing. Creek mouths have been the most productive areas, with grass lines, points, and oyster bars also holding some fish. The trout are hitting just about everything right now, from topwater plugs and jerk baits to MirrOlures and an assortment of soft plastic swim baits.
The red drum bite has also been productive. Anglers are finding these fish mixed in with the trout when fishing topwater plugs at first light. A bunch of reds are also staged up around hard structures such as docks and oyster bars. Live or cut baits on Carolina rigs are almost a sure bet when fishing these areas.
Sheepshead have been on fire for anglers targeting hard structures with Carolina-rigged live crabs.
The spanish mackerel and king mackerel action seems to be picking back up. Pulling live baits along the beachfronts would be a good place to start for either species.
Zane, of Falling Tide Fishing Adventures, reports that an early season trout bite has started, with fish already in their typical fall hangouts.
Red drum action has been steady, with anglers having most of their successes fishing live mullet. With water temperatures cooling, the reds are starting to school up more.
Nearshore anglers are finding a lot of spanish mackerel and bluefish off the beaches, and false albacore started showing up in the 5-mile area.
Some bull red drum are being caught at the jetties by anglers fishing cut bait.
Pierre, of Rising Sun Fishing, reports that the nearshore action is finally heating up, with spanish mackerel showing up along the beachfronts and on the jetties. Anglers are having most of their successes trolling Clarkspoons and mackerel trees, but a few are getting the opportunity to cast at surface-feeding schools.
King mackerel should soon be staging up from the beachfronts to nearshore structure (within 5 miles), but they aren’t in yet.
Red drum action inside has been good for those fishing cut baits along grass lines and around docks. These reds are starting to school up a little more, so anglers will do best working down an area quicker until finding a pocket of fish.
Some slot-sized reds are on the jetties.
Speckled trout are starting to show up, especially for those anglers fishing topwaters in the morning. Most of the trout are staged up around creek mouths and along grass lines with oyster beds, with just a few out on the jetty walls. Overall, the falling tide has produced a better bite.
Alex Garceran, of Wilmington, caught this 28″ red drum near Wrightsville Beach using a Z-Man paddle tail.
Ben, of Southern Run Fishing Charters, reports that anglers should start seeing the spanish mackerel action firing back up once the water gets cleaner.
Some big schools of bluefish are right off the beach (in the 20-30’ water depths).
As water temperatures continue to drop, the king mackerel should be showing up on the beaches.
Runs out to the Gulf Stream have produced wahoo and blackfin tuna. For both species, look around structure such as the 150 Rock, Same Ole’, and the Steeples area.
Charles, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that anglers casting plugs are having success catching a bunch of bluefish and spanish mackerel.
Bottom fishing has been producing a few flounder and some good-sized red drum (to 8 lbs.).
With temperatures cooling down, the pier expects to see some king mackerel hitting the decks.
