Added on Thursday, May 29, 2008  Gary Hurley

Topsail May 29, 2008

Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that inshore the speckled trout fishing has been excellent recently. The Surf City Bridge and creek mouths off the ICW have been producing the most action. Gulp shrimp and Bass Assassin grubs are producing the best results with the specks.

Surf anglers are landing a few whiting, some red drum, and large bluefish. The bluefish bite has been best around the north end of Lee Island. Cut baits and shrimp will produce in the surf.

Pier anglers are catching big numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish.

Cobia should start to show up over the next week or two. Anglers can find the cobia searching for meals around inlet tide lines and nearshore structure. Chumming and fishing with blue crabs is the most effective strategy, but live bluefish make good baits as well.

The high winds have kept most boats at the docks recently, but those making it out to the Gulf Stream are finding good wahoo fishing and a few yellowfin tuna. Trolling ballyhoo paired with skirted lures will produce results in the Stream.

 

Ricky, of Speckled Specialist Charters, reports that speckled trout fishing in the New River area remains consistently good. The action is hot at creeks and structure in the river and off the ICW.

Live shrimp fished under float rigs will produce the most action, but anglers can also get bites on Billy Bay Halo shrimp and suspending MirrOlures.

There are also plenty of schools of red drum working along the banks and other structure in the river and ICW. They’ll fall for live baits and a variety of artificial lures including topwater plugs.

 

Eric, of New River Marina, reports that inshore anglers continue to find good fishing with speckled trout and red drum in the river, the creeks, and off the ICW. Live shrimp, Gulp baits, and Halo shrimp should produce strikes from the trout and reds.

Flounder fishing has improved, and anglers are landing good numbers of flatfish around the inlet and the 172 Bridge. Carolina-rigged finger mullet or peanut pogies will draw strikes from the flatfish.

Black drum and sheepshead are also feeding around the bridge and other structure. A bottom rig baited with shrimp will fool both fish. Anglers can also target the sheepshead with fiddler crabs.

Bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding in the inlet and along the beachfront. Trolling Clarkspoons or Yo-Zuri Deep Divers will produce strikes from both.

A few kings are mixed in with the blues and spanish, but the best king fishing recently has been five miles and further offshore. The kings will bite trolled live baits or dead cigar minnows.

Boats are putting together good catches of grouper around structure 15-20 miles and further offshore. Cigar minnows and spanish sardines are two of the best baits.

 

Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are catching some pompano on bottom rigs baited with shrimp. Some whiting are falling for the bottom rigs after dark.

Bluefish and spanish mackerel are biting diamond jigs and Gotcha plugs. The spanish bite has been better early in the day than later.

Several kings (up to 15 lbs.) were caught from the end of the pier last week. One angler also landed a cobia. Live bluefish have been drawing the strikes on the king rigs.

 

Jan, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that live baiters hooked up with several cobia last week, and catches included 23 and 32 lb. fish.

Bottom fishermen are connecting with some citation pompano (2+ lbs.) and a few black drum while fishing with shrimp.

Plug casters are catching spanish mackerel and bluefish.

The water is 71 degrees.

 

Wayne, of Seaview Pier, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding around the pier, and anglers are hooking up with them on diamond jigs and Gotcha plugs.

Anglers fishing live shrimp on float rigs are catching good numbers of keeper speckled trout and flounder.

Bottom fishermen are landing a few black drum and whiting at night. Shrimp are producing the best results.

The pier’s first few sheepshead of the year were landed last week.

Live baiters landed several king mackerel over the week as well.