Added on Thursday, April 24, 2008  Gary Hurley

Topsail April 24, 2008

Doug, of East Coast Sports, reports that red drum and some flounder are feeding in the creeks behind the island. Anglers are starting to see more keepers among the flounder. Live mud minnows fished on a Carolina rig should attract bites from both.

Speckled trout fishing has been hit-or-miss, but anglers are landing some nice trout around the Surf City Bridge. Grubs have been drawing most of the trout bites.

Bluefish and Atlantic bonito are schooled up at nearshore structure like Diver’s Rock. Boats seeking the bonito should look for schools feeding on the surface, birds working the water, or bait marks on the depthfinder. Casting and jigging diamond jigs or Crippled Herring spoons will tempt the bonito to bite.

Bottom fishing has been decent 25-30 miles offshore, with anglers reporting some red and gag grouper.

Out in the Gulf Stream, wahoo (with some running 40-60 lbs.) and some blackfin tuna are greeting boats that make the long run. Ballyhoo underneath skirted lures are accounting for most of the bites, and purple/black has been a hot color recently. Some boats off of Morehead have landed yellowfins, but they’ve been slow to show up further south. The area around the Nipple and the Same Ole has been the most productive local spot lately.

 

Ricky, of Speckled Specialist Charters, reports that speckled trout fishing in the New River has been excellent lately. The fish are spread out throughout the river, from Sneads Ferry upriver to Jacksonville. Not only have anglers landed big numbers of trout lately, they’ve landed some monsters (a number over 5 lbs., including a 10.2 lb. gator).

Most of the action has been around creeks, creek mouths, and structure adjacent to deeper water in the main river. Billy Bay Halo shrimp and MR17 suspending Mirrolures are the hottest lures, but live shrimp will produce even better if anglers can acquire some.

 

Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that plug casters are hooking up with big numbers of bluefish.

Bottom fishermen are catching good numbers of whiting at night, along with a few gray trout, spot, and croaker. Shrimp are fooling the bottom fish.

 

Jan, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are landing whiting (some well over one pound), red drum, bluefish, black drum, and some flounder. Shrimp and Fish Bites are the best baits.

The bluefish are also falling for plugs.

The water is around 64 degrees.

 

Eric, of New River Marina, reports that speckled trout and red drum fishing in the New River has been solid. Anglers are hooking up with the trout and drum in creeks off the main river, especially upriver from Sneads Ferry. Live shrimp, Billy Bay Halo shrimp, and Gulp baits will attract attention from either species.

Giggers are getting some flounder, so it shouldn’t be long until anglers are landing the flatfish as well. A Carolina-rigged live bait is tough to beat for the flounder.

Black drum are feeding in the river and creeks, with a few around the 172 Bridge. Cut shrimp fished on two-hook bottom rigs should get the drum interested.

There are plenty of bluefish around the inlets.

The blues are also mixed in with Atlantic bonito schooling at Diver’s Rock. Anglers who want to hook up with a bonito should troll Yo-Zuri diving plugs and Clarkspoons around the area, or cast diamond jigs to breaking schools of fish and beneath flocks of diving birds.

Bottom fishing has been good 20-25 miles offshore. Boats are landing good numbers of red and gag grouper while baiting up with cigar minnows and sardines.

King mackerel are feeding in the same areas, and they will fall for cigar minnows trolled or fished on the light line from an anchored boat. Out in the Gulf Stream, boats are landing decent numbers of wahoo and a few yellowfin tuna. Ballyhoo rigged under skirts like Sea Witches will account for plenty of strikes in the Stream.

 

Earl, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are catching bluefish from the planks on diamond jigs and Gotcha plugs.

A few small whiting and some speckled trout are falling for bottom rigs, mostly baited with shrimp.