Topsail April 26, 2012
Kevin Creech, of Johnston County, NC, with an 11.25 lb. bluefish that struck a live bait off Surf City Pier.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that Atlantic bonito have finally made a strong showing around Divers Rock and other nearshore structure off New River Inlet. Anglers are catching big numbers while trolling Yo-Zuri Deep Divers and casting diamond jigs and other small, flashy metal lures to schools of fish feeding on the surface.
Some healthy spanish mackerel are mixed in with the bonito, along with plenty of bluefish. One angler even landed a 20 lb. blackfin tuna while bonito fishing last week. Inshore, the speckled trout bite has been excellent around the bridges and other hard inshore structure (with some fish to 3-4 lbs.). Live baits are top choices for the trout, but anglers have also had excellent results while casting smaller Rapala X-Rap plugs in recent days.
Red drum are feeding around creekmouths and nearby flats inshore, where they’ll take a hearty interest in live baits, Gulps, topwater plugs, and a variety of other lures.
Sheepshead are beginning to show up at the ocean piers and around hard structure inshore. Fiddler crabs, sand fleas, and other crustaceans are the best baits for the structure-loving sheeps.
Surf and pier anglers are connecting with some healthy sea mullet on bottom rigs baited with shrimp and Fish Bites.
Good numbers of bluefish are also feeding in the surf and just off the breakers, and anglers are hooking them on bottom rigs and while working Gotcha plugs and other metal lures from the piers. A few chopper bluefish (5-10+ lbs.) have been caught lately as well, both on Gotcha plugs and live baits on king rigs.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that the Atlantic bonito are feeding off New River Inlet between the sea buoy and Divers Rock. The fishing’s been a bit up-and-down, with days where the fish are more skittish and tougher to catch, and days where they’re feeding practically everywhere in sight, but anglers have been able to put together good catches even on the slower days.
Trolling Yo-Zuri Deep Divers and casting diamond jigs to fish feeding on the surface is the way to connect with the hard-fighting bonito. Huge numbers of bluefish and some spanish mackerel are feeding in the same area and vulnerable to the same techniques.
Inshore, the speckled trout bite has turned on around hard structure in the ICW, and anglers are hooking plenty of fish (with some to 4+ lbs.) on live shrimp fished under floats.
Anglers have been catching red and black drum around deeper docks, with most falling for shrimp, crab chunks, and small live baits.
Flounder are feeding in deeper water (12’+) inshore, and live mud minnows are tempting bites from the flatfish (most still smaller, but some solid keepers in the mix).
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that red drum are still feeding in the creeks and bays behind the barrier islands and off the New River. Prototype bucktails and jigheads tipped with Gulp baits and TTF soft plastics are fooling most of the reds.
Some flounder are in the same areas and will pounce on a Gulp bait.
Sheepshead and black drum are beginning to show up around the bridges inshore, where fiddler crabs and other crustacean baits will tempt both to bite.
The Atlantic bonito bite has been excellent lately off New River Inlet. Trolling Yo-Zuri Deep Divers and casting diamond jigs or flashy bucktails to the schools of fish feeding on the surface is the way to hook up with the bonito, and they seem to prefer their meals trolled some days and casted on others. Some spanish mackerel are mixed in with the bonito, and a few king mackerel are starting to show up in the same areas.
Kelluy Jernigan with a pair of Atlantic bonito that struck Yo-Zuri Deep Divers while she was trolling off New River Inlet with Capt. Allen Jernigan of Breadman Ventures.
Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that some spanish mackerel are starting to show up, and plug casters are hooking them while working Gotchas from the planks. Plenty of bluefish are mixed in, and anglers also landed some big chopper blues last week on plugs and cut and live baits.
Bottom fishermen are hooking decent numbers of sea mullet in the evening hours on shrimp and other baits. A few red and black drum are in the mix.
Anglers soaking small live baits on the bottom are connecting with some flounder.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that last weekend’s winds temporarily slowed the fish, but anglers are already back to catching some sheepshead and bluefish (including some big chopper blues that are biting king mackerel baits).
Before the storm, spanish mackerel were joining the bluefish and taking an interest in Gotcha plugs.
Bottom fishermen found a mixed bag including sea mullet, pompano, black drum, and more.
Cindy, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are catching some bluefish and a few healthy spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs from the planks.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with some fat sea mullet, black drum, and bluefish (including some big choppers falling for shrimp).
Sheepshead are feeding around the pier pilings, and shrimp or sand fleas will tempt them to bite.
Small live baits on the bottom are producing some keeper flounder.
