Topsail April 28, 2011
Kevin Steinke, of Midlothian, VA, with a 30" red drum he caught and released in the Topsail Beach surf.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that the big news in the area is Atlantic bonito. The striped tunas have shown up at nearshore structure within a few miles of New River Inlet, and anglers are hooking up with them while trolling lures like Yo-Zuri Deep Divers and Clarkspoons. For more light tackle fun, anglers can connect with the bonito by casting diamond jigs and other heavy metal lures to schools of fish feeding on the surface and vertically jigging over bait and fish marks on the depthfinder.
Huge numbers of bluefish and some false albacore are mixed in. Anglers are also hooking big numbers of black sea bass and a few gag grouper when their lures sink to the bottom. Sea bass are closed to harvest until June, but anglers will be able to keep grouper as of May 1. Those looking for gags shouldn’t need to travel more than 10 miles to connect with some keepers.
Red and scamp grouper will be feeding further out on the continental shelf.
Offshore, boats making the run to the Gulf Stream have been returning with some wahoo and blackfin tuna.
Pier anglers are hooking up with good catches of sea mullet on bottom rigs and some bluefish while plugging. The first spanish mackerel of the year have also been caught.
Some red drum are feeding around the inlet, and anglers are hooking them while surf fishing with cut baits from the south end and Lea Island.
The flounder bite is turning on inshore, and anglers should be able to hook a few flatfish while casting live mud minnows and Gulp baits in the creeks and near the inlets.
Wayne, of Last Resort Charters, reports that the red drum seem to have left the creeks, and the best bite has been on the flats between Topsail and Rich’s Inlets lately. Live baits have been the most productive, with mud minnows and finger mullet both attracting attention. Bait-sized finger mullet are making a showing in the creeks. Gulp baits have also been producing some action with the reds.
Atlantic bonito have shown up at nearshore structure just off the inlets, and spanish mackerel should be close on their heels.
Jeff Brown, of Roanoke Rapids, NC, with a 27" red drum that fell for a cut bait in the Topsail surf.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that, weather permitting, the best action lately has been with Atlantic bonito 1-3 miles off New River Inlet. Metal jigs like Shore Lures, Marias, and diamond jigs have been attracting the most attention, and anglers are hooking up while casting to breaking schools of fish and areas of working birds.
Inshore, anglers are catching a few drum and flounder along the ICW, mostly on live mud minnows.
Earl, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are hooking up with good numbers of bluefish on Gotcha plugs.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with some sea mullet and a few spot, croaker, gray trout, and black drum. Shrimp are fooling the bottom feeders.
Steve, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are picking up good numbers of sea mullet on bottom rigs baited with shrimp. A few pompano (to 1.5 lbs.), black drum, small flounder, and sheepshead have also been landed over the past week.
Plug casters are hooking plenty of bluefish.
Cheryl, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that plug casters are finding fast action with bluefish, and the pier landed the first spanish mackerel of the year last week.
Bottom fishermen are finding action with sea mullet, some small flounder, and sheepshead.
