Topsail August 11, 2011
Luke McKeithan (age 14), from Wilmington, with a pair of black drum he caught in the ICW near Scotts Hill Marina.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that ladyfish have shown up in the sound, and anglers are catching them around lighted structure at night on Rapala X-Raps and live shrimp.
The red drum bite in the sound has turned on, and anglers are finding the fish in the marshes and around ICW structure (like docks). Topwater plugs, soft plastics like Gulp baits, and a variety of live baits will fool the reds.
Black drum and sheepshead are looking for meals around hard inshore structure like bridge and dock pilings, seawalls, and oyster rocks. Live shrimp or fiddler crabs will tempt bites from either fish.
Anglers are putting together some nice flounder catches in and around the ICW (with good numbers of fish to 5 lbs.). Live baits and Gulps are producing most of the fish, and structure like docks and bridges are good places to begin searching for them.
Surf casters are connecting with some citation (2+ lbs.) pompano and sea mullet from the beaches, but the bite starts and ends very early in the day. Shrimp and sand fleas are fooling both bottom feeders.
Some large spanish mackerel (fish to 7 lbs.) are feeding just off the beaches and falling for live menhaden and other small baits. Anglers are hooking them from the piers and from boats.
The sailfish bite is still excellent 15-30 miles off the beach. Most boats are hooking the fish while trolling around bait pods on the surface, and naked ballyhoo are drawing most of the bites.
Bottom fishermen have been putting together some solid catches of black sea bass at structure within 10 miles of the inlets. Small vertical jigs and bottom rigs baited with squid or cut baits are the ways to go for the bass.
Some gag grouper are holding in the same areas, and anglers had excellent luck with red grouper at structure in around 90’ last week. Live baits and dead cigar minnows, as well as vertical jigs, will tempt bites from the groupers.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that the red drum bite is still solid in the creeks and the ICW between Figure Eight and Topsail. Falling tides are producing the best fishing. Live finger mullet have been producing most of the action, but anglers can also hook up on live or cut menhaden.
Mason McKeithan (age 10), of Wilmington, with a 7.8 lb. sheepshead that bit a live fiddler crab around some ICW structure near Scotts Hill.
Earl, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are decking a few sheepshead while dangling fiddler crabs near the pilings.
Some red and black drum are taking an interest in shrimp, sand fleas, and live baits fished on the bottom.
A few pompano are coming over the rails, mostly for anglers baiting up with sand fleas, but several have fallen for gold hook rigs as well.
Some spanish mackerel and bluefish are also biting the gold hook rigs.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are still catching some flounder on small live baits fished near the pilings.
A few pompano are falling for shrimp and sand fleas on bottom rigs.
The spanish mackerel bite has been decent, and anglers are catching some large ones on live baits pinned to king rigs, as well as while working Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs.
Austin, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that some spanish mackerel and bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs in the early morning hours.
Some spot and croaker are taking an interest in shrimp and bloodworms on bottom rigs.
Anglers are catching an occasional red drum on shrimp, sand fleas, and live baits in the evening hours.
Live baiters hooked several tarpon off the end of the pier this week.
