Topsail – August 13, 2015
Robert, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf and pier bottom fishermen are connecting with sea mullet, spot, black drum, and a mixed bag of other fish while soaking shrimp on two-hook rigs.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding just off the beachfront, where pier anglers are hooking them on Gotcha plugs and other casting lures. Boaters are getting in on the action while pulling Clarkspoons, squid rigs, and other shiny lures behind inline sinkers and planers.
Anglers are reporting solid action with school king mackerel around 12 miles offshore. The smaller kings will bite live baits like menhaden or dead cigar minnows and ballyhoo.
Anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream have found action with wahoo and sailfish in recent days. Ballyhoo paired with skirted lures like sea witches are fooling the blue water predators.
Inshore, there’s still a solid flounder bite going on in the sound. The best action has been around docks and other structure in deeper (10’+) water. Live finger mullet are producing most of the flounder action, but anglers are also hooking some on scented soft baits like Gulps.
Red drum are looking for meals in the marshes and near the inlets. Anglers looking to connect with the reds are also hooking up on live baits and Gulps, with topwater plugs, spoons, and other artificials also effective.
Aldo Ciotti with his first dolphin, hooked on a Lucky Dawg Squid while he was fishing 18 miles off Topsail Inlet with Capt. Ike Leggett of Hooked Up Charters.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Fishing Charters, reports there’s still a good flounder bite around docks, bridges, and other inshore structure (and some citation-class fish are in the mix). Most of the flatfish are falling for live finger mullet dragged slowly along the bottom.
Black drum are feeding in many of the same areas. The crustacean-lovers have a hard time turning down fresh shrimp or crabs fished near the pilings.
Anglers are still seeing plenty of red drum action in the local marshes. The best bite has been along grass and shell edges with some current flow, and the reds are falling for live and cut menhaden and mullet.
Jake Holmes (age 11), and Ken Broomfield, with a dolphin that Jake landed while trolling 18 miles off Topsail Island on the “Fish Hooker.”
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that the red drum bite just won’t quit. Anglers are finding the fish on the marshy bays and flats around Sneads Ferry and fooling them with MirrOlure topwater plugs, Flats Intruder spoons, and Salty Bay soft baits on jigheads and weedless hooks.
Some fat speckled trout are feeding in the same areas as the reds and pouncing on the same lures.
Brandon Burch, of Maryland, with a 38″ red drum he caught and released after it attacked a Drone spoon 5 miles off Topsail Beach while he was fishing with Capt. Jim Sabella of Plan 9 Fishing Charters.
Tyler, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some spanish mackerel while working casting lures like Gotcha plugs from the end of the pier.
Anglers soaking live baits near the pilings are connecting with a few flounder.
Some over-slot red drum have been biting cut baits at night.
Vincent Stemp, of Hampstead, with an over-slot red drum he caught and released while casting a 4″ Gulp shrimp in New Topsail Inlet.
Gaylon, of Surf City Pier, reports that live-baiters have been landing some large spanish mackerel (to 6 lbs.) while fishing from the end of the pier. Some king mackerel have been hooked recently as well.
Sheepshead are feeding around the pilings and biting baits like fiddler crabs and sea urchins.
Bottom fishermen are finding action with spot and sea mullet while baiting up with bloodworms and shrimp.
B.J. Blackmon with a 43.4 lb. king mackerel that bit a live bait off New River Inlet while he was fishing with Capt. Tommy Berry on the “Kill Switch.”
Cheryl, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some flounder during the evening hours. Most are falling for small live baits fished near the pilings.
Spot, croaker, and other panfish are falling for shrimp on bottom rigs.
