Topsail August 14, 2008
Ellen, from Cincinatti, OH, with a red drum she hooked on a Gulp bait in the ICW near Sneads Ferry. She was fishing with Capt. Rennie Clark of Tournament Trail Charters out of the Topsail area.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that anglers are landing some solid speckled trout and flounder inshore. Live baits and Gulps will attract attention from both fish.
A lot of ladyfish are feeding in the backwaters, too. Targeting them at night around lit docks and bridges is the most effective way to hook up.
Sheepshead are feeding around the Surf City Bridge, and sand fleas, fiddler crabs, and other crustaceans will attract their attention.
Surf anglers are catching whiting, red drum, and black drum from Topsail Island, with the black drum bite best towards the south. The Lee Island surf is giving up plenty of reds and a good number of ladyfish.
Some tarpon are feeding just off the beaches, and large live baits should get their attention.
King mackerel are feeding from just offshore of the island to spots in 100′. Live baits and dead cigar minnows will tempt the kings to bite.
Amberjacks are schooled up alongside barracuda at AR-355. Live baits should attract attention from both.
Sailfish are feeding at the Schoolhouse and other nearby spots, and they should respond to live baits or rigged ballyhoo.
The inshore gag grouper bite is heating up. Anglers can find the gags feeding at structure within 20 miles of the beaches.
Clair Roller with her first puppy drum. She caught the 22" drum while fishing with her son Dan and his wife Denise Failor. It bit a live shrimp in a creek off the New River.
Eric, of New River Marina, reports that trollers are finding good action with wahoo, dolphin, and king mackerel within 30 miles of the beach. Ballyhoo and live baits will produce action with all three.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with red grouper and other bottomfish at structure 20 miles and further offshore. Gags are feeding closer to the beaches, and anglers are hooking good numbers 10-15 miles out.
King mackerel are feeding along the beaches, and live pogies and cigar minnows, live or dead, have been attracting their attention.
Spanish are also feeding in the inlet and along the beach, and they’ll fall for trolled Clarkspoons.
Plenty of sharks are cruising the beaches and the inlet, and large cut or live baits will get their attention.
Inshore, anglers are finding solid trout and red drum fishing throughout the New River and the ICW. Live shrimp and finger mullet are top baits, but anglers can cast Gulps, topwaters, and other lures with success as well.
Flounder are feeding in the river, waterway, and inlet, and live baits on Carolina rigs will get their attention.
Anglers are hooking lots of sheepshead and black drum beneath the 172 Bridge. Shrimp and cut baits on bottom rigs will draw strikes from them.
Ricky, of Speckled Specialist Charters, reports that anglers are hooking red drum at spots along the ICW near Sneads Ferry. Topwater plugs and Gulp baits will fool the reds.
Speckled trout are feeding alongside the reds and in the New River near Sneads Ferry. Live shrimp are the top baits, but they’ll fall for topwater plugs and artificial shrimp as well.
Some sheepshead are holding beneath the 172 Bridge, and float-rigged live shrimp are enticing bites from them.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are catching some flounder on small live baits.
Bottom fishermen are hooking some whiting at night on shrimp.
Caleb, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are catching pinfish and some whiting at night on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Plug casters are hooking up with some spanish mackerel and bluefish on Gotchas.
Earl, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some flounder on live baits.
Bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs and a variety of baits.
