Topsail August 18, 2011
Ted and Tommy (age 7) Arditti with red drum they hooked on topwater plugs while fishing a flat near Sneads Ferry with Capt. Allen Jernigan of Breadman Ventures.
Cathy, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf and pier anglers are hooking up with some flounder on small live baits.
Pompano, bluefish, spot, croaker, spadefish, and some sea mullet are taking an interest in bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding just off the beaches, and they’re falling for Gotcha plugs, diamond jigs, and other shiny lures that anglers are casting from the piers. Trolled Clarkspoons are fooling the spaniards for boaters.
The red drum and flounder bite remains solid in the sound. Live finger mullet and Gulp baits are top choices for both fish, and anglers can find them feeding near the inlets, in the creeks, and around inshore structure like docks and bridges.
Sheepshead are on the feed around the docks and bridges in the area. Fiddler crabs dangled tight to the structure will tempt them to bite.
Offshore, bottom fishermen are reporting action with gag grouper and black sea bass at structure in the 10-20 mile range.
Red and scamp groupers and a host of other bottom feeders are holding at structure further offshore. Vertical jig and live, cut, and dead baits will attract attention from the grouper, and squid or smaller cut baits will fool the bass and other bottom feeders.
Trollers are connecting with some dolphin 20+ miles out, as well as with a few (very few) king mackerel. Live baits and dead cigar minnows or ballyhoo will fool the dolphin and kings.
Wayne, of Last Resort Charters, reports that flounder fishing around inshore structure like docks, bridges, and marinas has been excellent lately (and producing good numbers of 3-5 lb. fish). Live finger mullet have been the best baits recently.
Ethan Davis, from Sneads Ferry, with a red drum that bit a Gulp shrimp in the surf off North Topsail Beach.
The flounder bite is also on at the nearshore reefs and live bottoms outside the Cape Fear area’s inlets.
Red drum are feeding alongside the flatfish inshore and offshore, and anglers are also hooking up with them while fishing grass banks and creeks in the backwaters. Finger mullet or menhaden (either live or cut) will fool the reds.
Some speckled trout are beginning to feed around the bridges, docks, and other structure inshore. Live shrimp are top choices for the specks.
Spanish mackerel are feeding just outside the inlets and along the beachfront. Trolling Clarkspoons around working birds and surface activity is the way to put the spaniards in the boat.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that the red drum bite is improving once again in the marshes between Topsail and Figure Eight Island. The best action has been around creek mouths at lower tides, as the fish seem to duck back into the creeks when the tide rises. Some days the fish seem to prefer live finger mullet, and then menhaden are more effective on others, so smart anglers would do well to catch some of each before chasing the reds.
Flounder fishing is also improving, though it’s still slower than the red action right now. The bite should keep getting better as the nights start to get a bit cooler. Fishing deeper docks and the edges of inshore structure has been the most effective technique lately, and the flatfish seem to be showing a preference for finger mullet over menhaden.
Earl, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are hooking bluefish and spanish mackerel while casting Gotcha plugs from the pier.
Some spot and pompano are falling for bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Anglers are also landing an occasional sheepshead while dangling sand fleas and barnacles near the pier’s pilings.
Steve, of Surf City Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with some sea mullet, spot, and pompano on shrimp and bloodworms.
Small live baits are producing some flounder action.
Joanna Brown, of Sneads Ferry, with a king mackerel that bit a live menhaden near Cripple Rock while she was fishing with her boyfriend Capt. Tommy Berry.
Tim, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some bluefish while working Gotcha plugs from the pier. They’re also seeing some spanish mackerel, but it’s been tough to get them to bite lately.
Some croaker and sea mullet are biting bottom rigs baited with shrimp, especially at night.
Red drum and flounder are taking an interest in small live baits under the piers.
Live-baiters had several king mackerel strikes over the week.
