Topsail August 29, 2013
John Early with a healthy king mackerel that bit a live pinfish 22 miles off New Topsail Inlet while he was fishing with his wife Becky.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that anglers are hooking decent numbers of flounder inshore around the inlets, marshes, and ICW structure like docks and bridges. Live baits like finger mullet are fooling most of the flatfish, but anglers are also hooking up while working scented soft baits like Gulps along the bottom.
Red drum are feeding in many of the same areas as the flounder, and they are also cruising the inlet shoals looking for meals. Inshore, anglers can tempt the reds to bite live baits or topwater plugs, soft plastics, and a variety of other artificials. In the surf, finger mullet and cut baits are generally the best bet.
Sheepshead are looking for meals around bridge and dock pilings and other hard structure inshore. They’re also feeding along the ocean piers. Live fiddler crabs and sand fleas are tough for the sheeps to turn down, and anglers should fish them tight to the structure.
Spanish mackerel are feeding just off the beachfront, where anglers can tempt them to bite trolled Clarkspoons, daisy chains, and other small, flashy lures.
Anglers are also catching some larger spaniards within a few miles of shore on smaller live baits like finger mullet and menhaden.
Jacob Barefoot (age 10), of Johnston County, with a slot red drum that bit a gold spoon in the New River near Sneads Ferry while he was fishing with Capt. Allen Jernigan of Breadman Ventures.
A few kings have been caught not far from the beaches, but most are feeding 10+ miles offshore. Trolling live baits or dead cigar minnows around structure and bait schools is the way to hook up with the kings.
Bottom fishermen have been hooking some grouper and red snapper, along with plenty of smaller bottom dwellers like sea bass and grunts at offshore structure. Squid, cigar minnows, and live, dead, or cut baits will fool the bottom dwellers.
Those anglers who’ve made the run to the Gulf Stream lately are reporting an excellent wahoo bite. Most are falling for ballyhoo paired with dark-colored trolling lures.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that there’s still a solid red drum bite in the bays and marshes off the New River and ICW, with some fish grouped up in large schools. Topwater plugs, especially the MirrOlure She Pup, and gold spoons have been fooling the reds in good numbers recently.
Speckled trout are in many of the same areas, but they’ve been biting well some days and not at all on others. MirrOLure MR17’s and She Pups have been attracting attention from the specks.
Flounder are feeding around inshore structure and in the marshes and inlets. Anglers are fooling the flatfish with live baits and soft plastics laced with scents like Pro-Cure Super Gel.
Liz Pitts, of Wells Marine Insurance, with a 3+ lb. speckled trout that bit a live finger mullet near Sneads Ferry while she was fishing with team “Total Liability.”
Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that plug casters have been hooking some spanish mackerel and bluefish while working Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with big numbers of undersized flounder and an occasional red or black drum. Live baits and shrimp are producing most of the bites.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that some spot and sea mullet are biting bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
Flounder are taking an interest in small live baits under the pier (some keepers but most undersized).
Anglers working Gotcha plugs and other lures are hooking some spanish mackerel and bluefish near the end of the pier.
Robin, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some sea mullet, larger spot, and black drum on bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
Some flounder are coming over the rails, but most are small.
Big numbers of mullet are running down the beachfront, so anglers should see some spanish mackerel and bluefish action in the coming days.
