Topsail December 15, 2011
Derek King, of Sanford, NC, with speckled trout he hooked while casting Mirrolures in the North Topsail Beach surf.
Phil, of East Coast Sports, reports that anglers are connecting with some large sea mullet in the Topsail surf at present. Some pufferfish and smaller black drum are mixed in, and all three are taking an interest in fresh shrimp on bottom rigs.
Surf casters are also connecting with a few red drum on the south end of the island, and schools of the reds will be working the inlet shoals and the surf zone all winter long, especially down at Lea Island. Casting soft plastics, MirrOlures, and other artificials to schools of fish that anglers see in the waves is the best bet for the wintertime reds, as they’re often too lethargic to seek out baited bottom rigs.
A smaller class of reds (most under 20”) will take up residence far back in the area’s creeks for the winter, and anglers can tempt them to bite scented artificials like Gulps or fresh shrimp on bottom rigs.
Speckled trout fishing in the area creeks has been solid recently, and anglers should be able to find action with the trout all winter long on milder days. Slowly working Gulp baits on weightless worm hooks, or suspending hardbaits like MirrOlure MR17’s and Rapala X-Raps, is the way to tempt bites from the cool-water trout.
Bottom fishermen are still picking up some grouper, and anglers have a chance to put a few more in the fish box before grouper fishing closes January 1. Bottom structure 5-15 miles off the inlets is where to look for the grouper, and sardines, cigar minnows, and cut or live baits will tempt them to bite. There are also huge numbers of black sea bass in the same areas, but they’re closed to harvest until next June.
Trot King (angler) and Chris Klingenberger with a wahoo that struck a cedar plug trolled long while he was trolling around the Rise with Pat Renfro on the "Big Dawg."
When the weather’s been calm enough for the long ride to the Gulf Stream, boats have been finding solid wahoo fishing along the edge of the break. Trolling ballyhoo under skirted lures with dark-hues is the tried-and-true way to put the ‘hoos in the boat. As long as warm water stays over the break, the wahoo fishing should remain consistent all winter long.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that speckled trout fishing remains excellent (though anglers must weed through the short fish to get to the keepers), and barring any severe cold snaps, anglers should be able to target the specks all winter long. In the cooler water, fishing deeper water (9-15’) around structure like rocks and docks is the best strategy to locate the trout.
Gulp baits (particularly 3” shrimp in white and new penny) and live or fresh shrimp are top choices for the wintertime specks.
Black drum are feeding around hard structure like bridges and rocks, and they should also offer anglers some consistent action in the wintertime. Bottom fishing with fresh shrimp is the way to tempt bites from the drum, and it also produces some surprise fish like tautog and black sea bass in the cooler months.
Schools of red drum will move far up the mainland creeks for the winter, and a period of 2-3 warm days should get them actively feeding. Like their striped cousins, the cool-water reds will take an interest in fresh shrimp on the bottom.
Wayne, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some speckled trout while working soft plastic baits from the pier.
Some sea mullet and pufferfish are taking an interest in shrimp pinned to bottom rigs.
Travis Brusso, from Jacksonville, NC, with a 28" gag grouper he hooked on a diamond jig while bottom fishing 40 miles off New River Inlet with John Cruise and John Tedder on the "Pelagic Hunter."
Robbie, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are catching good numbers of pufferfish and a few sea mullet and black drum while fishing bottom rigs baited with shrimp from the pier.
Plenty of speckled trout are coming over the rails (but most are undersized). Soft plastic lures on jigheads are tempting the bites from the specks.
