Topsail Island – July 2, 2015
Robert, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf casters have been hooking up with some sea mullet, black drum, and a few red drum while casting shrimp and cut baits from Topsail’s shores.
Some flounder are biting live and strip baits along with soft lures like Gulps along the beachfront and in the inlets.
The flounder bite has been good in the backwaters as well, where live baits and Gulps are also getting attention.
Red drum are feeding in the bays and creeks inshore and biting live baits, topwater plugs, and a variety of other artificials.
Out in the ocean, spanish mackerel and bluefish are chasing bait just off the inlets and beachfront. Anglers can tempt them to bite casting lures or hook up while trolling Clarkspoons, squid rigs, and other flashy lures.
King mackerel have been biting as close as 5 miles off the beach for anglers dragging live and dead baits.
More kings and good numbers of dolphin are looking for meals at spots like 23 Mile Rock. Dead cigar minnows and ballyhoo paired with skirted lures are fooling most of the fish at the offshore spots.
Angel Cuevas, of Wilmington, with a 27″ red drum that attacked a live mud minnow while she was fishing near Sneads Ferry with Matt Markley.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that anglers are still connecting with good numbers of flounder around deeper inshore structure like dock pilings (8-10’+). Most of the flatfish are falling for live finger mullet on Carolina rigs.
Black drum are also feeding around dock pilings and bridges in the area. Anglers can tempt them to bite fresh and live shrimp fished tight to the bottom.
Red drum are prowling the shallows of local marshes and taking an interest in live and cut menhaden and mullet. Artificial lures like topwater plugs can be effective as well.
Hunter Holly with a black drum that bit a shrimp inshore at Topsail Beach while he was fishing with his dad.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that anglers continue to find excellent topwater action with slot and over-slot red drum while fishing the shallow flats and bays around Sneads Ferry. When the reds don’t want to bite the topwaters, other artificials like spoons and soft plastics will get their attention.
A few large speckled trout are mixed in with the reds and also biting topwaters.
Plenty of flounder are around the marshes as well, and anglers can tempt them to bite live baits or scented soft plastics like Salty Bay Cigar Minnows.
Lee Buie, of Rocky Point, NC, with a limit of red and black drum he hooked while fishing float-rigged live shrimp around the pilings of Seaview Pier.
Greg, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some flounder while soaking small live baits under the pier.
Black drum are taking an interest in live and fresh shrimp fished on the bottom. Anglers are also hooking a few red drum.
Some bluefish are falling for bottom rigs and metal casting lures that anglers are working from the pier.
Ed, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking a few spanish mackerel during the morning hours when there’s clean water around the pier. Casting lures like Gotcha plugs are fooling the spanish.
