Topsail Island – June 26, 2014
Charlie and Capt. Chris Medlin, of East Coast Sports, with a shark that struck a menhaden just offshore of Topsail Island.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that Topsail surf casters are connecting with good numbers of spot and red drum, along with a few flounder.
The red and flounder action has been excellent in the backwaters as well.
Tarpon are cruising along the beachfront and offering some excitement to anglers live-baiting from the piers.
The spanish mackerel bite remains solid within a few miles of the beachfront, with most boats hooking up while trolling Clarkspoons.
Plenty of large sharks are in the same areas, and they will pounce on live or dead menhaden and a variety of cut baits.
Bottom fishermen are reporting excellent black sea bass fishing at spots 5-12 miles offshore. Squid and cut baits on bottom rigs are fooling most of the bass.
King mackerel have been showing up at spots 25-30 miles out and falling for live and dead baits.
Gulf Stream trollers are reporting that the gaffer dolphin action remains excellent around local blue water hotspots. Skirted ballyhoo are fooling the ‘phins and other offshore predators.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that anglers are seeing some excellent action with speckled trout in the early morning hours right now. They’re feeding on the flats and bays off the ICW and New River, and anglers are hooking big numbers on topwater plugs like MirrOlure She Dogs and Top Pups. Once the sun gets high, casting MirrOlure MR17’s, Storm shrimp, and other subsurface artificials will tempt the specks to bite. A few larger trout are biting the topwater plugs all day long.
Michael Savage II, of Rocky Point, with a speckled trout that struck a live killifish in Virginia Creek on the opening day of trout season.
Red drum action is excellent as well when anglers can get on a school of feeding fish. Gold spoons and topwater plugs are both tempting big numbers of bites from the reds when they’re active.
Flounder fishing continues to improve inshore (with some large doormats in the mix). Anglers are hooking the flatfish on soft plastics and live baits around the inlets and deep water docks and bridges.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Fishing Charters, reports that the flounder action is improving in the area, and anglers are hooking most of the fish on live menhaden.
The red drum bite on the area’s flats has been excellent one day and tough the next. Live menhaden are tough for the reds to pass up as well.
Out in the ocean there’s been some decent spanish mackerel action for boats trolling Clarkspoons and casting metal lures to schools of feeding fish.
Large sharks are also feeding just off the beaches and won’t take long to find a cut or live bait.
Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some speckled trout in the early morning hours while baiting up with live shrimp.
Some sea mullet and spot are biting bottom rigs baited with shrimp, and anglers also caught some gray trout on bottom rigs last week when the water was dirty.
A few spanish mackerel and bluefish are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier.
Garrison, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking sea mullet and a few spot on bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
Plug casters are hooking some bluefish, but spanish mackerel have been few and far between lately.
Robbie, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers have seen some decent action with large spot, particularly in the evening hours. Shrimp and bloodworms on bottom rigs are fooling the panfish.
Anglers also hooked good numbers of flounder last week, but most were undersized.
Plug casters are finding scattered action with spanish mackerel and bluefish while working Gotchas.
