Added on Thursday, July 10, 2008  Gary Hurley

Topsail July 10, 2008

Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf and pier anglers are seeing a typical summertime mixed bag-lots of variety but not many of any one species. The north end of Lee Island is an exception, where anglers are catching big numbers of red drum on spoons, finger mullet, and cut baits.

Inshore, anglers are catching plenty of flounder and some speckled trout on live baits and Gulp Alive jerk shads.

King mackerel are schooling around bottom structure and bait concentrations 8-15 miles offshore. Live baits or dead cigar minnows should entice them to strike.

The grouper bite has been excellent inside of 20 miles lately. They’ll fall for cigar minnows and other baits, but many anglers are finding excellent results while working butterfly jigs.

 

Eric, of New River Marina, reports that sheepshead fishing is excellent around the 172 Bridge. Anglers are catching some black drum along with the sheeps while fishing shrimp and crab baits on bottom rigs.

Trout and red drum action remains hot in the New River and at structure and creeks off the ICW nearby. Anglers can hook up with the trout and reds on live baits, Gulps, topwaters, and Billy Bay Halo shrimp.

The inlet has been hosting a good flounder bite lately. Anglers are doing well on the flatfish while drifting the inlet and fishing the nearby creek mouths with Carolina-rigged finger mullet and peanut pogies.

Spanish mackerel are still feeding along the beaches, but the action is slower than it’s been in past weeks. Boats trolling Clarkspoons near the inlet should still be able to find some fish, however.

Shark fishing has been excellent along the beaches and near the inlet. Anglers who chum and fish with large live baits like pinfish, mullet, and blues stand an excellent chance of hooking up with a bruiser shark.

King mackerel are feeding on bait from 6 miles offshore on out. Live baits are outperforming dead ones, and anglers can jig cigar minnows near the buoy or cast net pogies inshore to fill their livewells.

Dolphin are also feeding within 10 miles of land, and they’ll take an interest in the same baits anglers are trolling for kings.

The grouper bite has been good for reds and gags 10-15 miles and further offshore.

Not many boats have been to the Gulf Stream lately, but larger dolphin and wahoo are likely feeding out in the blue water.

 

Ricky, of Speckled Specialist Charters, reports that speckled trout fishing is hot from up the New River all the way to the inlet. Anglers are finding the specks feeding around structure and drop-offs, and they’re falling for topwater plugs and live baits. In spots where the pinfish are too bad to fish live shrimp, anglers can use peanut pogies or even small pinfish to entice bites from the trout.

Red drum are feeding around the inlet shoals, and they’re falling for topwater plugs and soft plastic baits on heavy leadheads.

Some tarpon have been caught from the piers and seen around the inlet recently, so anglers fishing large live baits in the inlet and nearby may have a shot at one of the giant leapers.

 

Terry, of Surf City Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching whiting, spot, black drum, and other bottom feeders on cut shrimp.

Live shrimp fished on the bottom are producing bites from speckled trout and flounder.

Anglers working diamond jigs from the pier are hooking some spanish mackerel and bluefish.

Live baiters landed a tarpon and hooked several kings last week.

 

Wayne, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers fishing with live shrimp are landing speckled trout and some nice flounder (up to 22″).

Bluefish and spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs.

Whiting, spot, and some pompano are falling for shrimp on bottom rigs.

Several king mackerel and a tarpon were caught from the end of the pier last week.

 

Marion, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that live baiters hooked two tarpon and three kings last week.

Early in the mornings, anglers are catching a lot of speckled trout (most around 2 lbs.) on live shrimp. The shrimp are also producing some flounder.

Plug casters are hooking up with bluefish and a few spanish mackerel.

Bottom fishermen are decking some whiting (up to 1.5 lbs.).