Topsail July 26, 2012
Barrett Holmes and Austin Barnhill with a quartet of flounder that bit finger mullet in a creek inshore of Topsail Beach.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that boaters are catching big numbers of spanish mackerel while trolling Clarkspoons just off the island’s beachfront.
Some larger spanish are feeding around structure starting around two miles out, and live baits like small menhaden are the way to go for the larger spaniards. They’ll also bite dead cigar minnows.
Some dolphin and a decent number of cobia have been reported by anglers trolling live and dead baits at spots starting 12-15 miles off the inlet.
A few sailfish have been in the mix with the dolphin and cobes, with the most reports coming from the 20-30 mile range.
Inshore, the red drum bite has been strong on the flats and in the bays. The fish have been responding well to topwater plugs recently. When they don’t want to bite topwaters, Gulp baits and other soft plastics or live baits will get the job done.
Sheepshead are still feeding around inshore structure, and they’ve been particularly abundant around the ocean piers lately. Fiddler crabs and sand fleas are some of the best bets for the sheeps.
The flounder bite remains strong inshore, especially around structure like dock and bridge pilings. Gulp baits and live mud minnows or finger mullet are attracting most of the attention from the flatfish.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of flounder in the marshes and around drop-offs from Sneads Ferry to Surf City. Both live baits and soft plastics have been tempting bites from the flatfish.
Nick and Ricky Hall, of Beaver Dam, NC, with 35" and 34" gag groupers that bit dead baits 15 miles off Topsail Beach while they were fishing with Capt. Stewart Johnston of Miss Jo Charters.
Speckled trout are feeding around bridges and docks off the ICW and New River in the early morning hours, with a bit of a bite also taking place on the tide changes later in the day. Live shrimp are top trout tempters, but anglers can also hook up on a variety of soft plastic baits.
Red drum are feeding in bays and on the local flats, with speckled trout, large bluefish, and jack crevalle mixed into the schools of reds. Topwater plugs are solid choices for all the schooling fish, but anglers are also hooking up on soft plastics and live baits.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with red drum around boat docks and in the local marshes. Falling tides are the best time to look for the reds. Anglers can tempt them to bite a variety of natural and artificial baits, but live finger mullet have been the most consistently effective lately.
Flounder fishing is still strong around inshore structure like ledges and bridge and dock pilings. Live baits are the best flounder foolers, but anglers can also cast Gulps with success.
Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with a few sea mullet while bottom fishing, especially in the evening hours. Shrimp are producing most of the action.
Speckled trout are feeding on-and-off around the pier, with live shrimp the go-to baits. The best bet for the specks is in the early morning hours.
Donna Pittman, of Wilson County, NC, with a 7 lb. flounder that struck a 4" Gulp pogy on a 1/4 oz. Prototype jighead while fishing near Sneads Ferry with Capt. Allen Jernigan of Breadman Ventures.
Some smaller puppy drum have been hooked from the pier over the past week.
And plug casters and live baiters are connecting with a few spanish mackerel.
Bob, of Surf City Pier, reports that live-baiters are hooking some large spanish mackerel from the end of the pier.
Some bluefish are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with some sea mullet and spot in the morning and evening hours.
Jake, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that some sea mullet and spot are taking an interest in bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms in the morning and evening hours.
Anglers are hooking a few bluefish on Gotcha plugs in the mornings.
Some flounder and a few red drum are biting live shrimp and mud minnows fished on the bottom under the pier.
