Topsail – July 31, 2014
Chandler Rosenbaun with a 33 lb. (minus tail) king mackerel that bit a live bait off the end of Jolly Roger Pier.
Cathy, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf casters are hooking some red and black drum, bluefish, spot, and croaker along the island’s beachfront. Shrimp are fooling most of the fish.
Some spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding just off the beaches, and anglers are hooking them while working Gotcha plugs from the piers and trolling Clarkspoons from boats.
Several king mackerel have been landed from the island’s piers over the past week, so boaters should be able to target them fairly close to land right now. Live baits like menhaden and bluefish are the way to go for the kings.
Boats making the run to the Gulf Stream are still hooking decent numbers of dolphin and releasing white and blue marlin. Skirted ballyhoo are producing the majority of the action in the blue water.
Bottom fishermen are reporting plenty of action with gag grouper, black sea bass, and a variety of smaller fish around bottom structure 10+ miles out. Live, dead, and cut baits will all produce results with the bottom feeders.
Inshore, red drum are feeding in the marshes off the ICW and New River. Anglers are hooking the reds on topwater plugs, soft plastics, and a variety of other lures, along with live and cut baits.
Speckled trout are also feeding in the shallows and biting the same things as the reds.
Anglers are finding some good flounder fishing around the inlets and inshore structure like dock and bridge pilings. Live finger mullet and menhaden or scented soft baits like Gulps will get attention from the flatfish.
Johnnie Walker, of Murfreesboro, TN, with a 25.5″ red drum that struck a soft plastic swimbait in Browns Inlet.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that anglers are finding plenty of action with red drum and speckled trout in the marshes and bays off the ICW and New River. Both have been biting topwater plugs well recently, and anglers can toss soft plastics, spoons, and other lures when the fish don’t want to bite on top.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that anglers are finding some flounder inshore around bridges, docks, and drop-offs. Live finger mullet or peanut menhaden along with white Gulp baits are the way to get some attention from the flatfish.
Red drum are looking for meals along grass and oyster beds with some current flow, particularly at higher tides. Live baits and Gulps are tough for the reds to turn down as well.
Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers were still catching good numbers of speckled trout until the wind change on Monday. The fish will likely start biting again when the weather gets back to normal. Most of the specks have been falling for live shrimp in the morning hours.
Some black drum are biting shrimp on bottom rigs in the daytime (to 7+ lbs.).
Walter Giese and Stephen Nelson with the 2.09 lb. flounder and 2.25 lb. speckled trout that they paired with a 4.55 lb. red drum to capture the $1000 top prize in the Reeling to Heal Inshore Slam, held July 26 out of the Marina Cafe in Jacksonville.
Anglers bottom fishing with bloodworms at night are connecting with fall-like catches of big spot.
Garrison, of Surf City Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with some spot, sea mullet, and other panfish on shrimp and bloodworms.
Live-baiters have landed several king mackerel lately off the end of the pier.
Anglers working diamond jigs and Gotcha plugs are hooking an occasional bluefish and spanish mackerel.
Josh, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that live-baiters have hooked some citation spanish mackerel and a 33 lb. king off the end of the pier recently.
Some bluefish are biting Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier.
Anglers are hooking a few speckled trout at night on live baits.
Spot and sea mullet are falling for shrimp and bloodworms in the evening hours. A few black drum are taking an interest in the shrimp during the day.
