Topsail June 14, 2007
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that there are good numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish feeding along the surf line. Boats can hook up with the blues by trolling Clarkspoons and diving plugs, and pier and surf fishermen can cast Gotcha plugs and other lures to the fish.
Surf fishermen are landing whiting and black and red drum along the length of the island. Shrimp and cut baits will attract these bottom feeders.
Inshore, anglers are finding drum, trout, and flounder in the creeks. Gulp baits on jigheads will draw strikes from all three.
King mackerel are feeding from the inlet out to the 30 mile range. Troll dead baits, such as cigar minnows, to catch big numbers of fish, or you can go with live pogies for fewer, bigger kings.
Dolphin and kings are schooled up at 23 Mile Rock and Christmas Rock.
Bigger dolphin (up to 40 lbs.) are feeding along the inshore edge of the Gulf Stream. Some wahoo are coming from the same area. Ballyhoo under skirted lures are the go-to baits for the dolphin and wahoo, and the Cape Lookout A-Bomb has been the best producing lure lately.
Some reports of blue marlin releases have come from the Swansboro Hole.
Eric, of New River Marina, reports that anglers are catching red drum and speckled trout in creeks off the main river. Live shrimp and various soft plastic baits will attract the interest of both fish.
Around the Sneads Ferry Bridge, those fishing cut shrimp on bottom rigs are hooking up with 2-7 lb. black drum.
Flounder are also feeding around the bridge, and they will eagerly eat live mullet or peanut pogies.
Some cobia should be around the inlet and the beachfront, but not many people have been fishing for them.
Spanish and blues are in the inlet and running the beach, and anglers are boating them by trolling Clarkspoons or casting soft plastic baits.
Snake and teenager king mackerel are holding at structure 7-15 miles offshore. These smaller kings will pounce on trolled dead cigar minnows.
Dolphin (in the 10-15 lb. class) are as close as 10 miles from the beach, and they will also take an interest in cigar minnows.
Grouper fishing has been good, with gags coming from bottom structure 10+ miles out and reds in the 20-35 mile range.
In the Gulf Stream, boats are picking up big dolphin (from 30-50 lbs.) and wahoo around the same size. Boats have also reported action with blue and white marlin around the Swansboro Hole. All the bluewater fish will attack trolling spreads of skirted ballyhoo.
Ricky, of Speckled Specialist Charters, reports that the New River trout bite is still hot with specks (up to 6.5 lbs.) on Halo, Storm, and Powerbait shrimp in pink and pearl colors. Creeks off of the river are where the action is best.
Black drum (averaging 5-10 lbs.) are feeding near the Sneads Ferry Bridge, and the drum are eager to bite both shrimp and fiddler crab baits.
Red drum are patrolling the creeks off the ICW, and they will hit the same lures as the trout or live baits.
Ed, of Surf City Pier, reports that whiting and pompano are hitting shrimp on bottom rigs.
Anglers are catching a mix of keeper and short flounder on live baits.
In the mornings and evenings, spanish mackerel and bluefish are chasing down Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs.
Several kings were caught over the past week.
Wayne, of Sea View Pier, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish are devouring Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs cast from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with spot, whiting, black drum, pompano, and bluefish. All are hitting shrimp.
A few keeper flounder have come over the rails in the past week.
Live baiters are catching kings and cobia, mostly on bluefish. A 37.2 lb. king was weighed in last week, as was a 48 lb. cobia.
Robin, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers casting Gotcha plugs are catching plenty of bluefish and spanish mackerel. The blues and spanish are also hitting diamond jigs and tube rigs.
Several kings (up to 30 lbs.) have been caught over the week, along with a few cobia. The first tarpon of the season have been sighted from the planks, but no one has hooked up yet.
There have been plenty of pogies running along the beach, but bluefish have been the hot live bait.
Bottom fishermen are catching scattered whiting and 1-2 lb. pompano. Both fish will hit shrimp, but sand fleas are even better baits.
