Topsail – June 19, 2014
Gabrielle Pender (age 12), of Rosewood, NC, with a 6 lb. black drum that struck a sand flea under the Hwy. 172 bridge at Sneads Ferry.
Cathy, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf anglers are hooking some sea mullet, spot, and croaker on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Some speckled trout are falling for live shrimp and artificials in the surf.
Anglers are finding plenty of action with flounder, black drum, and red drum in the backwaters.
Spanish mackerel are feeding just off the beachfront, and anglers are hooking them on Gotcha plugs from the piers and while trolling Clarkspoons from boats.
Some cobia are feeding within a few miles of the beachfront, and anglers can tempt them to bite bucktail jigs or live baits.
Bottom fishing around offshore structure in the ocean is producing action with grouper, grunts, and other smaller bottom feeders.
Dolphin have moved inshore of the Gulf Stream, but anglers may need to run 20+ miles to find them.
Davin King with his first grouper, a gag he hooked on a dead menhaden at some structure in 100′ of water off New River Inlet. He was fishing with his father and Capt. Tommy Berry of Zone 8 Charters.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that red drum are spreading out in the inshore waters around Topsail and Sneads Ferry, making them a bit difficult to find on some recent days. Once anglers find the fish, however, they’ve been biting readily. Gold spoons, topwater plugs, and scented soft plastic baits have been producing the majority of the action with the reds.
Speckled trout are on the feed in the area as well, and anglers have found some fast action with the specks lately (and some 5-8 lb. fish). The best bite has been in the early morning hours, turning back on again in the mid-afternoon. Topwater plugs, suspending hard lures, and soft plastic shrimp imitations have all been effective on the specks.
Flounder fishing has been challenging, likely due to the full moon. When anglers do find the hungry flatfish, they’ve been feeding hard, and anglers are tempting them to bite live baits and scented soft plastics.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that anglers are finding action with red drum in the local marshes, with moving tides at spots near the inlets producing the best fishing. Live menhaden and soft baits like Gulps are attracting attention from the red.
Flounder are feeding in the marshes as well, and around the inlets and inshore structure like docks. Like the reds, they’ll pounce on live menhaden or scented soft baits.
Earl, of Seaview Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are landing some spot, sea mullet, and puppy drum while baiting up with shrimp.
Raymond Brittain, of Holly Ridge, NC, with a big speckled trout that bit a topwater plug in the New River while he was fishing with Capt. Allen Jernigan of Breadman Ventures.
Anglers fishing for sheepshead are putting a few on the deck.
Some bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier, but spanish mackerel action has been slow lately.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some spanish mackerel and a few bluefish while working Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs from the pier.
Some spot, sea mullet, and croaker are biting shrimp and bloodworms on bottom rigs.
Speckled trout have begun feeding around the pier, and anglers are hooking a few on live shrimp.
Live-baiters landed a 78 lb. tarpon from the pier last week.
Robbie, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that sea mullet and croaker are biting bottom rigs baited with shrimp during the evening hours.
Some spanish mackerel are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier.
Live baiters have hooked cobia and tarpon recently.
