Topsail – June 23, 2016
Doug, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf anglers are finding good numbers of black drum off the beach. Fresh shrimp on simple bottom rigs are all that has been needed to catch the drum. Small sea mullet and croakers are also in the mix, taking shrimp, bloodworms, and Fishbites. The sea mullet bite has been better at night.
Pompano are being landed using fresh caught sand fleas. Bluefish are also being found in good numbers along the surf, with fresh cut mullet and menhaden working best. Towards the inlets, there have been a few spanish mackerel caught from the sand. Deeper water is the ticket to catching spanish from shore, and metal jigs that can be cast long distances will also increase chances.
Lots of flounder are being caught inside the inlet and along the waterway docks and creeks. Live mud minnows, finger mullet, and smaller menhaden fished on Carolina rigs are how most are getting the bites. The majority of the fish are just below the 15” legal size limit, with a handful of keepers mixed in. Scented soft plastics by Gulp and Z-Man are fooling good numbers of flounder as well.
The red drum fishing is improving by the day. The fish can be found in a variety of areas including deep water docks, creeks, shallow flats, and along grass shorelines. MirrOlure Top Dogs and Rapala Skitterwalks are getting bites in the early morning hours and late in the evenings towards sunset. Live bait anglers are reporting good results, and fresh cut menhaden is working better along the deeper creeks and docks.
A few speckled trout are being caught in the early morning hours while fishing for reds. The fish are taking an interest in Zara Spook Jr’s and the smaller-sized Rapala Skitterwalks. The fish have been on the larger size, with a few citations mixed in.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel have been providing nearshore boaters good action. The best bite has been closer towards the inlets and along the beach. Spoons and planers have been the best bet, along with deep divings plugs and birds with daisy chains behind them.
The mahi have moved closer to shore, and boaters are finding them as close as the 8 mile range. Dead bait rigs, ballyhoo, and plugs are catching the mahi. King mackerel are biting in the same areas and have been on the smaller side.
AJ Acree with a 20.5 black drum he caught with a shrimp on a Carolina rig. He was fishing in Virginia Creek near Topsail.
Chad, of Lucky Dawg Guide Service, reports that red drum are holding in the creeks, marshes, and docks in the ICW. Topwater plugs and Flats Intruder spoons are getting the bites. Flounder are holding in similar areas, just in a little deeper water. Live bait has been the best producer so far on the flatfish.
Sheepshead fishing along the bridges has been good over the past week. Live fiddler crabs have been getting most of the bites. Spanish fishing has been best right along the beach. Clarkspoons on a #1 planer or Blue Water Candy Daisy Chains and Double Shots have been the preferred baits for the spanish.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that when the weather allowed, the spanish mackerel bite was good over the past week. The best bite was from New Topsail Inlet to in front of the Jolly Roger Pier, targeting water in the 15-40’ range. Spoons and planers seemed to work better that the rest, especially on the outgoing tide.
Large pods of menhaden are cruising along the beach, and some cobia are swimming with them.
Eli Petchel, of Charlotte, caught this red drum on a MirrOlure Top Dog while fishing the Topsail Island Marsh with Capt. Chadwick Crawford of South End Outfitters.
Ricky, of The Speckled Specialist, reports that trout fishing in the New River is continuing to produce trophy fish, with trout over 7 lbs. landed recently. Early and late in the day has worked the best, as well as nighttime. Betts Perfect Sinker Shrimp and Betts Halo Shad in a wide array of colors are working well, and MirrOlure Top Dog Jr’s in chartreuse are getting good results in the early morning hours. When the trout aren’t responding well to artificial baits, live shrimp under floats are producing bites.
Robin, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that red drum are being caught in good numbers. The rougher water conditions have pulled the reds in closer to shore, and many of the fish have been over-slot. Fresh cut menhaden and mullet on fish finder rigs are getting the best results.
Bottom fishermen are reporting sea mullet, croakers, and a few spots. Bloodworms, Fishbites, and fresh shrimp are working on the bottom fish.
Terry, of Surf City Pier, reports that over-slot red drum have been biting well at night. Fish finders with fresh cut bait are what most anglers are using. Small sea mullet and croakers are rewarding bottom fishermen at night. Plenty of flounder are being caught up and down the pier, but most of the fish recently have been throwbacks.
Cobia have been showing up along the pier, and live bait rigs have been fooling them. Very large tarpon are passing the pier every day. A few have been hooked, and one fish was landed.
Jack crevalle have also been in the mix offering a few shots.
Frank, of Seaview Pier, reports that a 120 lb. tarpon was landed this past week. The fish ate a bluefish on a king rig, quite a few more tarpon were spotted recently as well. Also, a 74 lb. cobia was landed on a live bait, and more have been sighted.
Some very large spanish are being landed on live baits off the end of the pier, with one fish weighing in at 6.2 lbs. Plug fishermen have been connecting with decent numbers of bluefish and spanish when the conditions are right.
Bottom fishermen have been getting a few small croakers and sea mullet. The better bottom fishing has been at night using fresh shrimp and Fishbites.
The water temperature is 78 degrees.
