Topsail June 24, 2010
Christian Domeck, from FL, with a 7.6 lb. flounder he hooked in Snow's Cut on a live pogy while fishing with Capt. Wayne Crisco of Last Resort Charters.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf anglers are catching a typical summer mixed bag along the length of the island, including spot, pompano, whiting, a few bluefish, and more.
Some red drum are in the mix along the south end of the island. and surf anglers on Lea Island are also catching good numbers. Finger mullet and gold Kastmaster spoons are attracting attention from the reds.
The piers have seen a few spot runs over the past week, mostly at night.
The red drum bite is decent inshore as well, with fish feeding on the flats, in the creeks, and around the inlets. Live baits or Gulps will tempt bites from the reds inside.
Flounder fishing’s been solid in the inlet lately, with most of the fish falling for live baits and Gulps.
Black drum are feeding around hard structure like the area’s bridge pilings (and some are too large to land). Fresh shrimp or any sort of crab bait on the bottom will get attention from the drum.
Sheepshead are around in numbers higher than in recent memory. Hard structure like bridge and dock pilings, rocky areas, and oyster beds are good places to look for them. Fiddler crabs, sand fleas, or other crustacean baits will attract attention from the sheeps.
Ladyfish are chasing bait around the bridges and other lit areas at night, and anglers can hook them on X-Raps or other lures.
King mackerel are on the feed just off the beaches. Anglers hooked some from the pier last week, and many more came while trolling live and dead baits between the shore and 5-10 mile areas.
Some tarpon have been moving along the beaches as well.
Dolphin have been caught as close as 5-10 miles, but most are on the small side until anglers make their way out to around 30 miles (where boats hauled back some excellent catches of gaffers last week). Rigged ballyhoo and dead cigar minnows are both fooling the dolphin.
Anglers have seen and hooked sailfish as close in as 8 miles, again with better odds a bit further offshore. Naked ballyhoo are the go-to baits for the sails.
Gag grouper are feeding at bottom structure 15 miles and further out, and anglers are hooking them on Roscoe Jigs and Barefoot Decoy jigs.
Susie Schoofield, of Wilmington, with a 31" red drum that fell for a Carolina-rigged shrimp behind Lea Island while she was fishing with her father.
Eric, of New River Marina, reports that the hot weather has slowed down the inshore fishing a bit, but anglers are still finding some action with flounder, speckled trout, and red drum.
The flounder bite’s been best near the inlet and the 172 Bridge, and both live baits and Gulps are attracting attention from the flatties.
Speckled trout are feeding around deeper structure like the bridges, and it’s tough to beat live shrimp under a float rig for them. Imitations like D.O.A. and Halo shrimp will work when anglers can’t get the real thing.
Red drum are feeding in the bays and creeks off the river and ICW. They’ll fall for topwater plugs at times, and Gulps and live baits will produce when they aren’t biting on top.
Black drum (some 15-20 lbs.) are feeding around the 172 Bridge, and they’re falling for dead shrimp.
Outside the inlets, anglers landed some hefty (5-6 lbs.) spanish mackerel while trolling Clarkspoons along the beaches last week.
Some cobia are cruising in the same areas and will fall for live baits.
The king mackerel and dolphin bite has been solid from Divers Rock on out to Christmas Rock, with bigger dolphin the further anglers get offshore. Live pogies and dead baits like cigar minnows and ballyhoo are attracting attention from both.
The best action for gaffer dolphin has been around the 30 mile range lately.
Wayne, of Last Resort Charters, reports that anglers are finding some solid flounder action to the south of the area (with both big numbers of fish and plenty in the 3-5+ lb. class). Fishing live baits like pogies around areas of rocky structure, deep holes, and grass banks is producing most of the fish.
The flounder bite’s also been good at nearshore structure just off the area’s beaches.
Red drum are feeding on the grass flats and beneath docks off the ICW, and anglers are hooking them on live and cut pogies.
Anglers are finding sheepshead around hard structure like bridge and dock pilings, and the sheeps will take an interest in fiddler crabs or other crustacean baits.
Anglers are finding big numbers of spanish mackerel feeding in the inlets and along the beachfront, where they’ll strike trolled Clarkspoons and other lures.
Jimmy Finley, of Wilmington, with a healthy speckled trout that fell for a topwater plug under the 172 Bridge at Sneads Ferry.
Wayne, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are catching some flounder on small live baits from the pier. At night a few red drum have been in the mix.
Plug casters are hooking up with some spanish mackerel and bluefish on Gotchas.
Live-baiters landed a 19 lb. king mackerel last week and have been seeing a few tarpon.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that plug casters are finding some action with spanish mackerel and bluefish early and late in the day.
Bottom fishermen are finding action with spot, whiting, spadefish, and some smaller flounder while baiting up with shrimp.
Sheepshead are around the pier and falling for barnacles, sand fleas, and other crustacean baits.
Live-baiters landed one king mackerel last week.
Rob, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are picking up some pompano and whiting (with a few red drum mixed in) while bottom fishing with shrimp.
Those dangling sand fleas near the pilings are hooking sheepshead.
Plug casters are finding the spanish mackerel and bluefish bite up-and-down.
