Topsail June 6, 2013
Sam Escue, of High Point, NC, with his first red drum, a 33″ fish that struck a MirrOlure Top Pup on his 70th birthday. He was fishing with Capt. Allen Jernigan of Breadman Ventures.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that the cobia bite is still going along the beachfront, where anglers are hooking fish they spot cruising and feeding near menhaden schools. Live menhaden and bucktails are tempting the cobes to bite.
Amberjacks are schooling up on structure within 10 miles of the inlets, and anglers can hook them on live baits, topwater plugs, and other lures.
Black sea bass are feeding at virtually any bottom structure from the inlets to the break, and anglers even landed some legal fish in the sound last week. Squid, cut baits, and virtually anything the bass can fit in their mouths will tempt the tasty bottom feeders to bite.
Spanish mackerel are feeding along the beachfront, and pier and boat anglers are hooking them on casting lures like Gotcha plugs and trolled Clarkspoons.
The topwater red drum bite has been excellent in the marshes and bays recently, and anglers are also connecting with the fish on Gulps and a variety of natural baits.
Flounder fishing is finally taking off, and anglers caught decent numbers (and some fish to 5 lbs.) last week around docks inshore. Gulps and small live baits are fooling the flatties.
Sheepshead and black drum have shown up around the bridges, docks, and other hard structure inshore, where they’ll bite fiddler crabs.
Offshore, the wahoo and dolphin bite remains solid in the Gulf Stream, and anglers are also connecting with some stout red grouper while dropping to the bottom along the break.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that anglers are finding red drum scattered in the marshes off the ICW and New River with some big schools working the bays in the same area. Topwater plugs are fooling them with some consistency recently, and anglers are hooking up on gold spoons and TTF soft plastics when they’re not biting on top.
Some healthy speckled trout are mixed in with the reds and biting the same lures. The bite should only improve as the water continues to warm.
Flounder fishing is getting better, but the bite is still a bit unpredictable. Soft plastics like TTF Red Killers and Hackberry Hustlers in chartreuse, white, and black are fooling the flatfish when they’re feeding.
Cindy Healey with a 3 lb. flounder that bit a Gulp bait near Richs Inlet.
Sheepshead have shown up on the bridges and other hard inshore structure, and the striped fish have a tough time turning down a live fiddler crab.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that fishing has been excellent just outside the inlets and off the beaches over the past week. Cobia are feeding along the beachfront many days, and anglers are sight-casting bucktail/soft plastic combos and live bluefish and menhaden to the cobes with success. They can be picky about their meals, so having a variety of offerings will help anglers’ odds of success.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding in the same areas and taking an interest in diving plugs, Clarkspoons, and mackerel tree rigs that boats are trolling.
Black sea bass and other bottom dwellers are feeding at ledges and other bottom structure within a few miles of shore, and jigging spoons or a variety of natural baits will get their attention.
Inshore, sheepshead and black drum are feeding around bridges and docks, and they will take an interest in live fiddler crabs.
The red drum and flounder action is improving by the week inshore as well.
Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that live baiters landed cobia to 44 lbs. from the end of the pier last week.
Plug casters are hooking a few bluefish and spanish mackerel on Gotchas.
Some sea mullet are falling for shrimp and other baits on bottom rigs.
Ed, of Surf City Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are hooking sea mullet, spot, black drum, and more on shrimp.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs, and live baiters landed several cobia last week from the end of the pier.
Cheryl, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that bluefish and spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the planks.
Live baiters have seen some cobia from the end of the pier.
Some fat pompano (to 4 lbs.) are taking an interest in shrimp and sand fleas on bottom rigs.
