Topsail – March 24, 2016
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that red drum are being caught in the New River and local marshes. The reds are eating a variety of soft plastic baits including paddle tails, shrimp, and curly tail grubs. Cut shrimp fished on the bottom will entice the reds to eat when they aren’t chasing down artificials. In addition, black drum will also fall for cut shrimp. Live mud minnows fished on Carolina rigs and under slip floats are very effective for connecting with reds this time of year, too.
Nearshore anglers are catching a variety of bottom fish around the AR’s and ledges. Black sea bass are being found just off the beach out to 80+’ of water. Porgies are being found in the same water and will fall for the same baits used for sea bass, as well as metal jigs and cut squid. Dogfish are also around. They will eat a fresh piece of cut bait, but their numbers are starting to get lower.
Surf anglers around Topsail are seeing good catches of sea mullet, but most are on the smaller side. They are eating Fishbites and shrimp on both sides of the high tide, but during the day the sea mullet have been relatively inactive. Later in the evenings and at night the action has been steady. Blow toads are being caught from the suds throughout the day, and the action is a little better during high tide.
Wahoo fishing remains consistent in the Gulf Stream off Topsail. Good catches have been reported using skirted and naked ballyhoo, and planers are producing better results than baits fished on the surface. Blackfin tuna are scattered and being found in a little deeper water than the ‘hoos.
Mario Alberto with the first offical virginia mullet of the season caught at Surf City Pier. He caught the fish on pink Fish Bites and was the winner of a season fishing pass to the pier.
Ricky, of Speckled Specialist Inshore Charters, reports a solid speckled trout bite in the New River near downtown Jacksonville. The fish are falling for a variety of baits including Betts Perfect Sinker Shrimp and Halo Shad, as well as Yo-Zuri crystal minnows. The ratio of keepers to “shorts” has been improving. Solid 20-22” fish are showing up, as well as a few 26+” trout. The water temperatures in the upper New River are well into the 60’s.
Anthony Osborne, of Holly Ridge, used a Super Spook Jr. to land these 21 and 22.5 specks in the ICW around Topsail.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports decent black sea bass fishing in the 2-20 mile range. The larger fish are being caught surprisingly close to shore. Artificial reefs, live bottoms, and hard bottom ledges are holding the fish, and larger pieces of squid are working best for the keeper bass.
False albacore are being spotted in the 25-30 mile range. They will eat metal jigs and plastic baits rigged on lead heads. Fast retrieves are the name of the game, and often it’s best to turn the handle as fast as one can. When you can’t visually see fish crashing the surface, trolling Yo-Zuri crystal minnows around structure or fish marks on the sonar will often entice strikes.
Harper Scott with two speckled trout, 5.5 and 6 lbs., that were caught on live shrimp near Richs Inlet.
Robin, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that lots of blow toads are being caught at all stages of the tide. The puffers are taking Fishbites and fresh shrimp on double bottom rigs.
The sea mullet started showing up in good numbers over this past weekend, and the best bites have been during the evening hours and at night. Rising tides have improved the catch rate as well. The same baits used to catch blow toads will work for the mullet.
A few bluefish have been caught off the end of the pier using Gotcha plugs early in the morning. The early arrival of the blues is hopefully a promise of great fishing to come. They should be plentiful in the following weeks as the water rises into the mid 60’s.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports solid numbers of sea mullet being brought over the rail. The sea mullet fishing has been consistent on both sides of the tides, as well as during the daylight and nighttime hours.
Blow toads continue to fill buckets up and down the pier, and they are being caught on cut bait.
Phil, of Seaview Fishing Pier, reports good numbers of sea mullet being caught on rising tides, both during the day and night. The water temperature is right around 60 degrees, and the mullet fishing will improve in the following weeks.
Blow toads are being caught in great numbers, and the bite is expected to continue over the next week or so. They usually migrate through when the water temperature is 58-60 degrees.
There were a few undersized black drum caught over the weekend, too, and their numbers will also increase with the rising temperatures.
