Topsail May 13, 2010
Capt. Ron Perry, of Capt. Ron's Sportfishing Charters out of Hampstead, with a 30 lb. red grouper he hooked on a spanish sardine 35 miles off Masonboro Inlet in 105' of water.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been incredible lately for anglers fishing from the piers and from boats nearshore. Gotcha plugs have been producing most of the fish, but anglers are also hooking up on diamond jigs and while trolling a variety of lures. Plenty of bluefish are mixed in.
Boats have sighted several cobia in the nearshore waters lately.
Surf and pier anglers are hooking up with good numbers of whiting on shrimp and Fish Bites.
Inshore, the speckled trout bite has been excellent around structure in the ICW, and anglers are hooking the fish on live baits and Rapala X-Raps.
The blue water bite is turning on for the summer, and anglers found hot fishing for some big (20+ lb.) dolphin in the Gulf Stream last week. Some wahoo and blackfin tuna are still around as well. Ballyhoo under Blue Water Candy skirts are fooling most of the blue water fish, and blue/white is producing the best results.
Anglers deep-jigging caught some fat red grouper at structure in around 120’ of water last week, with Roscoe jigs producing most of the bites.
Eric, of New River Marina, reports that the speckled trout bite has been solid in the creeks off the main river recently. Storm and Billy Bay shrimp imitations are fooling the trout.
Anglers are catching solid numbers of red drum in the bays off the ICW, and the topwater bite is finally turning on. When they won’t bite on top, anglers are hooking up with the fish on Gulp and Trigger-X soft plastics.
The flounder bite has been solid in the bays, too, and anglers are also finding action with the flatties in the river. Live baits or the same soft plastics that anglers are using for reds will draw attention from the flounders.
Black drum are feeding around the 172 Bridge, and they will take an interest in fresh shrimp on bottom rigs.
Off the beaches, anglers are still finding fast action with spanish mackerel, false albacore, and Atlantic bonito at nearshore structure and around bait concentrations. Casting diamond jigs or trolling Yo-Zuri Deep Divers will fool all these coastal pelagics.
Mr. Leatherman, from Figure Eight Island, and Capt. Mike Hoffman, of Corona Daze Charters, with a 36" red drum that fell for a live pogy beneath a Topsail Beach dock.
Whiting and black sea bass are feeding on the bottom at nearshore structure as well. Anglers can hook the whiting on shrimp-baited bottom rigs, and the bass on diamond jigs.
Boats finally found some king mackerel offshore last week, and cobia are on the move from the beaches out to structure in the 10 mile range.
Bottom fishermen have been catching big numbers of grouper since the season opened May 1, and the best action has been at structure 10+ miles offshore for gags and 20+ miles for red and scamp groupers. Cigar minnows, Boston mackerel, and live baits are all top choices for the groupers.
Wayne, of Last Resort Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite has been excellent around inshore structure near Topsail Beach lately (with good numbers of fish from 2.5-3.5 lbs.). Live shrimp fished beneath floats are proving nearly irresistible to the specks.
Mike, of Corona Daze Charters, reports that anglers are finding fast action with some slot to over-slot red drum around docks near Topsail (with some fish to 36” lately). There’s been a decent red bite on the grass flats as well. Gulp shrimp are fooling plenty of fish, but the larger reds are more likely to bite a live pogy.
A few flounder are in the same areas and will fall for Gulps or the pogies.
The spanish mackerel bite has been incredible along the beaches lately, and anglers can hook up while trolling diving plugs or casting metal lures at the fish.
King mackerel made an appearance in the 30 mile range a few weeks ago, but they have been scarce since.
Robie McFarland with an Atlantic bonito she hooked on a Clarkspoon behind a 2 oz. trolling weight near Diver's Rock. She was fishing with her husand, Raeford Brown, aboard the "Aquaholic" out of Tideline Marine in Jacksonville.
Wayne, of Seaview Pier, reports that the bluefish and spanish mackerel bite has been excellent lately, with most of the fish falling for Gotcha plugs.
Bottom fishermen are landing a few whiting, especially at night.
The pier saw its first king mackerel for 2010 last week, a 15.8 lb. fish that fell for a live bluefish.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are catching plenty of bluefish and spanish mackerel on diamond jigs and Gotcha plugs cast from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are decking some whiting and sheepshead on shrimp.
Rob, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that the whiting bite has been excellent lately, particularly at night. Shrimp and orange Fish Bites have been responsible for most of the action.
Anglers casting Gotcha plugs are hooking up with big numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish.
