Topsail May 24, 2012
Will and Suzie Schoolfield with a pair of 28" red drum they caught after sight-casting shrimp to a school of fish near Masons Inlet.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that sheepshead are on the feed, and anglers are seeing and hooking them from the ocean piers and around structure like bridges, docks, and rocks inshore. Fiddler crabs or sand fleas are top choices for the crustacean-loving sheeps, and fishing the bait tight to the structure is the way to tempt them to bite.
Surf casters are connecting with sea mullet and red drum toward the south end of Topsail. Shrimp and sand fleas on double bottom rigs are top choices for the sea mullet, and cut baits, finger mullet, or gold spoons will tempt bites from the reds.
Some chopper bluefish are still around the beachfront, and anglers are hooking them while soaking cut baits in the surf and casting metal lures or fishing live baits from the piers.
Inshore, the red drum have moved onto the flats, where anglers can find them looking for food. Casting fast-moving lures like spinnerbaits and topwater plugs is a great way to search for the reds. When anglers find the fish, Gulp baits or live baits should produce more bites than the searching lures.
Offshore, bottom fishermen have found solid grouper action at bottom structure starting around 10 miles offshore. Gags are feeding at the closer spots, and anglers are encountering reds, scamps, gags, and other species at bottom structure in 100’ and deeper. Live baits are top choices for the big grouper, but dead sardines and cigar minnows and other baits or vertical jigs will also produce plenty of action.
Boats making the long run to the Gulf Stream have been rewarded with some huge dolphin catches lately. Trolling skirted ballyhoo in the blue water is the best way to tempt bites from the ‘phins.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that the sheepshead bite is turning on inshore. The fish are feeding around all the bridges inshore in the area. Scraping some barnacles off the pilings, then fishing downcurrent with fiddler crabs is the best strategy to put some sheeps in the boat.
Flounder fishing has been decent lately, with some larger fish around creek mouths, deeper holes, and inshore structure in 5-10’ of water. The tide changes have been producing some of the best flatfish action, and white Gulp shrimp or live menhaden are the baits to use.
Red drum are feeding on the area’s shallow flats, where anglers are tempting them to bite topwater plugs, Gulp baits beneath popping corks, and live menhaden. Moving tides are best for the reds.
Black drum are still holding along seawalls and bridges inshore, and fresh shrimp will attract plenty of attention from them.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that the red drum bite around the flats and bays off the New River and ICW has been excellent lately. Anglers are hooking the reds on topwater plugs and Gulp baits or other soft plastics fished on light jigheads or beneath popping corks.
Flounder are feeding in the marshes and along drop-offs in the same areas (with some fish to 23” over the past week). Gulp baits on jigheads are top choices for the flounder, and they allow anglers to cover a bit more water than those casting live baits.
Bill, of Fish On Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with some dolphin, king mackerel, and amberjacks while trolling live and dead baits around structure 20-30 miles off New River Inlet.
Gag grouper, grunts, pinkies, and other bottom feeders are looking for meals around the same structure. Dropping squid, or live, dead, and cut baits to the bottom will tempt bites from all the bottom dwellers.
Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers working Gotcha plugs from the pier are hooking up with bluefish. A few of the larger chopper blues are still in the area and biting live baits, bottom rigs, and Gotchas.
Bottom fishermen baiting up with shrimp are decking some sea mullet.
Some legal flounder are falling for live shrimp and mud minnows beneath the pier.
Bob, of Surf City Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching some sea mullet, spot, and spadefish on two-hook rigs baited with shrimp.
Some sheepshead are feeding around the pilings and taking an interest in sand fleas.
Anglers are hooking some flounder on small live baits fished under the pier.
Plug casters are connecting with some bluefish while working Gotchas.
Austin, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that the mornings have been producing a good bluefish bite lately, with a few stray choppers still in the mix.
Black drum have been biting on-and-off, and anglers are also seeing some larger pompano (2+ lbs.). Both the drum and pomps are taking an interest in sand fleas.
Small live baits fished on the bottom are producing some flounder.
