Topsail May 27, 2010
Ken Norris, of Worcester, MA, with a 7 lb., 31" spanish mackerel that fell for a gold size 0 Clarkspoon behind a #1 planer at Diver's Rock. He was fishing with Capt. Jim Sabella of Plan 9 Fishing Charters out of Topsail Beach.
Doug, of East Coast Sports, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of large (to 7 lbs.) spanish mackerel from the island’s piers and along the beaches in boats. Gotcha plugs are producing strikes for pier anglers, and boaters are hooking the fish while trolling Clarkspoons and other lures.
The piers have also seen some king mackerel over the past week, and boaters have found good numbers at nearshore structure like the first set, AR-355, and Christmas Rock. Live baits and dead cigar minnows have been producing action with the kings.
Some cobia have been mixed in with the kings and are taking an interest in live baits.
Offshore, bottom fishermen have been finding excellent action with grouper from 23-25 miles on out on live and dead baits and while vertical jigging.
Plenty of sea bass are feeding at bottom structure from the beaches on out, with the biggest fish and best catches coming from the 10-12 mile areas lately.
The dolphin bite has been on in the Gulf Stream with a few wahoo mixed in. Trolling skirted ballyhoo along weedlines and other flotsam in the blue water has been producing the best catches.
Surf and pier bottom fishermen are finding action with bluefish, whiting, and black drum. A few reds are cruising the breakers, too, with the best bite at the south end of the island. Shrimp and cut baits are drawing attention from the bottom feeders.
Inshore, the speckled trout bite continues to improve around structure and creekmouths. Live shrimp or a variety of lures will tempt bites from the specks.
The red drum bite has been solid in the creeks and on the flats lately, and anglers are hooking the fish on live baits, soft plastics, and topwater plugs.
Flounder fishing is getting better by the week, and small live baits fished on Carolina rigs are getting most of the attention from the flatfish.
John Fortune, of Jacksonville, NC, with a 26 lb. red grouper that fell for a live bait at some structure 30 miles off New River Inlet.
Eric, of New River Marina, reports that the grouper bite has been excellent at bottom structure starting around 10 miles from the inlet. Spanish sardines and Boston mackerel are some of the better grouper baits.
King and spanish mackerel are feeding along the beaches and at nearshore structure. Anglers can tempt the kings to bite live and dead baits and hook up with the spaniards while trolling Clarkspoons or Yo-Zuri Deep Divers.
Some cobia have been hanging around the same areas where anglers are grouper and king mackerel fishing. They’re taking an interest in live baits or bucktails tipped with Gulp eels.
Flounder are feeding on the wrecks, ledges, and other structure within a few miles of the inlet, and bucktail/Gulp combos are fooling the flatties.
The flounder bite’s also been good inshore around the bridges and deeper holes near the inlets. Live baits on Carolina rigs are the go-to flounder foolers inshore.
Red drum are feeding in the creeks and bays off the ICW, and anglers are hooking them on soft plastics, topwater plugs, live baits, and more.
The speckled trout bite is improving, too, with anglers putting together good catches in the river and the ICW around creeks, docks, and bridges. Live shrimp are the best trout baits, but anglers are also hooking good numbers on Billy Bay and Storm shrimp imitations.
Pheng Nop, from Durham, NC, with a 7.2 lb. spanish mackerel that fell for a Gotcha Plug he was working from Jolly Roger Pier.
Wayne, of Last Resort Charters, reports that red drum are moving into their usual summer haunts in the creeks and around inshore structure. Live peanut pogies or larger pogies cut in half and fished on the bottom will attract attention from the reds in short order.
Like the reds, flounder are starting to feed in their predictable summer locations, and anglers can find action with them while soaking Carolina-rigged live baits around docks and bridges, in the creeks, and in other deep holes inshore.
The speckled trout bite is still hot at inshore structure off the ICW. Live shrimp rigged under floats are far and away the best trout baits.
Anglers soaking shrimp around the 172 Bridge have found solid action with black drum lately (with fish to 10+ lbs.).
Jim, of Plan 9 Fishing Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been on fire along the beaches and at nearshore structure like Diver’s Rock recently (with fish to 7 lbs.). Gold Clarkspoons have been far outproducing silver and other colors lately.
King mackerel and cobia are feeding in the same areas and a bit further offshore. Dead cigar minnows have been attracting plenty of attention from the kings.
Wayne, of Seaview Pier, reports that plug casters are hooking up with some spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Live-baiters landed the pier’s first king of the year last week (at 21 lbs.).
Charles, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are finding action with spanish mackerel early and late in the day while casting Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs.
Live baiters landed one king mackerel and a large bull shark last week.
Bottom fishermen are catching some sheepshead and a few whiting at night.
Robbie, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are catching some fat spanish mackerel (to 7 lbs.) while working Gotcha plugs from the planks.
Bottom fishing with shrimp is producing action with whiting during the evening hours.
