Topsail May 9, 2013
Capt. Daniel Jarvis, of Flat Foot Fishing Charters, with an Atlantic bonito that struck a diamond jig near Diver’s Rock.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf and pier anglers along Topsail are hooking good numbers of sea mullet and black drum while bottom-fishing with shrimp.
Surf casters at the south end of the island are also connecting with some red drum and chopper bluefish while casting cut baits on bottom rigs.
A few bluefish are also feeding along the beachfront and taking an interest in bottom rigs and lures like Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs that anglers are working from the piers.
The speckled trout bite has been solid in the creeks off the New River, where anglers are hooking solid numbers (and some fat fish) on soft plastic baits and suspending lures like MirrOlure MR17’s.
Flounder have begun to show up, and anglers are catching a few from the piers. The bite’s still a bit slow inshore, but the fish are around and the flounder fishing should soon take off for the season. Smaller live baits and Gulps are some of the best bets for fooling the flatfish.
Red drum are still schooling in the backwaters, where anglers are hooking them on topwater plugs and soft plastics.
Sheepshead have also made their inshore appearance. Anglers can find the striped fish feeding around the pilings of the ocean piers or inshore structure like bridges and docks. Live sand fleas are tough for the sheepshead to turn down.
Doug Keicher, of Winston-Salem, NC with a 3 lb., 2 oz. pompano that he hooked on shrimp while bottom-fishing from Surf City Pier.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that schools of false albacore and Atlantic bonito are still feeding around Divers Rock. Medium-sized bluefish are in the mix as well, and anglers can expect some large spanish mackerel to join the action as the water warms a few more degrees and the bonito and albacore begin to move on.
Casting diamond jigs and other metal lures at schools of fish feeding on the surface is the most exciting way to hook up with all the nearshore pelagics. Anglers can also troll Yo-Zuri Deep Divers around structure and suspended bait with success when the fish aren’t feeding on top.
Speckled trout are still feeding in the creeks and taking an interest in topwater plugs and soft plastics that anglers are casting. Live shrimp will soon be available and are the best bet for the specks when anglers can get them.
Red drum are feeding alongside the trout in the creeks and on the flats, and they’re also taking an interest in topwaters and soft plastic baits.
Anglers continue to connect with some healthy black drum around hard structure on crab, clam, and shrimp baits.
Tim Chavez, of North Topsail Beach, with 5.5 and 6.4 lb. speckled trout that bit an MR17 MirrOlure in a New River creek.
Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with sea mullet and some red and black drum while bottom fishing from the pier. Shrimp and cut baits are both proving effective.
Bluefish are around, and anglers caught some of the year’s first spanish mackerel last week. Casting lures like Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs are tempting the spanish and blues to bite.
Kenny, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are hooking sea mullet, black drum, a few spot, and some over-slot red drum while bottom fishing with shrimp and cut baits.
Bluefish are feeding near the pier and taking an interest in diamond jigs that anglers are working.
Cheryl, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that some large sea mullet and black drum are biting bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Several chopper bluefish were caught last week as well.
