Topsail November 14, 2013
Susan Magnabosco, of Wilmington, NC, with a 45″ red drum that struck a jig around some live bottom just off Topsail Island.
Doug, of East Coast Sports, reports that surf fishing is going strong from Topsail’s shores. Anglers are connecting with solid catches of black drum and sea mullet while soaking shrimp from the island’s beachfront. Some red drum are mixed in along the length of the island, with solid drum action around the south end near Topsail Inlet. The reds are falling for shrimp, finger mullet, and cut baits.
Flounder fishing is also picking up in the surf, and live baits or Gulps will tempt bites from the flatfish.
Speckled trout are just beginning to make their fall appearance in the breakers as well, and some anglers have already put together limit catches. Casting artificials like MirrOlures and soft plastics into sloughs between the sandbars is the way to hook up with the specks.
The trout bite has been very good inshore, too, with most fish coming from the creeks and backwaters. Live baits, MirrOlure MR17’s, and soft plastics will all tempt bites from the trout.
Anglers are also hooking up with some flounder inshore, and giggers have been putting some big ones on the dock, so the flounder action isn’t over for the season yet. Live baits and Gulps are top choices for the flatfish.
Billy Stokes with a 32″ gag grouper that he hooked around some bottom structure in 70′ of water off New River Inlet.
The reds are also feeding in the marshes and around inshore structure like docks and attacking a wide variety of baits and lures.
Sheepshead and black drum are still looking for meals around bridge and dock pilings inshore, and live shrimp or fiddler crabs are tough for both crustacean-lovers to turn down.
Not many anglers have been offshore due to the rough weather lately, but there should be gag grouper action to be had in the 10-20 mile range when conditions moderate. Live, dead, and cut baits will all tempt bites from the grouper.
King mackerel have moved off the beachfront, but anglers should be able to find them where they can find suspended bait in upper-60’s water temperatures now and all winter long. Trolling live baits or dead cigar minnows will tempt bites from the kings.
And the wahoo bite in the Gulf Stream should also hold up for a while yet. Both high-speed lures and skirted ballyhoo will fool the wahoo and any other blue water predators that boats come across.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that there’s been an excellent speckled trout bite going on in the New River and the bays and creeks nearby. The specks are pouncing on MR17 MirrOlures and TTF soft plastic baits rigged on light jigheads. Puppy drum and flounder (with some 20-26” fish in the mix) are feeding in the same areas and also biting the MirrOlures and soft baits.
Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking plenty of sea mullet while bottom fishing from the pier. Spot have been running intermittently, but anglers are putting together some decent catches when the bite’s on.
Howard Crumpler, of Surf City, with a 45 lb. king mackerel that bit a live bluefish off the end of Surf City Pier.
Pufferfish have begun to show up for the winter. Shrimp and bloodworms are the way to go for the panfish.
Good numbers of black drum (to 6+ lbs.) and red drum (from under to over-slot) are also falling for shrimp and cut baits on bottom rigs.
Bluefish are biting Gotcha plugs and a wide variety of baits.
Garrison, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some spot, sea mullet, and black drum while bottom fishing from the pier with shrimp and bloodworms. The spot bite was red-hot last weekend, so hopefully anglers will see some more of the big runs before the season ends.
Josh, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are hooking big numbers of black drum along with spot, sea mullet, and a few pufferfish while soaking shrimp and bloodworms on bottom rigs.
Those fishing cut baits are connecting with some red drum.
Speckled trout have shown up around the pier, and they are biting live shrimp in the early morning hours.
