Topsail November 15, 2012
Michael J. Clark, of Wilmington, with a 24″ red drum that bit a soft plastic bait at South Topsail Beach.
Doug, of East Coast Sports, reports that there’s been an excellent speckled trout bite all along the Topsail surf lately. The bite has been best in the early mornings, late afternoons, and at night, and most of the fish are falling for MirrOlures. The 808 and 750 color patterns have been the most popular recently.
Anglers soaking bait in the surf and from the piers are hooking black drum, sea mullet, pufferfish, and some puppy drum. Shrimp have been producing most of the action with all the bottom feeders. Some large red drum have also been hooked and beached by anglers at the south end of the island, primarily on large cut baits.
Bluefish are also still feeding along the beachfront and taking an interest in metal lures and a variety of baits.
Anglers aren’t seeing a lot of spot from the piers and surf, but netters are catching plenty just offshore, so a good front may bring them in to the beach.
Inshore, the flounder bite remains solid around structure and near the inlets. Live finger mullet and mud minnows or Gulp baits and other soft plastics are the best bets to fool the flounder.
Speckled trout are also feeding strong in the creeks and around inshore structure, but the bite’s been so good from the beach that most anglers looking for trout aren’t bothering to launch their boats.
Red drum are feeding alongside the specks and flounder inshore, and they’re falling for the same baits and lures.
Not many people have been offshore recently, but those who have are reporting the king mackerel have moved out. There’s been a good bite between WR4 and Frying Pan Tower, but not much going on inshore of that area.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that anglers are connecting with fat speckled trout (to 3-4+ lbs.) in the marshes and creeks off the New River and ICW near Sneads Ferry. Soft plastics by TTF and topwater plugs have been producing most of the fish.
Zane Hill with a 29″ red drum that bit a live finger mullet along a grass bank off the ICW near Scotts Hill.
Big numbers of red drum are in the same areas and also falling for the soft plastics and topwater plugs.
Some flounder are still around, and while anglers aren’t targeting them heavily, many are feeding in the same areas as the specks and reds and taking an interest in the soft plastics as well.
Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of speckled trout and puppy drum from the pier (both primarily undersized but with keepers in the mix). Shrimp on bottom rigs are fooling both, as are soft plastic baits and other artificials.
Pufferfish, black drum (most small but some to 5 lbs.), sea mullet, and a few spot are also in the mix and taking an interest in shrimp and bloodworms.
A few flounder are still feeding near the pilings, but their season is nearing an end.
Jay, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are hooking good numbers of speckled trout from the planks on soft plastic grubs and MirrOlures.
Black and puppy drum, sea mullet, a few spot, and other bottom feeders are falling for shrimp pinned to double-drop rigs.
Chris, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with red and black drum, pompano, pufferfish, fat sea mullet, and some speckled trout while bottom fishing from the pier with shrimp.
