Topsail – October 8, 2015
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that anglers have been seeing some solid action with slot to citation-sized red drum while fishing from the island’s surf and piers recently. Most are falling for big chunks of mullet, spot, and other fish.
Anglers casting shrimp, bloodworms, and other smaller baits from the beach and planks are hooking good numbers of spot and sea mullet.
Not many anglers have ventured out in boats inshore or offshore due to high winds and rain over the previous weeks, but fall fishing should be back on track as the weather moderates. Anglers can expect to find speckled trout, red drum, and flounder inshore near the inlets and structure like docks and bridges.
Anglers who can find clean water off the beaches should stand shots at spanish and king mackerel. The spaniards will bite flashy trolling lures like Clarkspoons, with live and dead baits the best bets for the kings.
Offshore, wahoo and blackfin tuna should still be feeding in the Gulf Stream, where anglers can hook them by trolling skirted ballyhoo.
Shane Stewart, of Sneads Ferry, NC, with a 45″ red drum that he landed after it bit a live finger mullet in the local ICW.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that despite the heavy rain and wind recently, anglers are still connecting with some red drum in the lower New River and ICW around Sneads Ferry. The fish are feeding along the flats and bays off the main waterways, where anglers can cast topwater plugs, weedless spoons, or Salty Bay soft plastic baits to connect with the reds.
Trent Richardson with a 32″ red drum he caught and released inshore of Topsail Island while fishing with Capt. Chadwick Crawford of South End Outfitters. The red fell for a live menhaden.
Greg, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers have seen some exceptional action with citation-class red drum while fishing from the end of the pier over the past week (many 40”+). Most are falling for chunks and heads of spot and mullet.
Bottom fishing with shrimp is primarily producing small croaker at present. As the winds and seas calm down over the coming week, anglers can expect to see more spot, sea mullet, and other bottom fish show back up around the pier.
Chris Hall, of Clinton, NC, with an 8 lb., 1 oz. flounder that bit a live finger mullet while he was fishing in New River Inlet with Capt. Ricky Kellum of Speckled Specialist Charters.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some large (most over-slot but a few keepers) red drum while fishing from the pier at present. Cut mullet and spot are fooling most of the reds.
Bottom fishing for other species was slow during the heavy seas over the weekend, but anglers are landing some smaller croaker and sea mullet. As the weather moderates a bit, spot should show back up (there were some good runs last week) and the other panfish bite should improve as well. Shrimp and bloodworms are the way to go for the smaller bottom feeders.
Robin, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers experienced red drum fishing from the pier over the past week that hasn’t been seen since the 60’s. Large numbers of citation-class fish (to 45”) have been caught and released from the pier by anglers casting big cut baits recently, and the action’s still going.
Before last week’s storm, anglers saw some action with spot, croaker, pompano, and black drum while bottom fishing with shrimp and bloodworms. The panfish bite should be coming back around as the water calms down a bit over the week.
Several clear water days last week also produced good plug-casting conditions and some nice catches of bluefish and spanish mackerel for anglers working Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs from the planks.
