Topsail September 12, 2013
Lester Brinson with a 23.2 lb. permit he hooked on cut shrimp while bottom fishing from Seaview Pier.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that there’s some hot bluefish and spanish mackerel action going on for anglers working Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs from Topsail Island’s piers. Anglers are also connecting with solid numbers of both fish while trolling Clarkspoons around the inlets and beachfront.
Surf and pier bottom fishermen are starting to see some off-and-on spot action, with decent numbers of sea mullet mixed in. Shrimp and bloodworms are fooling both panfish.
The sheepshead bite is on back in the sound, where anglers are finding the fish feeding around bridge and dock pilings and other heavy structure. Fishing live fiddler crabs tight to the pilings is the best bet for anglers looking to hook up with the sheeps.
Flounder are feeding in the inlets, the marshes, and around structure as well. Live finger mullet and mud minnows (or Gulp baits) will tempt bites from the flounder.
Red drum are looking for meals in the same areas and will fall for the same baits as the flatfish. Anglers can also cast topwater plugs and a variety of other artificials with success on the reds.
Jenna Coredero, of Hamburg, NY, with an upper-slot red drum that bit a TTF Mrs. Trout Killer soft plastic under a popping cork in the New River while she was fishing with Capt. Allen Jernigan of Breadman Ventures.
The speckled trout bite has been good as well, with most of the fish coming from the New River and associated creeks. Live baits, soft plastics, topwater plugs, and suspending hard lures are all solid choices for the specks.
Offshore, bottom fishermen are reporting decent grouper action at bottom structure 10-30 miles off the inlets. Cigar minnows, sardines, and mackerel are all excellent baits for the grouper. Decent numbers of red snapper and some cobia are feeding in the same areas, and they’re biting the grouper rigs as well.
Anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream have been rewarded handsomely in recent weeks, as the wahoo bite has been nothing short of incredible (with several limit catches reported). Both ballyhoo trolled with skirted lures and baitless high-speed presentations are attracting attention from the ‘hoos. Some dolphin and sailfish are feeding in the same areas, and both have been reported in the 20 mile range as well.
Allen, of Breadman Ventures, reports that there’s still a solid red drum bite going on in the marshes and bays off the ICW and New River. Most of the fish (ranging from lower to over-slot) are falling for topwater plugs and gold and black weedless spoons.
Flounder are feeding in many of the same areas, where they’ll take an interest in soft plastic baits laced with scents like Pro-Cure Super Gel.
Wendy Etta with a pair of black drum she hooked on live shrimp in the New River while fishing with Capt. Jr. Sinclair of Fish Bones Charters.
Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with some spot, sea mullet, and croaker while baiting up with shrimp and bloodworms. One angler also landed a 23 lb. permit while pompano fishing from the pier last week.
Plug casters are hooking some spanish mackerel and bluefish on Gotchas and diamond jigs.
Ed, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some bluefish and spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs from the pier.
Bottom fishing is producing some action with sea mullet, spot, more bluefish, and pompano for anglers baiting up with shrimp and bloodworms.
Robin, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are starting to see some larger bluefish showing up around the pier, and there’s been a decent spanish mackerel bite when the water is clean. Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs are fooling the bluefish and spanish.
Some speckled trout are making an early fall appearance and biting live shrimp.
Flounder are biting small live baits under the pier, and more keepers are in the mix than were all summer.
Bottom fishermen baiting up with shrimp, bloodworms, and sand fleas are hooking some spot, sea mullet, and a few red and black drum.
