Added on Thursday, September 17, 2009  Fish Post

Topsail September 17, 2009

Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that the red drum bite is excellent inshore and in the surf right now. Inshore, anglers are finding big numbers of reds in the creeks and marshes, and Gulp baits or other lures or live finger mullet will fool the reds.

The fish are also feeding well in the surf around the south end of the island, where anglers are hooking them on fresh cut mullet.

Speckled trout are feeding in the surf, and anglers are hooking them early in the mornings on Gulp baits and topwater plugs.

Surf anglers also hooked some fat pompano this past week on sand fleas.

Spot have moved into the sound, but not yet in great numbers. The piers have also been picking away at the spot recently. Shrimp and bloodworms will attract attention from the spot.

The spanish mackerel bite’s been decent for anglers from the piers and boaters lately. Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs are fooling the fish from the piers, and anglers are hooking them on Clarkspoons from boats.

Gray trout and flounder are feeding at Diver’s Rock. Anglers can hook both on Carolina-rigged finger mullet or work diamond jigs and other metal lures for the grays.

Offshore, the trolling bite has been slow lately, with anglers reporting only a spotty king mackerel bite and a few small cobia.

Bottom fishermen found solid action with gag grouper, red snapper, and black sea bass around 23 Mile Rock last week. Squid and cigar minnows will fool the bottom feeders.

 

Ricky, of Speckled Specialist Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite is getting even better as the weather cools down. Anglers are landing double-digit numbers of specks while fishing around structure in the New River and the ICW nearby. Live shrimp under floats are producing most of the action with the specks, but anglers are catching a few on artificials like Trigger-X and Billy Bay shrimp.

Flounder are feeding well at nearshore structure like Diver’s Rock, and anglers have been catching good numbers and sizes (up to 5.5 lbs.) on Carolina-rigged finger mullet.

 

Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that the king mackerel bite has been off lately.

Bottom fishing, though, has been producing some solid catches of gag grouper and big sea bass along with a variety of other bottom dwellers recently. Squid and live pogies are attracting attention from the grouper and bass. The action’s been solid at bottom structure within 20 miles of the beach, both out of New River and Masonboro Inlets.

The spanish mackerel bite has been on closer to the inlets, and anglers are catching big numbers while trolling Clarkspoons. False albacore are feeding in the same areas, and Clarkspoons are getting their attention as well.

 

Mike, of Corona Daze Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite has been on fire off the ICW between Rich’s Inlet and Topsail. MirrOlures are fooling most of the specks (some to 5 lbs. lately).

Some flounder are feeding in the same areas and throughout the inshore waters, and anglers are hooking them on Gulp shrimp.

 

Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are catching decent numbers of spot and whiting after dark on shrimp and bloodworms.

Good numbers of pompano are falling for shrimp and sand fleas.

Anglers fishing small live baits on the bottom caught a decent number of flounder (some to 3 lbs.) last week.

 

Jonathan, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are catching good numbers of red drum, speckled trout, and a few flounder on live finger mullet.

Plug casters have been hooking some spanish mackerel and bluefish on Gotchas.

 

Richard, of Seaview Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are decking spot, whiting, and pompano on shrimp.

Decent numbers of keeper flounder are falling for live finger mullet.

Live baiters didn’t hook any king mackerel last week, but several large spanish fell for the king rigs.