Topsail – September 24, 2015
Don, of East Coast Sports, reports that anglers are connecting with some red and black drum while surf fishing from Topsail’s beachfront. Some fat sea mullet, pompano, and other bottom feeders are mixed in, and shrimp and cut baits are producing most of the action in the breakers.
Spot are beginning to show up off the piers and in the surf, and they are biting bloodworms and shrimp.
Inshore, anglers are still finding good numbers of red drum in the marshes and near the inlets. The reds will bite live baits or a variety of artificials.
Flounder are feeding in many of the same areas and around ICW structure like docks. Live baits or Gulps will attract attention from the flatfish.
A few speckled trout are coming from the creeks and the New River for anglers casting a variety of artificial lures.
Out in the ocean, boaters are hooking plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish while trolling Clarkspoons and other flashy lures.
King mackerel are feeding a bit further from the beaches and biting live and dead baits.
Bottom fishing 10+ miles offshore is producing plenty of action with grouper, sea bass, triggerfish, snapper, and more. Squid and cigar minnows are some of the top bottom baits.
Anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream are reporting plenty of action with wahoo, and the bite should only get better as fall wears on. Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures are fooling the majority of the ‘hoos.
Chad Ferrell with a 31″ red drum that bit a Carolina-rigged finger mullet while he was fishing around some Hampstead docks.
Daniel, of Flat Foot Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with big numbers of red drum while fishing inshore around Topsail Island. The fish have been feeding on the shallow flats in the area’s bays and creeks and biting live and cut mullet along with a variety of soft plastic baits.
Carl Banks with a red drum that fell for a Carolina-rigged finger mullet while he was fishing from Surf City Pier.
Tyler, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some sea mullet, pompano, and a few spot while bottom fishing from the pier. Shrimp and bloodworms are producing most of the action.
When the water’s clean, plug casters are hooking some spanish mackerel and bluefish while working Gotchas.
A 37 lb. king mackerel was also landed by a live-baiter fishing the end of the pier last week.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with some black drum, spot, croaker, gray trout, sea mullet, and other panfish while baiting bottom rigs with shrimp and bloodworms (with bloodworms the bait of choice for the spot).
Some over-slot red rum have been caught and released from the pier over the past week.
Anglers also had some action with king and spanish mackerel along with bluefish last week when the water was clean, and the pelagic fish should return when it clears back up.
Robbie, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some spot and large croaker while bottom fishing, especially in the evening hours. Shrimp and bloodworms are fooling the panfish.
Some over-slot red drum are also feeding around the pier and finding anglers’ baits.
Anglers working casting lures like Gotcha plugs from the pier are finding a few spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Live-baiters have also had some king mackerel action over the past week.
