Topsail September 30, 2010
Jeff Boyce, of Hampstead, with a 4+ lb. flounder he hooked on a live finger mullet in the ICW just south of the Surf City swing bridge.
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that anglers are seeing some spot runs off the island’s piers. Bloodworms are the way to go for the spot, and the best fishing’s been at night.
Some whiting and pompano are mixed in with a few reds in the surf zone. Sand fleas and shrimp will fool the whiting and pomps, and anglers can hook the reds on gold spoons, finger mullet, and other baits.
Inshore, sheepshead (with some citation-class fish) are feeding around hard inshore structure. Anglers can tempt the sheeps to bite fiddler crabs or other crustacean baits.
Anglers are connecting with some red drum and flounder near the inlets and in the marshes. Both will take an interest in live baits, Gulps, and other lures.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are still feeding just off the beaches, and anglers can hook both while trolling Clarkspoons and other lures. Some false albacore are also chasing bait in the area, and they will fall for trolled spoons or metal jigs.
The king bite is still mysteriously slow, but anglers have reported a few fish from 30+ miles offshore lately.
Gulf Stream trollers are finding a great wahoo bite in the blue water. Most of the fish are falling for ballyhoo under dark-skirted trolling lures.
Eric, of New River Marina, reports that anglers are catching some spanish mackerel, bluefish, and a few kings along the beaches. Trolled Clarkspoons will fool the spanish and blues. Live baits are the way to go for the few kings in the area.
Offshore, there’s been an excellent wahoo bite with some blackfin tuna mixed in out in the Gulf Stream. Rigged ballyhoo under skirted trolling lures are the way to go for the blue water fish.
Surf fishermen have been hooking up with some flounder, red drum, and whiting in the breakers.
Inshore, black drum and sheepshead are still feeding around the 172 Bridge and other hard structure in the area. Bottom rigs baited with shrimp, fiddler crabs, or other crustaceans will tempt bites from both species.
Speckled trout are feeding more heavily in the creeks and bays off the ICW and New River. Live shrimp are the top trout baits, but anglers can also fool them with Gulps or soft plastic shrimp imitations.
Red drum are also patrolling the bays and grasslines off the river and ICW, and anglers can tempt them to bite topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, scented soft plastics, and more.
Flounder fishing is still solid in the deeper holes and around inshore structure, and live finger mullet and Gulp baits are the tickets to bites from the flatfish.
Spot and whiting are moving inshore and feeding in deep water in the inlet and ICW, and both will fall for shrimp-baited bottom rigs.
Alex Padgett with a 40 lb. wahoo he hooked on a blue/white-skirted ballyhoo while trolling the break off Beaufort Inlet with Capt. Rob Orr aboard the "Pierless."
Wayne, of Last Resort Charters, reports that the flounder bite has been excellent around Surf City and the Scotts Hill/Figure Eight area lately. Fishing along the grasslines between docks at higher tides has been producing some of the better flounder catches lately (with a few citation fish in the mix). Live peanut pogies and finger mullet are the best baits.
Red drum are feeding in many of the same areas and along marsh edges and bays, especially closer to the inlets. Live or cut baits will attract attention from the reds.
The speckled trout bite is turning on, and anglers can find the fish feeding around inshore structure like bridges and docks.
Wayne, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are catching spot at night. Bloodworms are producing most of the fish.
Vinita, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking up with good numbers of spot at night, and bloodworms are the best baits.
During the daytime, flounder and puppy drum are taking an interest in small live baits on the bottom.
Some pompano are mixed in and falling for shrimp.
Live-baiters landed a big jack crevalle last week and continue to see tarpon.
Cindy, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are catching some spot and pompano on bottom rigs baited with bloodworms and shrimp.
Red and black drum are falling for shrimp and cut and live baits on the bottom, and anglers are also picking up some healthy flounder on the live baits.
