Topsail Winter 2004
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that a few bluefin tuna have been caught at the Knuckle Buoy (34.26.82 N x 76.28.20 W), and most have been hooked in the dark. Bluefin reports have also come in from the Trawler Buoy out of Beaufort Inlet (34.33.29 N x 76.36.25 W) and Christmas Rock out of New River (34.23.54 N x 77.09.52 W).
The Surf City Pier House is closed, but the pier is free to fish from sun up to sun down. There have been lots of specks coming from the pier. Jolly Roger Pier reports lots of smaller specks. Sea View Pier reports lots of specks and black drum. Reisley Pier (Camp Lejeune) reports lots of small trout and a few nice black drum. If you fish at night, you can catch some big trout from any of the area piers.
In the surf from New River Inlet to Surf City, there are plenty of big specks. From Surf City to Topsail Beach, guys have also been catching big specks. Topsail Beach to New Topsail Inlet has seen lots of small blues and big trout as well. On the north end of Lee Island, a few specks and plenty of small blues have been reported. The trout are all over the surf, especially just north of Jolly Roger Pier (about the only slough on the island). Try the 52m808 and the 52m26 mirrolure. The smoke grub with a white or metal flake head is also doing well.
In the waterway and inlet there have been plenty of smaller specks around the dredge boat dock on the south end, as well as around the drawbridge. The specks are biting best at night on grubs. There have also been big specks in creeks up the New River.
A little off the beach, gray trout are still just north of New River in about 25′ of water.
Frank, of Seaview Pier, reports whiting, spots, flounder, but no kings. Fishing is slowing, but the late fall assortment of fish is around and biting. There have also been speckled trout in the 1 to 2.5 lb. range. They’re eating up the live shrimp. A few black drum, whiting, and a lot of blowfish are also being caught.
Ricky Kellum, of Speckled Specialists Charters, reports an excellent trout bite in the New River area. One day yielded 47 specks weighing up to 3.5 lbs. and 12 grays averaging 3 to 4 lbs. The trout are biting well on live shrimp, but they can also be taken with mirrolures.
Eric, of New River Marina, reports that the speckled trout fishing is very good, but a lot of the fish are small. Live shrimp, grubs, and mirrolures are all working in the inlet, and fish are also being caught in the surf. Red drum fishing has been hot in the river, with bigger fish coming from the inlet and the surf.
Off the beach, the king bite has been in the 10+ mile areas, with fish hitting spanish sardines and cigar minnows. The grouper bite has been good, with boats running 20+ miles to find fish. Further off, the wahoo and dolphin are still doing well, and there are the occasional reports of bluefin tuna in the area.
