Topsail Winter 2009
Brian Collins, of Surf City, with a 31” red drum he hooked (and released) in the South Topsail surf on shrimp.
Doug, of East Coast Sports, reports that there’s been a fantastic speckled trout bite in the surf along the length of the island lately. Most of the fish are on the small side, but they’ve been making up for their size with huge numbers. They’re running slightly larger at night. MirrOlures (especially the 808, 802, and electric chicken colors), Gulp shrimp (in white and new penny), and even a variety of flies have proven effective on the specks.
Surf fishermen soaking bait are hooking good numbers of black drum and some fat sea mullet on fresh shrimp.
Inshore, a few reds and trout are still around, with the best bite near Topsail Inlet.
Gray trout are still holding on nearshore structure, and they will take an interest in Stingsilvers or diamond jigs worked off the bottom.
Offshore, the commercial fleet has been finding plenty of king mackerel, but they’re the standard wintertime schoolies (averaging 5-8 lbs.).
Randy Hudson, of Hampstead, and Bobby Greer, of Castle Hayne, with gag grouper, a dolphin, and a king mackerel caught around 30 miles off Topsail on sardines and cigar minnows.
Eric, of New River Marina, reports that the speckled trout bite is going strong in the river, and it will stay good throughout the winter. Billy Bay Halo Shrimp and Gulp baits are two of the best trout producers.
Red drum are feeding in many of the same areas as the trout inshore, and they will fall for the same lures.
Anglers are catching some black drum in the creeks. Gulps and cut baits have been getting their attention.
Good numbers of trout are also feeding in the sloughs along the beaches, and Halo shrimp or MirrOlures will fool them in the surf.
Gray trout are still feeding on nearshore ledges and other structure just off the beaches. Vertically jigging with Stingsilvers or diamond jigs should put some grays in the boat.
Bluefin tuna have already shown up in the area, and boats have sighted them recently in the vicinity of Christmas Rock and the E Buoy.
The gag grouper bite is still solid in the 20-30 mile range. Fishing for them will be closed on the first of the year, so anglers should get to them while they can.
Teddy St. Pierre, from Topsail Beach, with a pair of gag grouper caught on cigar minnows and live baits in 80
Ricky, of Speckled Specialist Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite remains excellent in the New River from downtown Jacksonville to Sneads Ferry, with especially good action in the creeks off the main river. Not only are anglers catching big numbers of the trout, they’re getting large ones, too (with several fish from 5-8+ lbs. caught recently).
Suspending plugs and shrimp imitations from Storm and Billy Bay are some of the best lures for the trout right now. Working them very slowly just off the bottom seems to be the best strategy in the cold water.
Taylor Evans, of Wilmington, with a 7.5 lb. sheepshead caught on a stone crab claw around Middle Sound.
Terry, of Surf City Pier, reports that anglers are catching plenty of small trout on grubs, MirrOlures, and live shrimp. An occasional bluefish is mixed in.
The whiting bite has been good recently, but the water was too clear for them last weekend. The fish are still around, so some murkier water should have them feeding again.
Jerrie Peterson with a 1.78 lb. whiting caught on a bottom rig baited with shrimp. She was fishing from Surf City Pier.
Robbie, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers casting grubs are hooking up with some smaller speckled trout.
Bottom fishermen baiting up with cut shrimp are finding action with some black drum and whiting.
The water is 52 degrees.
Greg, of Seaview Pier, reports that bottom fishermen have been landing some black drum and blowfish on fresh shrimp.
Small speckled trout are feeding near the pier, too, and they’re falling for Gotcha plugs and other lures.
