Topsail Winter 2010-2011
John Holohan, of Wilmington, with a tautog he hooked just off New River Inlet while fishing with his wife aboard the "Pop aTop."
Chris, of East Coast Sports, reports that there’s been an excellent pufferfish bite for anglers fishing shrimp on bottom rigs from the piers and surf recently.
Surf anglers are also picking up some healthy whiting on shrimp. A few bluefish are in the mix as well.
Red drum have pushed out to the shoals of Riches and New Topsail Inlets and are schooled up. On calm, clear days, anglers can search for the schools from boats and the beach and cast Gulp baits or MirrOLures to hook up. Care should be taken not to spook the fish with a boat, and someone should always be at the helm while fishing the surf zone, as one breaking wave can be all it takes to incapacitate a vessel.
Some speckled trout are feeding in the surf sloughs on the oceanfront, and they will take an interest in MirrOlures or Gulp baits. Most of the trout are undersized, but persistent anglers should be rewarded with some keepers.
The speck bite has also been solid around hard structure and deep holes in the sound. The same baits will fool the trout inshore, though lighter weights and slower presentations will be more effective inshore.
Anglers are still picking up an occasional flounder in the sound as well.
Gray trout are feeding at Diver’s Rock and other nearshore structure, and they will take an interest in diamond jigs or other metal jigging lures.
Black sea bass are feeding at bottom structure from Diver’s Rock on offshore. Jigging lures or bottom rigs baited with squid and cut baits will attract attention from the bass.
Anglers are still finding action with gag grouper at structure 10 miles and further from the beaches (but the shallow water grouper season closes January 1). Dead, cut, and live baits will all attract attention from the gags, and anglers may also be able to tempt them to bite larger vertical jigs.
Derek King, from Sanford, NC, with a 31" red drum he caught and released in the south Topsail surf.
Gulf Stream trollers are reporting that the wahoo fishing is still excellent in the blue water. Some blackfin tuna are in the mix as well. Ballyhoo rigged beneath skirted trolling lures are the way to go for the blue water predators.
The first few bluefin tuna of the year have already been landed off Morehead City, and anglers are anxiously waiting to see if the fish will make a run past Topsail towards Frying Pan Shoals. If so, trolling horse ballyhoo around bottom structure, temperature breaks, and bait marks is the way to try to tempt one to bite.
Gene, of New River Marina, reports that inshore anglers are still picking up a few speckled trout, red drum, and flounder on nicer days. Live baits, Gulps, and other soft plastics will attract attention from all three species.
Wayne, of Last Resort Charters, reports that there are still good numbers of speckled trout in the area (most on the small side, but decent numbers of fish up to 2 lbs. and a few to 5+). The best action has been around the Masonboro jetties over the past week, but anglers should be able to find some specks in the marinas and creeks all winter long. Live shrimp are no longer available due to the cold water temperatures, but anglers can hook up with the trout on MirrOLures, curlytail grubs, and other soft plastics.
Red drum are schooling up on the shoals of area inlets, where anglers can sight-cast to them with soft plastic baits and MirrOlures. Some smaller puppy drum should be spending the winter in the backs of the creeks, where anglers can tempt them to bite cut shrimp or small Gulp baits.
Phyllis Stiles, of Eastern Outfitters in Hampstead, with a quintet of healthy speckled trout she hooked on live shrimp while fishing with Capt. Wayne Crisco of Last Resort Charters.
Wayne, of Seaview Pier, reports that anglers are hooking up with some bluefish and small speckled trout and whiting, primarily while bottom fishing with shrimp.
April, of Jolly Roger Pier, reports that anglers are still picking up some keeper trout, both on bait and artificials.
There’s been a decent pufferfish bite for anglers baiting up with shrimp.
