Wrightsville Beach – June 2024
Avery, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers running off the beach are seeing a lot of spanish mackerel. Both trolling and casting tactics are getting strikes.
A bunch of bluefish are being caught both nearshore and inshore.
Some cobia are around, with anglers landing a few while bottom fishing around the jetties.
Sheepshead have been consistently moving inshore and staging up around bridges, dock pilings, and other hard structure.
Red drum action has been steady for the inshore crowd. These fish are moving into their summer patterns—traveling around in smaller groups and setting up around areas of structure.
Ryan, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that speckled trout fishing has been reasonably good for anglers getting out early to fish topwater plugs and soft plastics.
Red drum are scattered all over the inshore waters, and they’re hitting topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live or cut bait. Some schools are also out in the surf and around the jetties.
All the typical hard structures (such as docks, bridges, and rockpiles) have produced sheepshead, mostly on live fiddler crabs.
Plenty of flounder are around, with these fish still moving in from the ocean.
Nearshore anglers are enjoying some excellent spanish mackerel fishing. Trolling has been the best tactic so far, with both Clarkspoons and Yo-Zuri deep diving plugs working well. If seeing fish on the surface, casting jigs will also entice a strike.
Plenty of bluefish are off the beaches.
Some large king mackerel (to 40 lbs.) are being caught closer to shore, and cobia have been sighted over the reefs and along the beach.
Offshore anglers are seeing some mahi around. There hasn’t been that strong showing of nearshore fish yet, with most all the mahi action still out in the Gulf Stream.
Billfishing has been excellent, with both plugs and pitch baits producing blues, whites, and sails.
Anthony Silva, of Wilmington, found this 42.8 lb. cobia near the Wrightsville Beach jetty using a live menhaden.
Luke, of Coastline Fishing Charters, reports that spanish mackerel action has picked up, with schools being found from the beach to nearshore ARs. Trolling Clarkspoons behind #1 or #2 planers will provide the most strikes.
Inshore, red drum have started to spread out, and they’re being found around ICW docks and oyster bars with live or cut baits. The topwater action has picked up now that there is more bait along the waterway.
A good amount of speckled trout are mixed in with the red drum, and these specks are also responding to topwaters.
Some black drum are staged up around the hard structures, and they’re feeding on Carolina-rigged fresh shrimp.
Zane, of Falling Tide Fishing Adventures, reports that the speckled trout bite has been pretty good. Shrimp artificials (such as Vudu) and topwater plugs have been producing strikes in deeper areas off the ICW.
Red drum have moved into a summer pattern, as they are scattered in really small groups. Topwater plugs fished back in the marsh bays have been best.
Nearshore anglers have done well targeting spanish mackerel in the 8-30’ range. Riding around and casting metal jigs to surface-feeding fish is the favorite tactic.
Anytime you leave the inlet, it’s a good idea to have a bucktail jig tied up in case of running across a cobia.
Lincoln Silvester (age 10), of Wilmington, caught these 18″ and 19″ spanish mackerel while trolling the Wrightsville Beach jetty using Clarkspoons.
Pierre, of Rising Sun Fishing, reports that spanish mackerel (to 4 lbs.) are right on the beaches in 10’+.
King mackerel are moving their way closer to shore, with fish being caught with more consistency in the 3+ mile area.
Inshore anglers have been doing well targeting sheepshead with live fiddler crabs around docks, pilings, and bridges.
Red drum action has been spotty due to their transition into a summer pattern. Pitching cut menhaden under docks and around oyster bars has been the go-to tactic.
Some decent speckled trout are mixed in. Topwater plugs have provided most of this action, and starting fishing efforts super early is also key to the trout bite.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that Gulf Stream trolling trips may start getting a little slower moving into summer. The warmer water temperatures on the break (already 80 degrees) will have fish scattered, and catches will include mahi, wahoo, and tuna.
The upside is that billfish action is picking up, and it’s looking to be an excellent season on catches of blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish. Be on the lookout for current or water color edges out in 100+ fathoms.
Bottom fishing at the break has produced excellent catches of scamp grouper, gags, and large triggerfish, with the exotics such red hind, yelloweye snapper, and hogfish also mixed in.
Some big amberjacks are around for anglers wanting a workout on a jigging trip.
Swordfishing is often overlooked and underappreciated off our coast. It’s a year-round fishery, and summertime is great as it allows milder conditions to make the long run offshore.
Ben, of Southern Run Fishing Charters, reports that nearshore trips have been seeing a pretty consistent spanish mackerel bite near Masonboro Inlet and off Wrightsville in 20-30’ of water.
Plenty of smaller menhaden pods are around, with the potential cobia hanging out underneath.
Offshore, the water temperature is still a little cooler than normal in the 20-30 mile range.
Gulf Stream runs have found the blackfin tuna bite consistent around the Steeples and 170 Rock.
Mahi are starting to show up, though the action has been pretty spotty so far, and most catches are in the 130-140’+ range.
Nick, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that anglers are enjoying catches of bluefish and spanish mackerel by throwing Gotcha plugs and other metal jigs.
Anglers fishing on the end have been excited to see the king mackerel showing up as they move onto the beaches. Some big fish have been caught already this year (to 44 lbs.).
Live baits off the end have also landed barracuda (to 17 lbs.).
Bottom fishing has been good, including croakers, sea mullet, pinfish, and some flounder (released).
