Wrightsville Beach April 10, 2014
Frank Dalli, of Wake Forest, with the pending NC state record jack crevalle, a 49.1 lb. fish that attacked a vertical jig in 150′ of water off Wrightsville Beach while he was fishing with Capt. Mike Jackson of Live Line Charters.
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are still seeing red drum feeding in the surf and inshore around Wrightsville Beach. The surf fish have been looking for meals around the shoals of area inlets, and anglers are hooking them on baited bottom rigs and while casting soft plastics, MirrOLures, and metal spoons around the breakers.
Surf casters are also starting to connect with some sea mullet and pufferfish from Wrightsville, primarily on shrimp and cut baits.
Red drum are also feeding inshore around docks and other structure. They’ll bite Gulps (and other scented soft baits) or cut shrimp and live mud minnows fished close to the structure.
Some speckled trout have been feeding off the ICW to the north of Wrightsville recently, although it’s a catch-and-release fishery until mid-June. The specks will bite soft plastics, shrimp imitations, or suspending baits like MirrOlure MR17’s.
Out in the ocean, black sea bass are still feeding at bottom structure within a few miles of land, but the better action with legal (13”+) fish is likely out 10+ miles. Squid and cut baits or small vertical or bucktail jigs will all attract attention from the bass.
Anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream are reporting a good wahoo bite, but the best action was at spots to the south last week. Most of the ‘hoos are falling for skirted ballyhoo, but anglers can also cover more ground and hook up while pulling baitless high-speed lures.
Blackfin tuna are also looking for meals at local blue water spots, and they’ve been feeding aggressively when anglers can find them recently. They’ll bite ballyhoo and trolled lures as well, but many anglers are hooking up while working vertical jigs or topwater poppers around fish they spot on the depthfinder or chasing bait on the surface.
Boyang Zhang with a 33 lb. blackfin tuna that attacked a topwater popper in the Gulf Stream off Wrightsville Beach while he was fishing with Capt. Rick Croson of Living Waters Guide Service.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that anglers are finding some solid fishing along the break off Wrightsville right now. Blackfin tuna are schooled up in the blue water and biting topwater poppers readily (many 20-30+ lbs.). Wahoo are feeding in many of the same areas, and anglers are hooking them while trolling ballyhoo, skirted lures, and diving plugs. A few are also taking an interest in the topwater lures that anglers are casting for the blackfins.
Dropping vertical jigs to structure in 150-250’ of water is producing big action with amberjacks and good numbers of African pompano (some pushing 40 lbs.).
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that anglers are seeing some good action with black sea bass and red porgy at bottom structure in the 20 mile range off Wrightsville. Squid and cut baits on bottom rigs are fooling both.
Some king mackerel should be feeding in the 40 mile range when anglers can find water temperatures in the upper-60’s. They’ll respond to trolled cigar minnows, strip baits, and Drone spoons.
Tommy Lewis III (age 14), of Raleigh, with a 13 lb. striped bass he hooked on a blue diving plug while fishing the Cape Fear River near Wilmington with Capt. Jon Huff of Circle H Charters.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers are hooking some keeper sea bass within 5 miles of the inlet right now, but primarily on smaller areas of structure that haven’t been fished hard. Anglers targeting the bass around wrecks and other well-known structure will likely have to push out to the 15 mile range to land good numbers of legal fish. Cut baits on bottom rigs and smaller metal jigs will tempt bites from the bass when anglers find them.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some sea mullet and pufferfish while bottom fishing from the pier with shrimp and cut baits. Some dogfish are falling for the same offerings in the evening hours.
Bluefish have just shown up at the pier, and anglers were hooking them while working jigs along the bottom early in the week.
The water is 59 degrees.
