Wrightsville Beach April 25, 2013
Dick Shaw and Max Simon with the results of a double red drum hookup they found while fishing a Wrightsville Beach dock with Capt. Jamie Rushing of Seagate Charters. Fresh shrimp fooled the reds.
Matt, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the offshore scene remains much the same when anglers can make the long run to blue water. Wahoo and blackfin tuna are still feeding around local hotspots like the Same Ol’ and Steeples, and anglers can hook both while trolling ballyhoo paired with skirted lures. The blackfins will also take an interest in vertical jigs and, at times, topwater poppers.
Amberjacks, African pompano, cobia, and other species are feeding around high-relief structure on the break and will all fall for vertical jigs.
Bluefish are feeding in the inlets and around the pier, and anglers are hooking them on baits and while working casting lures like Gotcha plugs.
Speckled trout and red drum are transitioning from winter to spring/summer patterns, and anglers can find both in the creeks and marshes in the upcoming weeks. Gulp baits or other soft plastics will tempt bites from the specks and reds, but the reds are still a bit finicky and sometimes fresh shrimp can be more effective than the artificials.
Flounder fishing is improving and will continue to do so as the inshore water temperatures rise. Live baits and scented soft plastics are both solid bets for anglers looking to hook up with the flatfish.
Surf casters are hooking some sea mullet, pufferfish, and blues around Wrightsville on shrimp and cut baits.
Trevor, of ProFishNC Charters, reports that large chopper bluefish have moved inshore, and anglers caught big numbers of them between Topsail and Figure Eight last week. Dead mullet on wire Carolina rigs have been fooling the blues.
Brent Hinson with a 31″, 10 lb. chopper bluefish that attacked a slab of cut pinfish in Masonboro Inlet.
Red drum are still feeding in their winter schools in the marshes and backwaters. Fresh shrimp has been more effective than artificials on the reds lately.
Anglers are also seeing some speckled trout in the creeks and marshes, where Gulp baits have been tempting them to bite.
Flounder fishing is improving around Wrightsville, and anglers landed the first keepers of the year recently. Live baits and Gulps will both attract attention from the flatfish.
Anglers are eagerly awaiting the arrival of false albacore and Atlantic bonito to the nearshore waters off the area, and the albacore have at least shown up, as a fish caught in Masonboro Inlet last week attests. More falsies and some Atlantic bonito have been feeding 10-15 miles off the beach, and rising water temperatures may well push them closer to shore in the coming weeks.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that menhaden have shown up in big numbers in the Cape Fear River, and anglers are seeing some solid action with speckled trout and red drum from downtown Wilmington on down to Southport. Soft plastics have been outproducing hard baits with the specks and reds so far this year, and casting around current breaks, rocky areas, and other shoreline structure is the way to connect with both fish.
Gray Currin with a 7.5 lb. sheepshead that bit fresh shrimp at the Masonboro Inlet jetties.
Some larger specks are feeding around Wrightsville Beach (to 5+ lbs.) and also taking an interest in soft plastics. All the usual fall trout spots have the potential to be holding some of the big gators right now.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that blackfin tuna are still on the feed at local Gulf Stream spots like the Same Ol’ and Steeples. While most anglers troll ballyhoo or skirted lures for the tunas, working vertical jigs and topwater poppers is not only more fun, it’s more effective, producing more and larger tunas (some 30-40 lbs.) than trolling.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that commercial boats found decent numbers of king mackerel around 23 Mile Rock last week, a good sign that they’re headed closer to shore for recreational boaters. Live baits are always solid bets for the kings, but they’ll often react just as well to dead cigar minnows and strip bait/sea witch combos.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are hooking a few sea mullet and pufferfish on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Bluefish have shown up and are primarily still biting baits, although Gotcha-plugging season is just around the corner.
The water is 60 degrees, down from a high of 67 last week. When it heats back up, the fishing will, too.
