Wrightsville Beach April 26, 2012
Bryan Williams, of Wilmington, with a 17 lb. hogfish that bit a live bait at some bottom structure 55 miles off Masonboro Inlet while he was fishing with Nick Maraveyias on the "SeaBiscuit."
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are connecting with some decent catches of speckled trout, with the best action along deeper banks and near the inlets. Gulp and Bass Assassin soft baits and suspending plugs like Rapala X-Raps are producing most of the fish.
Red drum action is up-and-down, with excellent fishing the one day and fish hard to come by the next. Docks and shallow flats adjacent to deeper water have been the most productive spots for the reds in recent days, and Gulp baits, topwater plugs, and live and cut baits will all produce action.
Flounder are feeding near the inlets, in the marshes, and around inshore structure near Wrightsville (with some fish to 5 lbs. in the mix). Live mud minnows and a variety of Gulp baits are fooling most of the flatfish.
Sea mullet are still feeding in the surf, along with some bluefish, a few black drum, and some early pompano. Deeper holes along the beaches and stretches near the inlets have been the most productive, and fresh shrimp are fooling the fish.
Big numbers of bluefish and some spanish mackerel are feeding in the inlets and along the beachfront. Anglers are hooking them while trolling Clarkspoons and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers and casting diamond jigs and Gotcha plugs.
A few Atlantic bonito have been hooked off Wrightsville over the past week, along with plenty more spanish mackerel and bluefish feeding around structure within 5 miles of the beach.
Gray trout are on much of the same structure, and a few flounder are as well. Gulp-tipped bucktails are top choices for the grays and flounder, and metal jigs will also produce results with the grays.
King mackerel are beginning to move toward shore, with several landed from the piers at Kure Beach and Oak Island in the past week. Trolling live bluefish along the beaches is a good way to connect with a big king early in the year, but anglers will have more action (but smaller fish) while trolling dead cigar minnows around ledges and wrecks in the 20-35 mile range.
Bottom fishermen are putting together good hauls of triggerfish, beeliners, and red porgy at structure 40-45 miles out, along with good numbers of grouper (but they’re closed to harvest until May 1).
A few dolphin have wandered into the 40 mile range, and some cobia have been reported as close as 20 miles. Both fish should continue to move closer to the beaches as the water warms a few more degrees.
Blue water anglers are still finding solid action in the Gulf Stream when they can get offshore. The wahoo bite is still hot (with smaller fish on average, but big numbers of them). Gaffer dolphin and blackfin tuna are also on the feed in the Stream, and all three are falling for skirted ballyhoo and smaller trolling lures. A few blue marlin have also been reported in our area around the 100 fathom depths, so now’s a good time to break out the bigger lures and baits and head further out to hook up a blue.
Jigging and working topwater plugs in the Stream is also producing some blackfins, and plenty of amberjacks and triggerfish are also falling for the jigging lures.
Steve, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that anglers hooked some Atlantic bonito last week a few miles offshore of the Liberty Ship.
Spanish mackerel have been sporadic, biting one day and nonexistent the next, and there have been plenty of bluefish from the inlets out to structure in the 5 mile range. Trolling Clarkspoons or diving plugs and casting small metal lures is the way to hook up with the bluefish, spanish, and bonito.
Flounder fishing continues to improve, with good reports of keepers all around Wrightsville. Live baits and Gulps will tempt bites from the flatfish.
Red drum action has been up-and-down, but anglers are catching some on the flats and around ICW docks on live baits, Gulps, topwater plugs, and other lures.
Speckled trout action has been solid in the Cape Fear River, and anglers are also catching some healthy specks around the Masonboro jetty. Gulp baits and other soft plastics (or MirrOlure and Yo-Zuri hard baits) will draw strikes from the specks.
Offshore, the wahoo bite remains solid, and anglers are seeing increasing numbers of gaffer dolphin as the spring progresses.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that Atlantic bonito, spanish mackerel, and bluefish are feeding side-by-side around Divers Rock and other nearshore structure. Trolling Clarkspoons and casting Shore Lures and diamond jigs to surfacing fish is producing most of the action, and 20-40’ of water has been the best depth lately.
School king mackerel are showing up in the 20-30 mile range and falling for dead cigar minnows and Drone spoons pulled behind planers.
Luke Donat, of Donat Marine Solutions, with a healthy flounder that bit a Carolina-rigged finger mullet in the Cape Fear River.
Rick, of Rod-Man Charters, reports that inshore fishing has been a little tough around Wrightsville lately. Anglers are hooking up with some red and black drum and flounder, but a lot of searching is involved. The flounder action should get better as April gives way to May (and anglers will be seeing some larger fish).
There’s been a better bite of speckled trout and reds in the lower Cape Fear River lately. Live baits, Gulps, and a variety of other artificials will fool both.
Matt, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are catching plenty of bluefish while working Gotcha plugs from the pier, with a few spanish mackerel in the mix. Several pompano also took an interest in the Gotchas last week.
Some chopper blues are showing up, and a 9 lb. bluefish was landed on a live bait last week.
Bottom fishermen are still hooking some sea mullet and pufferfish along with a few pompano on cut shrimp.
Those soaking small live baits under the pier are connecting with some flounder, but most are slightly on the small side.
The water is 66 degrees.
