Wrightsville Beach August 11, 2005
Tex, at Tex’s Tackle, reports not much has changed since last week, but flounder fishing has finally picked up now that the mullets have shown up. Fish to 5 lb. 10 oz. have been weighed at the store lately.
The puppy drum are strong in the waterway around the docks right now, and some blues and spanish are feeding on small baits in the inlets.
Sheepshead fishing has picked up as well. Go with sand fleas or fiddler crabs.
Along the beach, there have been some catches of cobia and 40 lb. class kings. Live bait does the trick early and late, especially on the falling tide.
Pompano and Virginia mullet reported in the surf, along with blues and spanish.
Kings and dolphin are being found at 10 mile rock and vicinity, and sails are being reported nearly everyday from 8 miles out to 23 mile rock.
Some African pompano have been reported recently at the tower. Grouper fishing has been good from 20 miles on out.
Things are still slow in the stream, with mostly dolphin and a few wahoo caught.
Russell, at Tidal Market II, reports that king fishing has still been good, with the biggest fish coming right off the inlets and along the beaches. Smaller kings and dolphin are scattered in the 10 to 30 mile areas, with very few sailfish reported in between.
Inside the flounder have picked up. It’s been especially good in the inlets and the Cape Fear River where some 6 to 7 pounders are being pulled out.
Matt, at Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports some decent flounder caught this week and sporadic action on spanish mackerel and bluefish. A 22 lb. king mackerel was landed, but no tarpon reports this week. A few whiting have been caught, and sheepshead are around the pilings waiting for someone to fish for them.
Lloyd, at Bug-Em Bait Co., reports offshore fishing has been great from 10 to 20 miles out, with plenty of king mackerel, scattered dolphin, and the occasional sailfish. Spanish and small kings are along the beachfronts. Flounder are on the nearshore reefs, inlets, and waterway. Redfishing is good in the river, waterway docks, and creek mouths on live baits and topwaters.
Seth, at Intracoastal Angler, reports a little of everything is biting somewhere. Kings, dolphin, and sailfish are out 10 to 30 miles. Bottom fishing has picked up 20+ miles off. Scattered cobia are still lingering around.
Inside, the red drum fishing on topwaters has picked up (now that the mullet are moving around). Speckled trout fishing is best in the lower Cape Fear and the New River. Flounder are everywhere, and some bigger fish are finally showing up.
