Wrightsville Beach – August 14, 2014
Tyler Fritz, of Wilmington, with a sheepshead that struck a live fiddler crab beneath the Surf City bridge.
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers continue to see some excellent flounder action inshore in the area, and it may have gotten even better after all the rain the past few weeks. The best bite has been in creeks and around structure near the inlets, and anglers are fooling the flatfish with live baits and scented soft baits like Gulps.
The surprisingly good summer speckled trout bite is still going strong, and anglers are hooking the specks on live finger mullet and a variety of artificial lures.
Anglers are also finding some hot fishing for red drum inshore, particularly to the north of Wrightsville. Topwater plugs have been fooling most of the fish, but they’ll bite a host of baits and lures when anglers can’t fool them on the surface.
Spanish mackerel are feeding off the inlets and beachfront, but the bite’s been a bit inconsistent since the soaking the area took over the past few weeks. Clarkspoons trolled behind planers and cigar weights are the best bet for the spaniards and will also fool bluefish feeding in the same areas.
Anglers are still seeing some king mackerel from a few miles off the beachfront out to the break, and anglers are fooling them on live menhaden and frozen cigar minnows pinned to dead bait rigs. A few dolphin and sailfish have been feeding alongside the kings at spots further offshore, and ballyhoo trolled along with teasers (like daisy chains) are the best bet for both pelagics.
Jared Beard, of Wilmington, with a 54″ barracuda he caught and released at the Liberty Ship after it struck a live grunt on a king rig. Bucktail
Bottom fishermen continue to report solid gag grouper fishing around bottom structure in the 80’ depths. Plenty of black sea bass, grunts, and other smaller bottom dwellers are in the same areas, and all the bottom feeders are falling for dead cigar minnows and sardines.
Red and scamp groupers are feeding at structure in 110’ and deeper, and the same baits or vertical jigs like Blue Water Candy Roscoes will tempt them to bite. Beeliners, triggerfish, red porgy, and other smaller fish are in the same areas and biting the same baits.
Boats making the run to the Gulf Stream are reporting that the wahoo bite remains surprisingly good for summertime, with most boats returning with multiple fish. Some dolphin, blackfin tuna, and billfish are in the same areas, and all will take an interest in naked and skirted ballyhoo.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers are still seeing some decent spanish mackerel action in the wake of all the rain the area has received, but it can be a bit tough to find the fish day-to-day. Clarkspoons trolled behind planers and trolling weights are the way to fool the spaniards when anglers find them.
Flounder are feeding around bottom structure within 10 miles of the beachfront and biting live baits and bucktail jigs.
Anglers are seeing some exciting amberjack action around buoys and high-relief structure a bit further offshore. The jacks will eagerly bite live baits like menhaden.
Ryan Thorpe (age 11), of Aldie, VA, with a 26.5″ red drum that struck a finger mullet in the ICW near Wrightsville Beach whiel he was fishing with Capt. Jamie Rushing of Seagate Charters.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that anglers are still hooking some speckled trout on topwater plugs and suspending lures in the marshes and near the inlets.
Red drum are feeding around the inlets and at ICW docks, where anglers are fooling them on live and cut mullet.
The flounder bite has been solid inshore and in the ocean recently. Anglers are finding the fish in the inlets, around structure like docks, and at nearshore wrecks and reefs in the ocean. Live finger mullet on Carolina rigs are tough for the flatfish to turn down.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that anglers are hooking some spanish mackerel while trolling within a few miles of Wrightsville Beach, but the bite’s been a bit slower than a few weeks ago. Trolled Clarkspoons are the tickets to hooking the spanish that are biting. Some ladyfish have been feeding in the same areas and also biting the spoons.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some sea mullet and spot on shrimp and cut baits pinned to bottom rigs.
Those fishing live baits on the bottom are hooking some flounder. Anglers are also seeing some red drum cruising the sandbars near the pier, but they’ve been tough to trick lately.
Live-baiters fishing the end of the pier are hooking some sharks.
