Wrightsville Beach August 19, 2010
Russ Marini, of Wilmington, with his first grouper, a stout gag he hooked on a live bait 30 miles off Masonboro Inlet while fishing with Derek Matthews and David Keith on the "Chum Maker II."
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the flounder bite has been picking up in the Wrightsville area (with several citations weighed in this week). The inlets, creeks, and inshore structure are good places to look for the flatties, and anglers can fool them with live baits or Gulps.
The red drum bite has been decent back in the marshes, and anglers are hooking fish on topwater plugs in the early mornings.
Some fat speckled trout have been coming from the Cape Fear River. Live shrimp are the best baits for the trout.
The king mackerel bite is scattered, but anglers are hooking some fish while live-baiting from the beaches to areas well offshore.
Some decent dolphin and sailfish action was reported by boats fishing the 20-25 mile area last week, both on live and dead baits.
Bottom fishermen found decent gag grouper fishing 20-30 miles off the inlet last week. Live baits, dead cigar minnows, and cut baits will all attract attention from the gags. Not many boats have been 30+ miles to go red grouper fishing lately.
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that the flounder bite is still solid in the area for anglers casting live baits and Gulps.
Red drum are feeding in the surf, and anglers are hooking them on cut baits and Gulps.
Some fat speckled trout are still coming from the river, but the bite’s turning on some at Wrightsville, too. Anglers are hooking the fish in the creekmouths and other spots while flounder fishing locally.
Sheepshead are feeding around the area’s docks and at other inshore structure, and anglers can catch them on fiddler crabs and sand fleas.
Tarpon are still cruising the beaches, and anglers are hooking a few on live and dead baits just offshore.
There’s been a scattered dolphin bite 10-30 miles out.
Capt. Jamie Rushing, of Seagate Charters, and Aaron Roos, from PA, with a pair of striped bass they hooked on a topwater plug and a spinnerbait in the NE Cape Fear River.
Gulf Stream trollers are reporting improving dolphin fishing and some wahoo making an appearance as well. A few billfish are also around.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers are catching some flounder, red drum, and speckled trout south of Snows Cut in the Cape Fear River. Live finger mullet and soft plastics are producing most of the action.
Off the beaches, anglers are catching some spanish mackerel while trolling spoons near the beaches.
A few dolphin are feeding in the 5-20 mile range, but the king mackerel bite has been off lately.
Bottom fishing, however, has been producing some solid catches of gag grouper, grunts, black sea bass, and more. Anglers have been finding action with all three species 10-20 miles offshore, and squid and cigar minnows are proving effective on both.
Rick, of Rod-Man Charters, reports that anglers are catching some healthy spanish mackerel along the area’s beaches and inlets. Blue Water Candy squid rigs have been outproducing Clarkspoons and other lures lately.
Inshore, red drum and flounder are feeding along the ICW docks and in the inlets. Anglers can hook both on live finger mullet pinned to Carolina rigs.
Daniel Oguin, from Durham, with a mid-slot red drum he hooked while fishing some docks with Capt. Cord Hieronymus of Hieronymus Fishign Charters.
Rob, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are picking up some spot on shrimp and bloodworms in the evening and night hours.
Those fishing live mud minnows on the bottom are hooking up with some flounder in the afternoons.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs in the early mornings and late afternoons.
The water is 85 degrees.
