Wrightsville Beach – August 2021
Matt, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that there is more bait moving around inshore, with finger mullet, menhaden, and shrimp all being found around creeks and inlets at different times.
Red drum, sheepshead, and black drum are hanging around docks and bridges in the ICW. There have also been some drum, trout, and flounder spread out in the marshes and creeks. Topwater lures and spinnerbaits are two great lures for searching the inshore flats, and shrimp, fiddler crabs, finger mullet, menhaden, and mud minnows are all great baits for when fishing around structure.
Don’t overlook night fishing this time of the year, as fish will sometimes be more active during the cooler hours between sunset and sunrise. Bluefish, ladyfish, and ribbonfish can almost always be found around docks and similar lights at night. Nearby will also be a few red drum and speckled trout.a
Surf and pier fishing has seen scattered catches of sea mullet, pompano, spot, croaker, black drum, bluefish, and red drum by bottom fishing anglers. Fresh shrimp or sand fleas are going to be the all-around best baits for bottom fishing.
Spanish and king mackerel are being caught while live-baiting off the pier’s end, and flounder and sheepshead are being caught around the pilings.
The spanish mackerel bite has been hit-or-miss. There are scattered false albacore, bluefish, cobia, and some big kings mixed in the nearshore trolling action. Live bait is a great option for targeting the bigger spanish, cobia, and kings this time of year.
Nearshore bottom fishing anglers targeting natural ledges and ARs are finding red drum, gray trout, black sea bass, flounder, (mostly) undersized grouper, and grunts.
There’s been good fishing for mahi in the 25 mile range (and even closer on some days). However, the most consistent bite has been out in the 40+ mile range.
Gag grouper fishing has been decent in the 15-20 mile range, along with some black sea bass, beeliners, grunts, triggerfish, amberjacks, and porgies.
Further offshore (in the 40+ mile range) the fishing for scamps, gags, and red grouper has been better, along with more triggerfish.
Trolling in the Gulf Stream has been producing mostly mahi, sailfish, and a couple shots at marlin.
A few wahoo and blackfins are making their way into the daily counts. The key has been finding the formed up weed lines and/or temperature breaks. If you can’t find that, focus on structure.
Jigging at the offshore bottoms has been very good for amberjack, snapper, and grouper.
Kyle Maynard and his son, Miles Maynard, with one of the hogfish Miles caught in 225-275′ of water using squid. They were fishing out of Masonboro Inlet with Jason Crowder.
Ryan, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that inshore anglers are catching plenty of red and black drum around docks in the ICW. Also look to target the shoal islands in the Cape Fear, with live bait producing best in both areas. The finfish baits are best for reds, with black drum preferring live or fresh bait shrimp.
Good numbers of flounder are also feeding on the bottom-rigged live mullet and menhaden, and speckled trout continue to stay active this summer.
The nearshore ARs and structures are holding flounder, gray trout, black sea bass, and even some small groupers.
There has been plenty of action in the 15+ mile range. Structure in these deeper areas are holding amberjacks, barracuda, and cobia. Trolling the nearshore zone is producing good numbers of king mackerel.
Once out around 20 miles, anglers are finding some scattered mahi, and trips further offshore are seeing a mix of mahi and sailfish.
Luke, of Coastline Fishing Charters, reports that red drum fishing has rolled into its summertime pattern where feeding has been best early and late in the day. Topwater plugs have been great in the early and late times when cast up against grass banks and oyster bars. Live or cut baits are also successful when fished up against docks and oyster beds. Even out on the nearshore structure, anglers are getting drum action on Carolina-rigged cut baits.
Sheepshead fishing has been really good around the area’s bridges and boat docks. Live fiddler crabs and other crustaceans on Carolina-rigs are getting most of the strikes.
Flounder action has remained strong from the inshore areas out to nearshore reefs. Bucktail jigs and Carolina-rigged live baits are both producing bites when fished close to structure.
Schools of spanish mackerel are striking Clarkspoons pulled along the beaches and out over the reefs. When seeing the schools breaking the surface and feeding on bait, anglers are still having plenty of action with casting jigs.
Alison Tominack, of Wilmington, shows off the 25″ red drum she caught with a fiddler crab in the waters behind Wrightsville Beach.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that summertime Gulf Stream bottom fishing has been excellent, with catches of scamp grouper, hogfish, and yellow-eye snapper.
Gag groupers are holding over structure in the 80-90’ depth range.
Trolling trips are producing wahoo, some blackfin tun, white marlin, and sailfish.
Closer to the beach, there has been consistent king mackerel action in the 10-30 mile range.
Thomas, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that king mackerel fishing has been on fire in recent days. Anglers live-baiting off the end are pulling in multiple kings each day, including a huge 51 lb. king that came over the rails.
Plenty of large spanish mackerel (5-7 lbs.) are mixed in the live bait action.
Bottom fishing has been producing good numbers of whiting and croakers, and anglers fishing at night are catching lots of sharks.
