Wrightsville Beach – August 2022
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that surf fishing has been slowly picking up, with red drum and some nice-sized pompano (to 4 lbs.) starting to show up.
Inshore anglers are finding good red drum and flounder action while targeting structure areas with live baits, and black drum and sheepshead are staged up well around inshore dock pilings and bridges.
Speckled trout are around, though the bite has been very sporadic in these hot summer conditions.
Nearshore fishing has produced scattered spanish mackerel and kings just off the beaches. Most of the king mackerel action has been further out (in the 10+ mile range).
Bottom fishing in the 18-40 mile range has seen some good grouper action and a mixed bag of other tasty bottom dwellers.
Live baits fished out in this range have started to find a few sailfish and scattered mahi, and Gulf Stream trolling trips are producing wahoo, blackfin tuna, and mahi.
Blake Leigh, of Wilmington, hooked this 29.6 lb. gag grouper on a pinfish offshore of Wrightsville Beach.
Ben, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that pompano action has really been picking up in the surf. Finding some fresh sandfleas has been the key to this bite. Bottom fishing in the suds has also been producing sea mullet, black drum, and scattered red drum.
Red drum action inshore has been fair. Anglers are having the most success targeting flats with topwater plugs and Gulp or Z-Man jerk shads. Live finger mullet fished around ICW docks and ledges should also produce some bites.
Speckled trout have been hitting baits fished around the inlets early in the morning. Both topwater plugs and live mullet have produced most of the strikes.
Sheepshead fishing has been strong inshore, with some good-sized fish being caught in the Cape Fear River.
The spanish mackerel bite remains steady, with the rising tide seeming to have the best action off the beach.
King mackerel have been staged up out in the 30-mile range over live bottoms, and gag grouper have been feeding well out on structure in this same range.
A few dolphin are being caught out in the 23-mile range by anglers trolling and fishing live baits. In the Gulf Stream, anglers are catching some good-sized wahoo.
Luke, of Coastline Fishing Charters, reports that inshore fishing has been on fire with the abundance of bait that finally showed up. Red drum have been busting by the boat in the area’s creeks, and topwater plugs along grass banks are getting a lot of interest from these reds. When the bite has slowed a little, switching over to spinnerbaits has been a productive move.
Anglers can also target these reds around inshore structure such as docks and oyster bars with Carolina-rigged live or cut baits. When the water conditions are a bit muddy, this bottom fishing approach seems to work a little better.
Sheepshead fishing has been great and will continue in weeks to come. Fiddler crabs on Carolina rigs fished around area bridges and docks have been producing good numbers of 5+ lb. fish.
The flounder action has been strong as well and has become a major bycatch while fishing around inshore structure.
Nearshore anglers are still finding the spanish mackerel action to be hot. Trolling Clarkspoons is producing good numbers of fish, as is casting jigs to surface-feeding frenzies. Those looking to get a better class of spanish are pulling smaller live baits with light wire leaders.
Nearshore bottom fishing is great, with plenty of flounder staged up on the area’s wrecks and structures. There are some decent redfish mixed in these same areas. Fishing live baits on Carolina rigs will get action from both species.
Becky Hanner, of Raleigh, hooked this 57 lb. citation mahi on dead bait offshore of Wrightsville Beach. She was fishing with Capt. Rick Croson of Living Waters Guide Service.
Zane, of Falling Tide Fishing Adventures, reports that good-sized finger mullet finally moved in in good numbers throughout the area. Both red drum and flounder are staged up on the long grass banks that these schools of bait move around on. Anglers will have success fishing Carolina-rigged live baits and topwater plugs when wind conditions allow.
Speckled trout action has been steady but not great with all the hot summertime water temperatures.
Anglers getting off the beach have found spanish mackerel still around, though a bit scattered and slower than past weeks.
King mackerel fishing is still fairly strong, with fish scattered along the beaches and out over nearshore structures in the 5-10+ mile range.
Flounder are staged up in good numbers on the nearshore reefs.
Joey, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that bluefish and spanish mackerel action has been steady for anglers casting jigs at feeding schools, with some larger spanish being caught on live baits.
King mackerel action has slowed, with anglers looking forward to the bite picking back up moving into the later parts of summer.
A few tarpon have been hooked from anglers fishing off the end.
Bottom fishing has been steady, with a mix of red drum and black drum, as well as a few pompano, starting to show up.
