Wrightsville Beach – August 27, 2015
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are connecting with some flounder, bluefish, and red drum while surf fishing at Wrightsville Beach. Most are falling for cut shrimp, mullet, and squid, but some anglers are hooking the blues on metal casting lures as well.
Inshore anglers are connecting with some flounder in the creeks and along shorelines near Wrightsville. Live finger mullet and Gulp baits are fooling most of the fish.
There’s also been decent red drum action in the creeks and marshes. They’ll bite the same offerings as the flounder or topwater plugs and other lures.
Max Wagenseller, of Wilmington, with a red drum that struck a live finger mullet while he was fishing behind Figure Eight Island.
The spanish mackerel bite remains solid for boats trolling just off the beachfront, with particularly good action around the inlets during falling tides. Clarkspoons and small daisy chain rigs are fooling the majority of the spaniards, and taking the baits down behind trolling sinkers and #1 planers will help anglers’ odds of success.
King mackerel are feeding from just off the beaches out to spots in the 15-20 mile range. Anglers can tempt the kings to bite live baits or troll dead cigar minnows and ballyhoo at faster speeds in order to locate some active fish.
Dolphin are mixed in with the kings starting at spots in the 10 mile range. They’ll bite the same things but can also be tempted by bright trolling lures like Dolphin Weenies and Mahi Maulers.
Flounder are looking for meals at nearshore structure within a few miles of land. Anglers can tempt them to bite live finger mullet or Gulp-tipped bucktail jigs fished along the bottom.
Black sea bass and gag grouper are feeding at structure a bit further offshore, where anglers can tempt them to bite squid, cigar minnows, and live baits. Small vertical jigs are also effective on the bass.
Not many boats have been to the Gulf Stream over the past week, and reports from those who have are on the slow side. Blackfin tuna and dolphin have been making up most of the action and biting ballyhoo and skirted trolling lures. Anglers fishing out in 100 fathoms and deeper are connecting with an odd billfish as well.
Roy Holdford with an over-slot red drum he hooked on a topwater plug while fishing Masonboro Sound.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that anglers are seeing some excellent flounder action at nearshore structure in the ocean between Carolina Beach and Topsail right now. Most of the fish are falling for live finger mullet.
Spanish mackerel are still feeding just off the area inlets (with some big fish). Casting metal jigs to fish anglers spot on the surface or trolling Clarkspoons behind planers will put the spanish in the boat.
A few cobia are still looking for meals around the inlets as well, where anglers can tempt them to bite live baits or large artificial lures.
Red drum are looking for meals in the inlets and at docks and other structure inshore. The reds will pounce on live or cut mullet.
Derek Sawayer landed this pier record 50.3 lb. king mackerel after it struck a live bluefish off the end of Johnnie Mercers Pier. Also pictured are Caleb, Wes, and James Neil; Sydney Morgan Sawayer, and Brennan Leonard.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers are finding some excellent fishing at nearshore bottom structure off Wrightsville and Topsail at present. Gray trout and flounder are feeding around the structure and biting live baits and artificials like bucktails and metal jigs.
The spanish mackerel bite has been good over the past week, with some larger fish than anglers had been seeing for the previous month. Most of the spanish are taking an interest in Clarkspoons trolled behind planers and inline sinkers.
The king mackerel bite has been best 18-25 miles out recently. Trolled ballyhoo, cigar minnows, and Drone spoons are attracting plenty of attention from the kings.
Jordan Messick, Tyler Harrison, Michael Ragazzo, John Gavigan, and Conor Buckley with a 45.3 lb. wahoo that struck a red/black-skirted ballyhoo in 200′ of water near the Same Ol’ Hole while they were trolling out of Wrightsville Beach on the “Get Reel II.”
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that anglers are seeing some excellent blackfin tuna action in the Gulf Stream locally right now. The blackfins are falling for smaller baitless trolling lures along with topwater poppers that anglers are working when the fish are feeding on the surface.
Some wahoo are still in the mix and biting trolled baits and lures as well.
Chase Lee, of Garner, NC, and Chuck Wilson with an 18″ tripletail Chase landed in Pages Creek.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that anglers continue to encounter king mackerel, bailer dolphin, and false albacore while trolling around spots in the 20 miles range off Wrightsville. Ballyhoo, cigar minnows, and strip baits are fooling the pelagics.
Bottom fishing in the same areas is producing fast action with sea bass, grunts, porgies, and more.
Ryan, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are still seeing some large spanish mackerel and king mackerel while live-baiting off the end of the pier, but it’s been difficult to get them to bite on many days.
Some smaller spanish and bluefish are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier.
Flounder are feeding under the pier and biting small live baits fished on the bottom.
Anglers baiting up with cut shrimp are connecting with some sea mullet, croaker, and other panfish.
The water is 86 degrees.
