Wrightsville Beach August 30, 2012
Dan Parker, of upstate NY, with an 18 lb. gag grouper that bit a live bait in 85' of water 20 miles off Wrightsville Beach while he was fishing with Capt. Mike Jackson of Live Line Charters.
Hunter, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that boats making the run to the Gulf Stream are connecting with good numbers of wahoo, along with a few dolphin and sailfish. Some of the wahoo are falling for high-speed lures, but conventional ballyhoo/skirt combinations are producing most of the action.
Some wahoo have been caught inshore to the 20 mile range lately, and a few dolphin and sailfish are in those areas, too. Live baits along with ballyhoo will tempt bites at the inshore spots.
There’s been a decent king mackerel bite at areas 15-30 miles offshore recently, and anglers are hooking the fish both on live baits and dead cigar minnows. A few kings are also scattered inshore of there.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still feeding strong along the beachfront, where anglers are hooking them on trolled Clarkspoons and while casting metal jigs at schools of fish feeding on the surface.
Flounder fishing has been solid at nearshore structure in the ocean lately. Anglers are connecting with the flatfish both on Gulp-tipped bucktails and Carolina-rigged live baits.
The flounder bite has also been good inshore, with action around the inlets, in the marshes, and near structure like docks. Live baits and Gulps are good choices for the flatfish inside as well.
Red drum are in many of the same areas as the flatfish and prowling the flats from Topsail to the Cape Fear River. They’ll bite the same baits as the flounder, along with topwater plugs.
Speckled trout fishing is turning on a bit near Wrightsville, with most of the action in the early morning hours around feeder creeks near the inlets. Live baits, soft plastics, suspending hard baits, and topwater plugs will all attract attention from the specks.
Sheepshead are looking for meals around bridges, docks, and other inshore structure. Fiddler crabs and other crustaceans dangled close to their homes are the best bets for the sheeps.
Jon, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that anglers are connecting with good numbers of flounder inshore (around docks and other structure) and in the inlets. Live baits on Carolina rigs or Gulps on jigheads will tempt bites from the flatfish.
Anglers are finding some action with red drum in the same flounder spots, as well as in the flats, creeks, and bays. Topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits are all top choices for the reds.
Speckled trout fishing is turning on in the Cape Fear River, and some reports are starting to trickle in from around Wrightsville as well. Live shrimp, soft plastic baits, MirrOlures, and topwater plugs are all solid choices for the specks.
Keira Thigpen (age 9), of Wilmington, with a red drum that fell for a live finger mullet in the marsh behind Masonboro Island while she was fishing with her father.
Spanish mackerel fishing is still decent off Masonboro Inlet. Anglers are hooking most of the fish while trolling Clarkspoons, but some are also falling for metal jigs cast towards surface activity and working birds.
Further offshore, a scattered king mackerel bite is developing at spots from the 10 mile range on out. Both live baits and dead cigar minnows are fooling the kings, but the live baits will get bites from bigger fish.
Some wahoo have pushed inshore to the 20 mile range and are taking an interest in live and dead baits that anglers are trolling for the kings. A few dolphin are in the same areas.
More wahoo and dolphin, along with some sailfish, are scattered from those areas all the way out to the Gulf Stream. Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures allow anglers to cover more ground than live baits and will help find the feeding fish.
Lynn,of Shearwater Charters, reports that trolling ballyhoo and artificial lures 20-30 miles off Masonboro Inlet has been producing action with king mackerel, gaffer dolphin, barracuda, false albacore, and more recently.
Black sea bass, triggerfish, pinkies, and other bottom feeders are holding around structure in the same range, and they will fall for cut baits and squid.
The spanish mackerel bite remains hot off Masonboro Inlet, and anglers trolling Clarkspoons are putting together good catches.
Sharks are also feeding a short distance off the beaches. Drifting with large cut baits will produce hookups with the big predators.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that pluggers are hooking up with some spanish mackerel and bluefish while working Gotchas early and late in the day.
Some flounder are taking an interest in small live baits fished under the pier.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with sea mullet, bluefish, and sharks, with the best action in the evening hours on shrimp and cut baits.
Live-baiters landed a 31 lb. barracuda off the end of the pier last week.
The water is 83 degrees.
