Wrightsville Beach August 4, 2005
Tex, at Tex’s Tackle, reports the flounder are biting fairly well around the inlets but the better bite is offshore. Trout, puppy drum, and tarpon are hitting in the lower parts of the river. Blues are in the inlets, as well as a few spanish around high tide. Try the ladyfish at night around docks with lights on them.
Nearshore, a 45.5 lb. king was weighed in on Friday. It was caught on a live cigar minnow at the Liberty Ship.
Plenty of spanish along the beach with some blues mixed in. Surf fishing is a little slow, but some pompano and Virgina mullet reported at night.
Many good reports on grouper 25-40 miles out. 23 Mile Rock is producing some decent dolphin and king action. Gulf stream action has been mostly dolphin and an occasional wahoo.
Russell, at Tidal Market II, reports king fishing has still been good with the biggest fish right off the inlets and along the beaches. Smaller kings and dolphin are scattered in the 10 to 30 mile areas, with very few sailfish reported in between. Inside, the flounder are around, but a lot are under the limit. Fishing the waterway has produced a few red drum as well.
Lloyd, at Bug-Em Bait Co., reports great king mackerel fishing with dolphin mixed in out 10 to 20 miles off. Small kings and spanish mackerel are hot along the beach, and a few 40 lb. class kings are coming off the beach too. Grouper fishing has been strong out 25+ miles on good coral bottoms. Inshore, the bait is getting thicker, so the red drum are picking up and flounder are becoming more abundant and more likely to eat.
Matt, at Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports flounder fishing picking up with fish running up to around 3 lbs. Red drum are showing in the surf, with some slot sized fish from 18 to 27 inches being caught. Pluggers are getting a few spanish (as well as bluefish) in the mornings.
Seth, at Intracoastal Angler, reports fishing firing off this week with good catches inshore and off. Billfish have been abundant, and dolphin are still biting in the stream with better catches coming from the cooler water up north out of Morehead. Tarpon are in and around the beaches and inlets (if you search for them).
Redfish have been biting well on topwaters, shrimp or mullet artificials, and of course live bait. Speckled trout fishing has picked up both in the New River and the Cape Fear on artificial shrimp.
Snow’s Cut has been very good for flounder, and this week should be especially good with slower tides running. Plenty of spanish and kings still to be caught nearshore, both on live bait and trolling spoons.
