Wrightsville Beach – August 4, 2016
Matt, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that inshore fishing for red drum has been good. Individual fish and some small groups have been feeding along grass lines and near oyster bars in the marsh. The fish are requiring stealthy presentations, and they are quick to relocate once they are pressured. There are also groups of reds feeding in deeper water, and dock pilings in the waterway and marinas are both holding fish. Jigheads with Gulp shrimp or mullet minnows will produce in shallow or deep water.
Anglers are consistently catching flounder, both undersized and keepers. The fish have been holding around creek mouths, dock pilings, and deep grass banks. A few speckled trout are also being caught near the inlets.
Flounder continue to be caught at the ledges and wrecks just off the beach. Drifting and bouncing a bucktail tipped with Gulp or a live bait will get a bite if there are fish around. A few cobia are still being seen in these areas, along with a decent number of over-slot red drum, tarpon, and amberjack.
Surf anglers are reporting good catches of bluefish on cut bait and lures, and a few spanish mackerel are being reported on casting jigs at first light. A handful of pompano, sea mullet, and croaker are being caught bottom fishing with shrimp, sand fleas, or Fishbites. Flounder are being caught on live bait, and more red drum are starting to be reported. Anglers fishing large cut bait have been catching sharks and skates with good regularity.
Spanish mackerel fishing remains steady with anglers reporting fish up and down the beach. Most anglers are fooling the fish with #0 Clarkspoons trolled behind a #1 planer or trolling weight. The spanish can become leader-shy in this warmer water, so fishing longer leaders can be beneficial. Depth has not been a huge factor lately, as anglers are reporting fish at varying depths and the fish will be the most concentrated when there is bait present.
King mackerel are biting nearshore and out to 30 miles. Most of the kings are smaller fish, with some reaching into the 20 and 30 lb. range. Any sort of structure that holds bait would be a good spot to check for a king. The most effective tactics have been fishing either dead cigar minnows or live pogies. Many of these fish are caught in and around suspended and bottom bait marks.
Trolling ballyhoo offshore in the 15+ mile range has improved. Anglers are reporting good catches of mahi, and sailfish have also started to make a better showing. Pulling skirted ballyhoo has been producing most of these bites.
Bottom fishing is producing sea bass, snapper, and grouper. The gag grouper bite has picked up starting in the 70’ range. Scamp grouper have also been caught in the 80-90′ range, mixed in with the gags. Most of these fish are falling for bottom rigs baited with frozen minnows, but live bait is always a good option when targeting grouper. Vertical jigs have also been producing a mixed bag of bottom fish. The Blue Water Candy Roscoe Meathead jig tipped with a cigar minnow has been a great combination.
Mahi and tuna are inhabiting the Gulf Stream, even with the hot water conditions. There are still a few wahoo to be found, but the best fishing for them is soon to come. There are billfish being seen by anglers making the run. Most of these bites are coming on ballyhoo, but plugs can be a good alternative for the meat fish as well. Wire rigged ballyhoo under Jr Ilanders and Blue Water Candy Seawitches and Jags have been the most productive for the wahoos, with many of those bites coming on baits run behind a #6 or #8 planer.
Ben Morehead and William Atwell, of Charlotte, with a red drum and flounder they caught while fishing with Capt. Jamie Rushing of Seagate Charters.
Trevor, of ProFish NC Charters, reports that flounder fishing has picked up considerably over the past week. Nearshore wrecks and inshore waters have both been producing good catches. Live bait on Carolina rigs has been best, and the bait is readily available for cast netting.
King mackerel are biting well in the 5-12 mile range. Live menhaden or Blue Water Candy dead bait rigs are fooling the kings.
There are also lots of sharks in most of the nearshore water, and they will readily eat a live or cut bait.
Brok Rissmiller with a flounder caught in the lower Cape Fear River. He was fishing with Capt. Amanda King of Second Wind Fishing.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that spanish mackerel fishing has been decent over the past few days. The fish are holding near the inlets and up and down the area beaches. Small spoons fished behind #1 planers trolled just off the beach is producing the best results. Larger spanish are biting live baits free-lined around structure.
Red drum are showing well along nearshore structure and waterway docks. The fish are biting live and cut baits the best. The rocks along Masonboro Inlet are holding slot-sized reds, including a strong mix of over-slot fish.
John Stevens with a 35 lb. blackfin tuna caught while fishing in the Gulf Stream with Capt. Jesse Gawlick, of Ocean Stinger Fishing Charters. The fish fell for a Fathom Offshore Same Ole Roll medium skirt rig off a flat line.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that spanish mackerel has been steady over the past week. The fish are taking the biggest interest in spoons and planers trolled in 20-40’ of water. Offshore trolling has been on the slow side due to the warm water.
Bottom fishing has been producing catches of keeper and throwback black sea bass, triggerfish, grunts, gag grouper, and porgies.
Dylan, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that flounder are being pulled up occasionally on live bait. A few bluefish and spanish mackerel are being caught early in the morning on Gotcha plugs. Overall, the fishing has been on the slow side due to the warm water, but look for the bite to pick up when the water cools a few degrees.
The water temperature is 82.5 degrees.
