Wrightsville Beach July 14, 2011
Stu Basom, from Pennsylvania, with an 11 lb. flounder that inhaled a Gulp jerk shad under a Wrightsville Beach dock while he was fishing with Capt. Jot Owens.
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that flounder fishing has been solid lately in the inlets and along the ICW (with good numbers of quality 2-5 lb. fish). Live baits like finger mullet, menhaden, and mud minnows or scented soft baits like Gulps will fool the flatfish.
Red drum are on the feed inshore as well, and anglers can find them in the marshes and creeks and tempt them to bite live baits, soft plastics, topwater plugs, and more.
The reds are also feeding in the surf, where sand fleas and cut baits are also good choices.
Spanish mackerel can be found in the inlets and along the beaches early and late in the days. Trolling Clarkspoons and squid rigs or casting Gotcha plugs, Shore Lures, and other small metal lures is the way to hook up with the spaniards.
Black sea bass are feeding at bottom structure from five miles out on to the break. Smaller vertical jigs and bottom rigs baited with squid and cut baits will produce fast action with the bass.
Bottom fishermen are finding good grouper fishing in the 30-40 mile range. Live baits and vertical jigs are top choices for the larger grouper.
Sailfish are moving closer to shore, and boats saw and hooked them in the 20 mile range last week, with more action further offshore. Rigged ballyhoo and trolling lures will fool the sails into biting.
The king mackerel bite is getting a little better, with the best fishing at offshore spots right now. Live menhaden are tough to beat for the kings.
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that the sailfish bite turned on last week, with boats reporting multiple shots at sails from the 20 mile range on out. Trolling with teasers like dredges and daisy chains is the way to draw the sails to the boat. The fish have mostly been feeding on smaller baits lately, so smaller ballyhoo, cigar minnows, trolling lures, and teasers are the way to go right now.
Some dolphin are mixed in with the sailfish, and they’ll take an interest in ballyhoo or trolling lures as well.
Boats making the run to the Gulf Stream are encountering more sails, white and blue marlin, dolphin, and a few wahoo and blackfin tuna.
Bottom fishermen are reporting good grouper action from the 20 mile range out to the break (with gags closer in and scamps and reds offshore). Vertical jigs, live baits, and dead cigar minnows or cut baits will draw bites from the grouper.
Closer to shore, the spanish mackerel bite is still on along the beaches and just offshore, with plenty of smaller bluefish in the mix. Trolling Clarkspoons or casting small metal jigs will attract attention from both.
Red drum are feeding in the surf, where cut baits, shrimp, sand fleas, and more will tempt them to bite.
Flounder fishing remains solid inshore, and anglers are catching good numbers on Gulps and live baits around docks, creekmouths, and other structure.
A few speckled trout are showing up around Masonboro Inlet and in the Cape Fear River. Soft plastics and suspending lures like MirrOlure MR17’s are good choices for the specks.
Sheepshead and black drum are feeding around structure like bridge and dock pilings and oyster rocks. Both will bite crustaceans like fiddler crabs and sand fleas.
Katie Knight, of Reidsville, NC, with her first red drum, a tagged 30.5" fish she fooled with a topwater plug while fishing near Wrightsville Beach with Capt. Allen Cain.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that king mackerel and dolphin are feeding at spots 10-15 miles out, and anglers are hooking both on dead cigar minnows and live baits like menhaden. A few sailfish have been seen in the same areas.
Amberjacks are feeding at the artificial reefs and other structure in the same range. Live baits and vertical jigs will get their attention.
Bottom fishermen are hooking plenty of sea bass, grunts, and other bottom feeders along with a few gag grouper at structure 10-20 miles out. Cut and live baits will produce action with the bottom feeders.
Closer to the beaches, the spanish mackerel bite remains solid. Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and weights will draw strikes from the spaniards.
Large sharks are feeding behind shrimp boats not far offshore, and it isn’t hard to hook up with them on cut baits for anglers looking to battle a big fish.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that bottom fishing at structure in 100-120’ is producing plenty of action with red and gag groupers (both to 20+ lbs.), big black sea bass, and plenty of other interesting bottom feeders. Live baits, cut and dead baits, and vertical jigs are all effective on the bottomfish.
Dolphin are feeding in the same areas (most smaller slingers but a few big gaffers still in the mix). Rigged ballyhoo, live baits, and trolling lures are producing action with the dolphin.
Amberjacks are feeding around the ledges and other structure in around 90’, where live baits, vertical jigs, and topwater plugs will attract their attention.
Rick, of Rod-Man Charters, reports that the red drum and flounder bite is still solid in the inlets and around inshore structure like docks. Live finger mullet and menhaden are tough to beat for both fish.
Spanish mackerel are feeding just off the inlets and beaches, where trolled Clarkspoons should produce fast action.
Nick, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are catching a few spanish mackerel and bluefish on Gotcha plugs worked from the pier.
Some red drum and flounder are falling for live baits fished on the bottom.
Sheepshead are feeding along the pilings, and anglers are picking up a few on sand fleas.
Live baiters landed a tarpon and a cobia last week.
The water is 84 degrees.
