Wrightsville Beach July 15, 2004
Tex, at Tex’s Tackle, reports that the spanish fishing has been good over the past week. There’s plenty to be caught, and he’s also seen some larger sized ones caught. The bigger ones, going from 3 to 5 lbs., are being caught on live bait. The pompano are showing up in the surf off of Topsail, Wrightsville Beach, and Masonboro. He weighed in a couple of citation-sized pompano over the week. The best bet has been sand fleas. Most boats that go out king fishing are catching them. The hot areas include the 30/30 and the Cabbage Patch. You’ve got a chance to catch a 20 lb. plus king, but you’re bound to mostly find the little snake kings. There’s been a few red drum caught from the end of the jetty and the surf. Most are in the 20″ to 25″ range. The gulf stream produced multiple billfish releases over the weekend. Boats found blues, whites, and sails.
Dickie, at Tidal Market, reports a good spanish mackerel bite just behind the breakers and just off the beach. Cobia are scattered from Masonboro Inlet jetties to the Schoolhouse area, and they are ranging up to around 60 lbs. Sailfish are being seen and caught from 5 miles on out, while barracudas have moved in to the nearshore reefs with the increasing water temperatures. The king mackerel bite has been very good in the 8 to 10 mile range. On live baits fish have been averaging 15 to 25 lbs. Inshore, the red drum are in the waterway from Topsail to the Cape Fear River. They’re ready to eat live baits (or artificials if you’re lucky). The reds are also schooling in the surf off area beaches. Sheepshead continue to bite crabs along pilings inshore. Flounder are all over area inlets and creeks biting live baits.
Larry, at Johnnie Mercer Pier, reports spots and an occasional spanish mackerel. Small flounder are also around, but no keepers. No tarpon or kings this week, but angler Bobby Cox landed a 41 lb. cobia on Friday the 8th. A marine fisheries officer wrote tickets for undersized kings. Anglers thought they had spanish mackerel. Be sure to check the lateral line and the dorsal fin to make sure. If you do not know the difference, then ask one of the king anglers on the end and they will be glad to help.
Lloyd, at Bug-Em Bait Co., reports a slower bite offshore this week due to higher water temperatures. Some good days came from WR 4, with dolphin to 20 lbs. and kings in the 12 to 20 lb. class. Find a temperature break of cooler water, and you should have your coolers full. Drum and flounder are biting inshore early and late in the day. A few tarpon are still being seen, but none landed. Spanish are just off the beach, but they are mixed with undersized kings. Be sure you have a legal fish. Stop by Bug-Em to get an identification sheet of the two fish.
Tyler, at Intracoastal Angler, reports a very slow bite offshore due to increasing water temperatures in the 84 to 87 degree range. Billfish were being seen, but few were caught. There were very few dolphin, tuna, or wahoo landed as well. Kings are closer inshore, and spanish are mixed with baby kings just off the beach. Drum are in the waterways and creeks, along with flounder in the inlets and creeks.
