Wrightsville Beach – July 24, 2014
Nathan Henderson and “Dixie” Dave Collins with Dave’s first red drum, a 26.75″ fish that bit a live finger mullet near Masonboro Inlet while they were fishing with Capt. Jamie Rushing of Seagate Charters.
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the summertime speckled trout bite remains solid around Wrightsville. Anglers are finding the fish in the creeks and around docks along the ICW and backsides of the barrier islands. Topwater plugs, soft baits like Egret Vudu Shrimp, and a variety of other lures will fool the specks. Anglers are also hooking a few on Carolina-rigged live baits while drum fishing around the docks.
Plenty of red drum are also looking for meals around docks and in the marsh bays inshore. Topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits will all get attention from the reds.
Flounder are feeding near the inlets and around inshore structure (with some healthy fish weighed in recently). Anglers are connecting with the flatfish on live baits and scented soft lures like Gulps.
Spanish mackerel are on the feed off Wrightsville, and anglers are hooking solid numbers near the inlets and out to the 40-50’ depths. Clarkspoons trolled behind planers and torpedo weights are fooling the spaniards.
King mackerel are feeding 10-30 miles offshore, where anglers can tempt them to bite live and dead baits.
Some dolphin are in the same range and pouncing on the same baits as the kings.
More ‘phins are scattered on out to the Gulf Stream, and those who’ve made the run to the break recently are reporting an improved wahoo bite as well. Skirted ballyhoo are fooling the fish in the blue water.
Heather Harmsen, of Cary, with a 23″ red drum she hooked on a topwater plug in the ICW near Wrightsville Beach.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with gag grouper while dropping baits to structure 15-25 miles offshore. Live, dead, and cut baits will all fool the gags.
Red and scamp grouper are out in the 40-50 mile range and will take the same baits.
African pompano have moved inshore of the break, and anglers are finding action with them around Frying Pan Tower right now. Live baits are tough to beat for the pompano.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that bottom fishermen are still connecting with gag grouper at spots in 70-100’ of water. Live and dead baits are both fooling the gags.
Red and scamp grouper are looking for meals at structure in 100’ and deeper, and they will attack the same baits. Plenty of black sea bass, triggerfish, grunts, porgies, and more are feeding alongside the grouper and biting cut baits and squid on smaller hooks.
King mackerel and amberjacks are looking for meals 20-30 miles out, and both have a tough time turning down a live menhaden.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers are hooking spanish mackerel from the breakers to the 40’ depths, both while trolling Clarkspoons and casting small metal lures to fish feeding on the surface.
Flounder are feeding around nearshore structure and biting bucktail jigs tipped with Gulps and other baits.
Spadefish are schooled up in many of the same areas, and anglers can tempt them to bite pieces of jellyfish or peeled shrimp.
Trollers are reporting plenty of king mackerel in the 60-70’ depths off Wrightsville, and they’ve been biting dead ballyhoo and cigar minnows readily.
John Kraus, of Wilmington, with an 18 lb. gag grouper that bit a live bait near some bottom structure off Wrightsville Beach while he was fishing with Capt. Dave Gardner on the headboat “Vonda Kay.”
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that anglers are still hooking plenty of red drum on live and cut baits fished around local docks.
Speckled trout are still looking for meals around docks and in the creeks, and they’ve been biting topwater plugs well.
Some healthy flounder are feeding in the creeks around Wrightsville and taking an interest in live finger mullet and peanut menhaden on Carolina rigs.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that anglers are seeing some solid bottom fishing action in the 20 mile range right now. Gag grouper, red porgy, black sea bass, grunts, and other bottom dwellers are all looking for meals around structure in that range, and they’re all biting dead and cut baits well.
Amberjacks are looking for meals in the same area, where they’ll take live or trolled baits along with jigs and topwater poppers (at times).
Steve, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some bluefish and spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
Live-baiters at the end of the pier have hooked sharks and a tarpon over the past week.
Anglers are hooking some flounder on small live baits fished under the pier.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with some sea mullet and gray trout while baiting up with shrimp.
The water is 83 degrees.
