Wrightsville Beach July 26, 2012
Humphrey and Capt. Dave Gardner with a red grouper that Humphrey hooked on a cut bait 40 miles off Masonboro Inlet while they were fishing on Gardner's headboat "Vonda Kay."
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are still seeing good numbers of red drum feeding around creek mouths on falling tides and grass edges when the water’s higher. Topwater plugs, Gulps, and live baits will all attract attention from the reds.
The flounder bite is still strong, with fish feeding in the inlets, creeks, and around docks and hard structure in the ICW and Cape Fear River. Live baits like finger mullet and menhaden are top choices for the flounder, and anglers are also hooking up while working Gulps and other soft plastics on jigheads and bucktails.
Sheepshead fishing is solid around bridges, docks, and other hard structure from Wrightsville to the Cape Fear River. Live fiddler crabs are tough for the crustacean-lovers to turn down, and fishing them tight to the structure offers anglers the best odds of hooking up.
The high winds have made ocean fishing somewhat tough lately, but anglers are still finding action when they can make it out.
The spanish mackerel bite is solid when anglers can find clean water, with the best fishing a bit to the north lately. Trolled Clarkspoons and spanish daisy chains are putting most of the spaniards in the boat.
Some larger spanish are feeding around the AR’s and other structure within 10 miles of the inlets. Small live baits are more effective on the larger mackerel.
Flounder are still feeding around the nearshore live bottoms, AR’s, and rocks. Live baits or 2 oz. bucktails tipped with Gulps will tempt bites from the flatfish.
Dolphin and king mackerel are feeding from 10-30 miles offshore, with the best king action a bit to the south lately. Live menhaden and dead cigar minnows will tempt bites from both.
Sailfish are showing up in increasing numbers around the 30/30, 23 Mile Rock, and other spots in the 20-30 mile range recently. Naked “dink” ballyhoo trolled behind dredge and daisy chain teasers are the most productive sailfish baits, but anglers may also hook up while live-baiting for kings.
Bottom fishermen are still finding good gag grouper action at structure in the 80-90’ depths. Red and scamp grouper are holding in 100’+, along with beeliners, triggerfish, and other smaller bottom dwellers. Live baits, as well as dead cigar minnows, sardines, and mackerel, will tempt bites from the groupers, with squid and cut baits effective on the smaller bottom dwellers. Vertical jigs will also tempt bites from all the bottomfish.
Adrien Lammers, of the Triangle Lounge, with a red grouper that bit a 7 oz. Squid Decoy Jig in 100' of water off Wrightsville Beach while she was fishing with Todd Byrd and John Hargett.
Not many boats have been to the Gulf Stream lately, but dolphin and wahoo are still out there for the taking when boats make the run. Some sailfish and white marlin are also in the mix, and all will take an interest in skirted and naked ballyhoo.
Jigging along the break is producing fast action with some bruiser amberjacks and a few grouper.
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that the few boats who’ve made the trip to the Gulf Stream lately have reported an improving wahoo bite. Good numbers of gaffer dolphin and a few sailfish are also in the mix in the blue water. All the pelagic predators will bite skirted ballyhoo.
Flounder fishing remains strong nearshore, where anglers are hooking good numbers of flatfish on heavy bucktails tipped with Gulp baits and Carolina-rigged menhaden and finger mullet.
Anglers are also hooking plenty of flounder inshore around docks and bridges and in the inlets and creeks. Live baits or Gulps rigged on lighter jigheads and bucktails are the way to go for the flatfish inshore.
Red drum are still feeding throughout the area, with a good bite around the bays and flats behind the barrier islands recently. Topwater plugs will tempt bites from the reds much of the time, with Gulps, other soft plastic baits, and live baits effective when they don’t want the topwaters.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that the gag grouper bite is still strong around bottom structure 10-20 miles off Wrightsville Beach. Live baits like menhaden or cigar minnows are the best bets for the grouper, but dead cigar minnows, sardines, and a variety of other offerings will also produce action.
Flounder are feeding at bottom structure from just off the beaches out to the 60’ depths. Live baits will tempt them to bite, but anglers will put together better catches and hook less undesirable fish while dropping bucktail jigs tipped with scented soft plastics.
Tyler Jackson with a 31" red drum he caught and released after it struck a cut bait near Wrightsville Beach while he was fishing with Butch Davis.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers are still finding plenty of action with fat spanish mackerel while trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and trolling weights just offshore of the inlets. The best bite lately has been around menhaden schools in the 40’ range, and, interestingly, good numbers of bullet tuna have been in the mix as well.
Some larger fish are also cutting off the spoons at times, so there are likely some king mackerel in the same areas.
Flounder and over-slot red drum are feeding at bottom structure just off the beaches, where a Carolina-rigged finger mullet or menhaden will tempt them to bite.
Further off the beaches, there are plenty of amberjacks schooled up around high-relief bottom structure 10-15 miles out. Live baits are the best bets to hook up with the jacks.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that there are some dolphin and sailfish feeding around spots 20-30 miles off the beaches, where trolled ballyhoo will tempt them to bite. Plenty of amberjacks, barracuda, and false albacore are in the same areas and will also take an interest in the ballyhoo.
Spanish mackerel fishing remains good when anglers can find the clean water. The best bite has been a few miles offshore to the south of Masonboro Inlet, where Clarkspoons pulled behind planers are producing most of the action.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some sea mullet and bluefish on bottom rigs baited with shrimp and cut baits.
Live-baiters hooked a tarpon off the end of the pier last week.
The water is 83 degrees.
