Wrightsville Beach – July 30, 2015
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are seeing some good inshore action in the Cape Fear River right now.
Flounder are feeding around structure and shorelines in the river, and live menhaden have been fooling good numbers.
Anglers are finding red drum in the same places and in the marshes off the river and hooking them on live and cut baits along with a variety of artificials.
Some speckled trout are likely in the same areas and will pounce on live baits, suspending plugs or soft plastics.
Coop Jackson, Tayna Grant,and Colby and Alexandra Jackson, with a big king mackerel and dolphin they hooked while trolling dead baits 18-20 miles off Wrightsville Beach with Capt. Lynn Perry of Shearwater Fishing Charters.
The ICW bulkheads and docks closer to Wrightsville have been holding big numbers of sheepshead (some to 8+ lbs.). Anglers are hooking them while dangling sand fleas tight to the structure.
Out in the ocean, there’s been some good flounder fishing at the nearshore reefs within a few miles of land, but the action’s been best to the south and north of Wrightsville lately. Live baits or bucktail jigs tipped with Gulps will attract attention from the flatfish.
Boaters trolling along the beachfront are connecting with some spanish mackerel and bluefish on Clarkspoons and other flashy lures.
A few large king mackerel are in the same areas and biting live baits like menhaden and bluefish.
The king bite has been best around 15 miles out recently, where anglers are hooking large numbers while trolling cigar minnows and ballyhoo on dead bait rigs like Blue Water Candy Wedgies. Live baits are also producing some action.
A few dolphin are mixed in with the kings inshore, and anglers are hooking more as they work further out towards the Gulf Stream.
African pompano are schooling around bottom structure near Frying Pan Tower. Anglers can tempt the Africans to bite live baits, with deep downrigger baits generally the most effective.
Gulf Stream trollers are reporting an improving wahoo bite, along with some dolphin and decent numbers of billfish encounters. Most of the blue water predators are falling for ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures.
Bottom fishermen are seeing decent gag grouper action at spots in 70’ of water and deeper. Scamp grouper, triggerfish, and a host of other bottom dwellers are on the feed around structure in 110’+ of water. Squid, cigar minnows, and a variety of cut and live baits will produce action with the bottomfish.
Brian Bullard, of Greensboro, NC, with a 26″ red drum he landed in the Wrightsville Beach surf after it fell for a 3″ Gulp shrimp.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that there are still some large spanish mackerel feeding at structure within the 60’ depths off Wrightsville Beach. They’ll bite small live baits fished on the surface.
Flounder are looking for meals on the bottom in the same areas and biting bucktail jigs and live finger mullet and menhaden.
The flatfish bite is also decent inshore around docks and in the inlets. Live finger mullet are fooling the flounder inshore as well.
Red drum are feeding around ICW docks, too, and taking an interest in cut and live baits.
Tripp Evett (age 14) with a 29 lb. king mackerel he landed while fishing 30 miles off Wrightsville Beach with is father Gil and Zach Faircloth.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that anglers bottom fishing in 110’ of water and deeper are connecting with scamp grouper and triggerfish, beeliners, porgies, and more. Most are falling for squid and cut baits along with vertical jigs.
Trolling along the break is producing action with dolphin and blackfin tuna along with an occasional wahoo. Skirted trolling lures are fooling all three predators.
Hank Isherwood with a 12 lb. gag grouper that he landed while bottom fishing in 100′ of water off Wrightsville Beach with Capt. Dave Gardner on the “Vonda Kay.” A live pinfish fooled the grouper.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers are hooking solid numbers of spanish mackerel just off the beaches (many 2-3 lbs.). Larger #1 Clarkspoons have been more effective at fooling the bigger fish than the usual smaller lures.
Bottom fishing at nearshore reefs and just off the inlets has been producing plenty of gray trout and flounder.
The king mackerel and dolphin action has been best around spots 15-20 miles out lately, with fast-trolled dead baits fooling most of the fish.
Bottom fishing has been best in 100’ of water and deeper, rewarding anglers with some grouper and large black sea bass.
Lynn, of Shearwater Fishing Charters, reports that anglers continue to see good action while trolling spots 15-25 miles off Wrightsville. King mackerel, dolphin, and false albacore are all feeding in that range and falling for rigged ballyhoo and other dead baits.
Matt, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers live-baiting from the end of the pier released a tarpon this week and have been catching some large spanish mackerel.
There’s been excellent action with smaller spanish (still many 2-3+ lbs.) for anglers working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are hooking sea mullet, croaker, and a few bluefish on shrimp and cut baits.
Some flounder are falling for live baits under the pier.
The water is 80 degrees.
