Wrightsville Beach – July 31, 2014
Keith Harabin, of Winnabow, NC, with a 13 lb. gag grouper that bit a live menhaden at some bottom structure off Wrightsville Beach while he was fishing with Capt. Mike Jackson of Live Line Charters.
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are seeing some solid flounder action around Wrightsville right now. Most of the fish are feeding in the inlets and around ICW and boat basin docks, and anglers are hooking them on Carolina-rigged finger mullet and Gulp baits.
The summer speckled trout action remains strong as well, with most of the fish coming from creek mouths and marshes north and south of Wrightsville. Soft plastic baits and topwater plugs are fooling the trout.
Red drum are feeding on the flats and around docks and other structure in the ICW. Topwater plugs and soft plastics are fooling the fish in the shallows, with live mullet and cut crab working better around the docks.
Surf casters are hooking some red drum and a few speckled trout on shrimp and finger mullet.
Some bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding around the inlets and falling for casting lures that anglers are working from the beach.
Monica Masemer, of Wilmington, with a slot red drum that struck a Carolina-rigged finger mullet while she was fishing from a Wrightsville Beach dock.
Boaters are reporting the spanish action is a bit slow, likely due to all the rain recently. Fishing a bit further off the beachfront in the 3-5 mile range has been better recently than right on the shoreline. Trolled Clarkspoons are fooling most of the spanish, but anglers are hooking some larger fish around the AR’s on free-lined live baits.
King mackerel are scattered from the beach to the 40 mile range and have been biting well recently. Larger ledges and live bottoms are producing the best action with the kings, along with a few gaffer dolphin and sailfish. Live menhaden or dead cigar minnows will fool all three fish.
Bottom fishermen are reporting a solid gag grouper bite around structure in the 80’ range. Plenty of black sea bass, grunts, and other smaller bottom feeders are in the same area, and all are biting cigar minnows, sardines, and squid.
Red and scamp grouper and more bottomfish are feeding around structure in 110’ and deeper, and they’re falling for the same baits.
Gulf Stream trollers have had some excellent days and some very slow ones over the past week, with gaffer dolphin and wahoo producing most of the action.
Some blackfin tuna, sailfish, and white marlin are feeding on the deep side of the break, and all the blue water predators are biting naked and skirted ballyhoo.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers are finding some good gag grouper action around bottom structure in the 20 mile range. Most are falling for dead cigar minnows and sardines.
King mackerel are feeding in the same areas (along with a few dolphin), and both will bite cigar minnows pinned to dead bait rigs.
Gage Henley, of West Bergen, NJ, with a 4 lb. speckled trout that bit a Carolina-rigged finger mullet near Masonboro Inlet while he was fishing with Capt. Mike Pedersen of No Excuses Charters.
The spanish bite remains solid closer to land, with the best action in 40-50’ of water last week. Trolled Clarkspoons are fooling most of the spanish, but anglers have also been able to cast metal jigs and flies to fish feeding on the surface.
Some large sharks are also feeding in the 50’ depths and biting dead and cut baits.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that anglers are hooking gag grouper, grunts, sea bass, and other bottom fish around structure 20-30 miles off the beaches.
Anglers are also seeing some amberjack and king mackerel action in the same range and fooling them with live menhaden.
Some dolphin are also looking for meals 20-30 miles out, and they’re biting ballyhoo, cigar minnows, and live baits.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that anglers are still hooking some speckled trout on topwater plugs and suspending lures in the marshes and near the inlets.
Red drum are feeding around the inlets and at ICW docks, where anglers are fooling them on live and cut mullet.
The flounder bite has been solid inshore and in the ocean recently. Anglers are finding the fish in the inlets, around structure like docks, and at nearshore wrecks and reefs in the ocean. Live finger mullet on Carolina rigs are tough for the flatfish to turn down.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that live-baiters have landed several king mackerel recently (the largest 27 lbs.) from the end of the pier.
Some large spanish mackerel are also falling for live baits. Anglers are hooking smaller spaniards and some bluefish while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with some sea mullet, flounder, and red drum on shrimp and live baits.
