Wrightsville Beach July 4, 2013
Fletcher Whittle (age 5) with his first red drum, a 19″ fish he hooked on a Gulp bait near Mason’s Inlet.
Ryan, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that wind and rain have made for a tough week of fishing. However, plucky anglers have still been connecting with some fish, and the upcoming forecast looks much friendlier.
Sheepshead are feeding around inshore structure like bridge and dock pilings, and anglers are hooking good numbers on live fiddler crabs dangled close to their homes. Some black drum are feeding in the same areas and taking an interest in the crabs as well.
Flounder and drum are feeding around docks off the ICW and creeks, too, and live finger mullet or Gulp baits will get their attention.
The flounder and drum bite has also been good around the local inlets lately, with the same baits producing results.
Ladyfish have shown up in the surf and inlets and will bite a variety of baits and lures.
Anglers who can find clean water off the beachfront have been having decent luck with bluefish and spanish mackerel over the past week, and with calmer conditions on the way, the bite should improve markedly. Trolling Clarkspoons, daisy chains, and other small, flashy lures around working birds and schools of bait or fish is the way to connect with the blues and spaniards.
Anglers have hooked some king mackerel off the pier in the last week, and a decent king bite has been going on at spots in the 10 mile range when boats can make it that far. The king action should also improve with better water conditions.
A few dolphin have been mixed in with the kings, and anglers are also reporting some sailfish feeding inshore of the Gulf Stream now.
Matthew and Frank Colonna with a 40 lb. cobia that bit a live menhaden just off Wrightsville Beach.
Gag grouper are holding at bottom structure from the 10 mile range on out. Live, dead, and cut baits are all solid choices for the gags.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that anglers have been finding some king mackerel, plenty of false albacore, and a few dolphin feeding at spots in the 8-10 mile range in the past week. Live and dead baits will fool all three fish.
Wrecks in the 8-10 mile range are playing host to large schools of amberjacks (to 40+ lbs.). They’ll readily inhale live baits, but anglers have been hooking most of their fish on bucktail and vertical jigs, stick baits, and topwater plugs recently, with larger lures producing the best results.
Some cobia are in the same areas and will pounce on bucktails or live baits.
Gag grouper are on the feed at bottom structure in 70-80’ of water, and both live baits and vertical jigs proved effective on the gags last week.
Trevor, of ProFishNC Charters, reports that the influx of fresh water in the area has fishing much better in the tidal water near local inlets than further into the backwaters right now.
Anglers are hooking big numbers of flounder in the inlets while drifting with live finger mullet.
Some large red drum have also been on the move in the same areas and taking an interest in the finger mullet.
And there’s been a solid speckled trout bite also taking place near local inlets. Gulp baits and live finger mullet are fooling the specks.
Dak Millis, of Wilmington, with a speckled trout he caught and released after it fell for a topwater plug inshore at Wrightsville Beach. He was fishing with Capt. Jamie Rushing of Seagate Charters.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that there’s been a surprisingly good summer speckled trout bite around some of the local inlets. The specks have been biting topwater plugs well in the early morning hours, with walking and popping plugs both producing.
Flounder have moved towards the inlets due to the influx of fresh water in the area, and they will bite Gulps or live baits.
Red drum are also on the feed in the inlets, with more looking for meals around docks and other structure on the ICW. Cut menhaden have been the best bet for the reds lately, as they can find them by smell in the dirty water.
Ladyfish have shown up all over the inshore waters and are adding some exciting action to anglers’ days.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with some spanish mackerel and bluefish despite unfavorable conditions over the past week. Trolling Clarkspoons in the cleanest water that anglers can find is tempting bites from both fish, and with better weather on the way, the bite should pick up in the coming days.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are hooking a few bluefish while working Gotcha plugs from the planks.
Some sea mullet and small blacktip sharks are biting bottom rigs baited with shrimp, cut baits, and other offerings.
Live-baiters landed a 27 lb. king mackerel last week, and they saw several more.
The water is 77 degrees.
