Wrightsville Beach July 8, 2010
Matthew Colonna with a hogfish that took a vertical jig at some bottom structure 55 miles off Masonboro Inlet in 120' while he was fishing with his father, Mark Bedell, and James Hargrove on the "In My Dreams."
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the flounder bite has been solid lately in the inlets and nearby creeks and marshes in the area. Live tiger minnows and other baits are attracting the flounders’ attention.
Red drum are feeding in many of the same areas and creek mouths up and down the ICW. They’ll take an interest in live baits, soft plastics, topwater plugs, and more.
Some good speckled trout reports have come in from anglers fishing the lower river. The trout will fall for live shrimp, topwater plugs, soft plastics, and more.
Spanish mackerel are still feeding in the inlets and just offshore, but the extremely clear water lately has had them hesitant to bite recently. Light and long leaders will increase anglers’ chances with the wary spanish.
The king mackerel and dolphin bite in the 10-20 mile areas has slowed a bit, likely due to last week’s NE winds, but the fish should be back on track with the stabilizing weather.
Sailfish continue to move into that same area, and boats tallied several releases last week, mostly while trolling ballyhoo and live baits.
Bottom fishermen are reporting decent red and gag grouper action in the 25-35 mile range. Both vertical jigs and baited bottom rigs are fooling the grouper.
Marcus Cruz (age 9), from VA, with a healthy king mackerel he hooked 10 miles off New River Inlet on a cigar minnows pinned to a Blue Water Candy dead bait rig. He was fishing with Capt. Jim Sabella of Plan 9 Charters.
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that the Gulf Stream bite’s been a little slow lately, but anglers are hooking some gaffer dolphin and a few sailfish while dragging ballyhoo and trolling lures in the blue water.
The sailfish bite’s also been decent close in, with several fish hooked and released in the 10-20 mile range lately.
Gag grouper and black sea bass are on the feed at structure 20-25 miles off the inlet. Vertical jigs and dead baits will fool the gags, and anglers can hook up with the bass while dropping squid and smaller cut baits.
Inshore, the flounder bite’s been phenomenal lately, with the best fishing in the Cape Fear River. Anglers have been catching big numbers of the flatfish, and the average size has been solid, too (17-20”). Live pogies and Gulp baits are fooling the flatties.
Anglers are picking up some summer speckled trout at inshore structure and in the creeks up near Topsail. Live shrimp and a variety of soft plastics will fool the specks.
Red drum are feeding on the area’s creeks and flats, and anglers can fool them with a variety of live baits, soft plastics, topwater plugs, and more.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that the nearshore king mackerel bite got a little tougher last week, but anglers were still able to eke out some decent catches.
The key to connecting with the fish lately has been finding bait pods and trolling repeatedly over them until anglers find some action. The kings have been holding 8-12 miles off New River and Masonboro Inlets, and dead baits are fooling most of the fish. Nearly all the action’s been coming on the deep downrigger baits this week.
Spanish mackerel are still feeding along the beaches, but the bite’s been hit-or-miss lately. Trolled Clarkspoons are fooling the fish when anglers can find them.
John Gavigan, Don Baggett, and Jordan Messick with dolphin and a king mackerel they hooked while trolling cigar minnows and ballyhoo around the 10 Mile Boxcars off Wrightsville Beach.
Rick, of Rod Man Charters, reports that the red drum bite is hot inshore around the docks, creeks, and bays in the area. Live baits and a variety of lures will attract attention from the reds.
Flounder fishing has also been hot inshore, with the best action in the inlets, the Cape Fear River, and Snow’s Cut. Live pogies are fooling most of the flatfish.
Some speckled trout are feeding in the southern part of the river, and early high tides seem to be producing the best fishing.
Mike, of Corona Daze Charters, reports that last week’s NE winds shut down the king mackerel bite.
Anglers did pick up some cobia and plenty of amberjacks while live-baiting around 20 miles offshore last week.
The spanish mackerel bite was decent last week along the beaches, with trolled Clarkspoons fooling most of the fish.
Rob, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that live-baiters have landed some big barracuda this past week.
Plug casters are still catching some bluefish and spanish mackerel on Gotcha plugs early and late in the days.
Some large red drum are cruising by the pier, and anglers are hooking a few of them.
Bottom fishermen are catching good numbers of summer spots, along with some croaker and whiting.
The water is 81 degrees.
