Wrightsville Beach June 14, 2012
Jason Economos with a 33" red drum he caught and released near Wrightsville Beach after it struck a live bait while he was fishing with Barron Glenn.
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are finding action with red and black drum under deeper ICW docks around Wrightsville. Gulp baits on jigheads are fooling both. Sand fleas and fiddler crabs will also get attention from the drum and from sheepshead hanging around the same areas.
Red drum are also feeding on the flats and in the creeks, where topwater plugs and suspending twitchbaits are tempting them to bite.
Flounder (some to 7 lbs.) have been around the same docks as the drum, and anglers are hooking them on Gulp baits and live finger mullet. Anglers drifting the inlets with live baits are also catching good numbers of flounder.
Ladyfish have shown up in the area, and anglers are hooking them around lighted docks at night on soft plastics and other lures.
Surf casters are still catching good numbers of sea mullet on cut baits, but the bite’s been best at night. Bluefish, small sharks, and an occasional red drum are also falling for cut baits in the surf.
Some spanish mackerel, blues, and ladyfish are falling for metal jigs near the inlets, and pier anglers are catching good numbers of both while working Gotcha plugs.
In the ocean, flounder are feeding on the nearshore wrecks, reefs, and live bottoms within 10 miles of the beaches. Gulp baits on 2 oz. bucktails are top choices for the flatfish. Cobia are holding in the same areas as the flounder, and a 2 oz. bucktail with a large soft plastic trailer will often tempt them to bite.
More cobia and some king mackerel are feeding at spots 10-20 miles offshore, and anglers are hooking both while trolling live baits and dead cigar minnows.
Dolphin have pushed inshore to the 25-35 mile range, where anglers are hooking them on live and dead baits as well.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with some gag grouper at spots in 65’ and deeper and reds and scamps in the 110’+ depths. Cigar minnows on bottom rigs or Decoy Jigs will fool both.
Black sea bass are schooled up at virtually any bottom structure in the ocean, with the larger fish coming from 60’ and deeper. Bottom rigs baited with squid or cut baits or small vertical jigs will fool them.
Blue water trollers are still catching big numbers of gaffer dolphin, and the wahoo bite has improved a bit. Weedlines and temperatures breaks in 20-25 fathoms have been the most productive lately, and ballyhoo under skirted lures are fooling the fish.
Billfish are also feeding out in the blue water, though generally a bit deeper than the dolphin and ‘hoos. Small naked ballyhoo are tempting most of the bites from the white marlin and sailfish, with blue marlin committing to larger skirted trolling plugs.
Brad Wallace, of Hampstead, with a 14 lb. sheepshead that bit a live fiddler crab under the Figure Eight Island bridge while he was fishing with Jeff Elder and Tim Wilson.
Robbie, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that the red drum and flounder bite at ICW docks and other inshore structure around Wrightsville has been good recently. Gulp baits and Carolina-rigged live baits are accounting for most of the fish.
Flounder are also feeding heavily at nearshore structure in the ocean, where live baits or larger bucktails tipped with Gulps will produce results.
Spanish mackerel are feeding in the inlets and just offshore, where boaters trolling Clarkspoons are hooking big numbers.
A few cobia have been caught around the inlets as well.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that the dolphin bite is still going strong in the Stream (with fish ranging 12-35 lbs. lately). The wahoo action has improved a bit, too, and anglers are picking up some stray blackfin tuna as well. Ballyhoo and skirted trolling lures are accounting for most of the blue water action.
Bottom fishing in the deep water off the break (300’+) has been producing a variety of large groupers and other bottom dwellers. Both baited bottom rigs and vertical jigs will tempt the grouper and other species to bite.
Large amberjacks are feeding around the deep water structure and on inshore to spots in the 20 mile range. Live baits, vertical jigs, and topwater poppers are all effective on the jacks.
Closer to the beaches, there’s been good gag grouper and black sea bass action at spots in around 85’ of water. Live baits are producing the best results on the grouper, and the bass will take cut baits, squid, or virtually anything else that anglers put on their hooks.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers are hooking big numbers of black sea bass and putting together limits of gag grouper at bottom structure 10-20 miles offshore. Sardines are tempting plenty of bites from both, and they have also fooled a few cobia in the same areas.
Spanish mackerel are on the feed in 20-35’ of water along the beaches. Clarkspoons trolled behind #1 and #2 planers will put the spaniards in the boat.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that bottom fishing in the 20 mile range has been productive lately. Plenty of black sea bass and triggerfish along with a few gag grouper are coming over the rails while anglers are dropping squid, cigar minnows, and cut baits to the structure.
A few king mackerel are in the same areas and falling for Drone spoons trolled behind planers.
Spanish mackerel action has been excellent lately for anglers trolling just off the beaches, with Clarkspoons producing most of the fish.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are catching some sea mullet at night on shrimp.
A few flounder are falling for small live baits under the pier.
The water is 78 degrees.
