Wrightsville Beach June 16, 2005
Russell, at Tidal Market, reports the flounder are still slow to come around but the bluefish and spanish mackerel are hanging around outside Masonboro Inlet. The flounder and red drum that are biting are along the waterway and in the feeder creeks. King mackerel are from the liberty ship out with some bigger fish finally moving inshore to the 10+ mile areas. A few dolphin were reported from the schoolhouse area. Cobia are hanging around anywhere from the inlets out to the nearshore reefs so have something ready in case you see one. Very few mullet around but menhaden are showing up behind Wrightsville beach and in the waterway around Williams landing.
Tex, at Tex’s Tackle, reports nearshore fishing is still very good with spanish and blues along the beach, Cobia at inlets and artificial reefs, and plenty of king mackerel at the 10 mile rock, dredge wreck, and 30/30. The dolphin have moved in the last couple of days into the schoolhouse area. Grouper and seabass are in the 20 to 30 mile range. Plenty of cigar minnows at most live bottoms and artificial reefs to jig up. The surf fishermen have been catching blues, pompano and a few red drum. Inshore, flounder are finally moving into the inlets if you can get through the bluefish. The redfish are taking up summer residence around docks in the waterway and creeks and are wanting live bait. Gulf stream fishing has still been very good for dolphin with more and more reports of sailfish and white marlin with a blue marlin also caught and released this past week. A few small tuna are still around and the wahoo being caught are in the 25 to 40 lb. class.
Rick, at Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports their first king of the season was landed on 6/6 and tipped the scales around 25 lbs. A few bluefish and spanish mackerel on gotchas mostly in the evening. Barracuda have arrived hitting the spanish, the blues, and the gotcha plugs. On June 10th, a big 41 lb. cobia got 8 year old Justin Barbour a citation and a 34 lb. king mackerel was landed as well. Whiting has been the bite on the bottom fishing side of things.
Seth, at Intracoastal Angler, reports king mackerel dominating the catch nearshore with plenty of fish on dallas rocks just pulling drone spoons on #2 planers. Dolphin have come in finding the warmer waters in the 10-20 miles range. Spanish and blues are thick along Figure 8 around 25 feet of water. Red drum are biting in the surf as well as the waterway and should become more aggressive with more live bait showing. Flounder are getting bigger but they are still a little slow.
Lewis, at Bug-Em Bait Co., reports that red drum are in the river and up behind Topsail in creeks and shallows. The flounder are still slow, but they are getting some bigger fish. It should pick up as more live bait shows. The surf has some black drum, whiting, and bluefish to be caught. Kings and spanish are nearshore, with bigger kings further off. There are plenty of cigar minnows to be jigged up. Dolphin are dominating the catches from the gulf stream, and a few fish have ventured closer to shore (between 10 and 20 miles out).
