Wrightsville Beach June 16, 2011
Lindy Barnes with her first red drum, a 26" fish she hooked while fishing a Wrightsville Beach dock with Gary Prince.
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the red drum bite has been fairly consistent inshore over the past week. Anglers are finding the fish in the marshes and creeks, and they’re hooking them on live baits, topwater plugs, Gulps, and other lures.
Flounder fishing has been decent as well lately. Anglers fishing the inlets are catching good numbers of fish (to around 18”). Some larger flatties are coming from inshore structure off the ICW and Cape Fear River. Live menhaden, finger mullet, and mud minnows will all tempt bites, and anglers can also connect with the flounder on Gulp baits.
Spanish mackerel are still on the feed along the beachfront and just offshore, and trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and trolling weights or casting metal jigs to schools of feeding fish is the way to hook up with them.
The king mackerel bite has finally turned on a bit nearshore, and anglers caught some fish (10-20 lb. class) at the Liberty Ship, 5 Mile Boxcars, and other structure within a few miles of the beaches last week. Live baits like menhaden are top choices for the kings.
Dolphin have moved in as far as 23 Mile Rock, with a few reports coming from spots closer to the beach. Live baits or frozen cigar minnows and ballyhoo on dead bait rigs will tempt bites from the ‘phins.
Dolphin fishing is still decent out in the Gulf Stream as well, and anglers have also released a few sailfish lately.
Amberjacks are holding on the Schoolhouse and other high-relief structure from there on out to the break. Live baits, vertical jigs, and topwater plugs will all produce action with the jacks.
Bottom fishermen are putting together some excellent catches of black sea bass at spots from the 10 mile range on out. They’ll take an interest in cut baits and squid on bottom rigs or small vertical jigs.
Gag grouper fishing has also been decent in the 15-30 mile range. Live, dead, and cut baits are all solid choices for the gags.
A white marlin hooked by Bill Yeates and Mark Wells 75 miles southeast of Masonboro Inlet just prior to release. The marlin fell for a custom lure by Ancient Mariner Tackle while they were trolling on the “Private Dancer.”
Steve, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that anglers caught dolphin at spots as close as 13 miles offshore last week.
King mackerel have been feeding in the 10-15 mile range as well, and both the kings and dolphin will take an interest in live and dead baits.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still on the feed just off the beaches, and trolled Clarkspoons will attract attention from both fish.
Flounder fishing inshore has been excellent lately, with the sand-bottomed creeks producing some of the better action. The flatfish will take an interest in a variety of live baits or scented soft plastics like Gulps.
Anglers are finding decent red drum fishing around docks off the ICW and on grassflats from the Cape Fear River to Topsail. Casting topwater plugs is the most exciting way to connect with the reds, but Gulps, live baits, and a variety of other offerings will get their attention when they aren’t feeding on top.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that bottom fishing in the 10-15 mile range last week was quite productive. Anglers dropping squid and cut baits on bottom rigs had plenty of action with keeper black sea bass and pinkies, some large flounder, triggerfish, gag grouper, and more.
Some cobia and king mackerel have been in the same areas, and live or dead baits fished on light-lines will tempt them to bite while anglers are bottom fishing.
Spanish mackerel are feeding along the beach and around Masonboro Inlet, and trolled Clarkspoons should produce plenty of action with them.
Rick, of Rod-Man Charters, reports that bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding up and down the beaches, but the spanish have been hit-or-miss lately. They’ve been feeding on small pods of menhaden. So when anglers see the bait, the spaniards are likely nearby. Casting Maria jigs or trolling Clarkspoons and other lures will produce action with the spanish and bluefish.
Some cobia are still cruising in the same areas, so it pays to keep a rod rigged with a bucktail or other large lure in case anglers spot one.
Flounder are feeding at nearshore structure, but like the spanish mackerel, the bite has been up and down lately.
Inshore, anglers are connecting with some red drum and flounder near the inlets and around ICW docks, but the fish are scattered. Live pogies will tempt bites from both when anglers find the fish.
Tamachan Iida, from Chichijima, Japan, with a red drum she hooked on a grub in Masonboro Inlet while fishing with John Newton.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are hooking up with a few sea mullet and croaker on shrimp during the day, with better catches at night.
Some spanish mackerel and bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs worked from the pier.
Sheepshead are feeding around the pilings, but few anglers have been fishing for them.
Live baiters saw some barracuda and cobia last week, but they couldn’t put any on the decks.
The water is 79 degrees.
