Wrightsville Beach June 17, 2004
Tex, at Tex’s Tackle, reports that red drum are biting well inshore in the creeks and waterways on artificials and live menhaden. Flounder are still biting everywhere, but many are still under the 14 inch minimum. Surf fishing with sand fleas is producing sheepshead (up to 11.5 lbs.) and Virginia mullet. Spanish mackerel fishing has been best on falling tides around inlets, and the big bluefish (up to 12 lbs.) are showing up on the lines of those trolling clark spoons or gotchas. Cobia fishing has been very productive this year in the Dredge Wreck and Schoolhouse areas, with fish running in the 25 to 35 lb. class. Amberjacks averaging 25 to 30 lbs. are being caught at the Schoolhouse. King mackerel in the teenage class are biting anywhere from 5 Mile Boxcars on out. Live or dead bait is productive, and very few kings over 20 lbs. have been caught lately. Black sea bass and grouper fishing is taking place as close at 18 miles. Dolphin from 5 to 12 lbs. are biting in the 23 Mile Rock and 200/200 areas, and ballyhoo has been a little more productive than live bait. Red/black and green/yellow have been the hottest colors. Very few reports came in from the gulf stream due to wind and preparation for the Big Rock tournament.
Lloyd, at Bug-Em Bait Co., reports very good cobia fishing with fish coming from the Dredge Wreck, Schoolhouse, WR4, and on out to the tower. Also at the tower, a few African pompano have arrived. Dolphin are eating ballyhoo or live cigar minnows with bright skirts in the 10 to 30 mile areas. Flying fish are as close as 14 miles, and with them come sailfish. Several sails were reported this week, and they should only come closer to the beaches. Spanish are still biting very well at the inlets, but be aware of juvenile kings that are mixing in. Kings have a 24″ minimum and look very similar at a young age, so check the dorsal fin and lateral line for identity. Inside the inlets, the flounder action continues to get better with bigger fish being weighed in. Mud minnows, mullet, and pogies will all work. Red drum have also finally started eating, and live bait is the best bait to try until fish are located.
Larry, at Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports a red drum of 27″ weighing in at 9 lbs. caught on a sand flea. Also caught on a sand flea was a black drum weighing 4.95 lbs. Sand fleas are producing smaller black drum along with some nice Virginia mullet. Flounder action continues with more keepers coming in, like a 2 lb. 2 oz. fish weighed in. The flounder was caught on a cut bait. Bluefish keep the pluggers busy with a few spanish in the afternoons to change things up. Also, a 27 lb. barracuda was landed on a king rig on June 10.
Dickie, at Tidal Market, reports 25 to 32″ red drum turning on this week. They like peanut pogies in the ICW and adjoining creeks, and along the Cape Fear River. Sheepshead to 7 lbs. are biting fiddler crabs along deep water pilings and at the Fort Fisher rocks. Flounder fishing is still producing a lot of small fish, but the big fish are now mixed in. In the surf, there are a few Virginia mullet. Pompano should begin showing any day now. Off the beach, the spanish mackerel and bluefish are still biting clark spoons. Small kings may be mixed in. A few bigger kings are coming from the 23 Mile Rock area, and dolphin are in the 18 to 23 mile areas. Flying fish are as close as 14 miles, so the sailfish should be arriving anytime. Cobia in the 30 to 45 lb. range and a few amberjacks are being caught off the Schoolhouse Wreck.
Tyler, at Intracoastal Angler, reports a good redfish bite in the waterways and creeks on topwater early in the mornings and live bait during the day. Flounder are in creeks, channels, and around docks. They have been most active with live bait. Speckled trout have been caught in the surf early in the mornings. Mirrolures or live shrimp are your best bets for those. Spanish mackerel are stacking up outside the inlet for those drifting or trolling.
