Wrightsville Beach – June 19, 2014
Jim Wren, of Wilmington, with a cobia that bit a Blue Water Candy Mamma Jama jig at the Liberty Ship off Masonboro Inlet.
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the flounder action continues to improve inshore around Wrightsville, but it’s still a bit slower than is typical for this time of year. Anglers are finding the flatfish in the inlets, around docks and other structure in the ICW, and in the marshes. Live baits and scented soft plastics like Gulps will get attention from the flatfish.
Red drum are also feeding around inshore docks and in the marshes, and anglers are fooling them with live baits and soft plastics as well. Topwater plugs and gold spoons can also be effective for the reds when they’re feeding shallow.
Sheepshead continue to become more numerous around pilings, seawalls, and rocks near Wrightsville. Anglers can tempt the sheeps to bite live fiddler and mud crabs dangled tight to the structure.
The flounder fishing is also improving in the ocean, where anglers are finding more and more fish around structure within 10 miles of the beachfront. Most of the nearshore flatfish are falling for bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp baits.
Spanish mackerel action is still solid just outside the inlets and along the beachfront, with most of the fish falling for trolled Clarkspoons. Anglers are also catching a few while working metal casting jigs around bait schools and fish feeding on the surface.
A few cobia are still looking for meals within a few miles of the beaches, and anglers are also spotting some tarpon nearshore.
Kathy Allred with a hogfish that bit Boston mackerel near some bottom structure 40 miles off Wrightsville Beach while she was fishing with Capt. Dave Gardner on the headboat “Vonda Kay.”
The king mackerel bite continues to be a bit off, but anglers are finding scattered king action from the 10 mile range on out. Some dolphin have moved well inshore of the Stream, and anglers are picking up some scattered gaffers in the 10 mile range, with consistent action at some spots 20-30 miles offshore. Dead ballyhoo and cigar minnows or live baits like menhaden will fool the kings and ‘phins.
The gaffer dolphin bite remains solid in the Gulf Stream, and boats are still reporting good numbers of billfish encounters, particularly in 50 fathoms of water and deeper. Both ballyhoo and baitless trolling lures will attract attention from the blue water predators.
Bottom fishermen are seeing improved gag grouper action around structure 20-30 miles offshore. More gags are feeding alongside red and scamp grouper at spots in 100’ and deeper. Live and cut baits or frozen cigar minnows, sardines, and mackerel are top choices for anglers looking to connect with the groupers.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that anglers are seeing some solid spanish mackerel action from the inlets to the 5 mile range, depending on where they can find clean water. Trolling Clarkspoons or working casting jigs around diving birds, bait schools, and surface activity is the way to connect with the spaniards.
Red drum and cobia are feeding around the inlets as well, and anglers are hooking both on live and cut baits fished on the bottom. A few cobia are also falling for live baits and bucktail jigs tossed to fish that anglers spot on the surface.
Paul Gilbert, of Wrightsville Beach, with a 7.4 lb. sheepshead that bit a sandflea off a dock in Banks Channel.
More cobia, citation-class reds, and flounder are feeding at nearshore structure in the ocean, and they’re falling for bucktails and live baits.
Inshore, anglers are finding topwater action with speckled trout and red drum in the marshes and creeks near the inlets.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that there’s been a decent king mackerel bite at spots in the 10-15 mile range off Wrightsville recently. Cigar minnows on dead bait rigs and Drone spoons are attracting attention from the kings.
A few dolphin have shown up in the same range, and anglers have also reported some sailfish encounters around 10 miles out.
Closer to the beaches, the spanish mackerel bite remains hot from the inlets to spots in the 3 mile range. Most of the fish are falling for Clarkspoons trolled behind planers and trolling weights, but some of the larger fish recently have been biting bigger spoons and daisy chain rigs pulled on the surface.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that some clean blue water has pushed into the 15 mile range off Wrightsville, and boats found some good dolphin action in the pretty water last week. Most of the fish were falling for ballyhoo paired with skirted lures like sea witches.
Dan Wargo (age 9) won the Southeastern King Mackerel Club Fishing With Special Friends tournament, held June 14 on Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, along with a custom rod and $50 gift card by weighing the event’s largest catch, a stingray.
Phillip, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs from the pier in the morning and late afternoon hours.
Bottom fishermen are hooking some sea mullet on cut shrimp.
Some keeper flounder are falling for small live baits fished under the pier.
Live-baiters have hooked some cobia and sharks from the end of the pier this week.
