Wrightsville Beach June 6, 2013
Skip Schlitzkus, of Wrightsville Beach, with a large spanish mackerel that bit a soft plastic bait on jighead at the Masonboro jetties.
Matt, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that spanish mackerel have shown up in force off Wrightsville, and anglers are reporting good catches from the 20’ depths out to nearshore structure like the Liberty Ship. A few Atlantic bonito are still around as well.
King mackerel have been caught within 5 miles of the beaches recently, too. Both dead cigar minnows and live baits like menhaden will tempt bites from the kings.
Cobia are feeding on menhaden schools within a few miles of the beaches, but they’ve been a bit reluctant to bite bucktails or other artificials recently. Live menhaden are a good backup plan for when they turn down the lures.
Inshore, the flounder bite is improving around the inlets and in the marshes and creeks. Gulps and small live baits will fool the flatfish.
There’s also decent red drum action around Wrightsville near docks and around some flats and bays. Topwater plugs, soft plastics, live baits, and a variety of other offerings will tempt bites from the reds.
Sheepshead are showing up around bridges, docks, and other inshore structure, and there are likely some black drum around as well. Both will bite live fiddler crabs.
Surf casters are connecting with sea mullet, bluefish, and puppy drum from the beach at Wrightsville, and they’re also picking up some flounder around the inlets. Shrimp and cut baits are fooling most of the fish, with the flounder taking an interest in live mud minnows and Gulp baits.
Offshore, anglers are reporting some dolphin action 20-40 miles out, so they’ve begun an inshore move. Dead ballyhoo and cigar minnows (or live baits like menhaden) will fool the ‘phins.
The dolphin bite is also going strong still in the Gulf Stream, and anglers continue to pick up some wahoo as well.
Brittney Copeland with her first scamp grouper, an 18.4 lb. fish that bit a Boston mackerel on a crab Decoy Jig while she was fishing with Capt. Tim Barefoot off Wrightsville Beach.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that anglers are still connecting with solid catches of dolphin while trolling the Gulf Stream. Wahoo are still in the mix as well, along with a few blackfin tunas, and all three are taking an interest in ballyhoo and skirted trolling lures. Some blue marlin have also been sighted and hooked off Wrightsville recently.
Bottom fishing around structure in 130-150’ of water has been excellent as well, producing scamp and red grouper, triggerfish, big grunts and porgies, and more. Cigar minnows, cut baits, and squid will all produce results with the bottom dwellers.
Slightly shallower structure in 115’ is giving up decent numbers of hogfish to bottom bouncers.
Live baiting along the beachfront is producing good numbers of cobia and some action with kings and large spanish mackerel.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers are seeing good numbers of cobia around bait schools on the beachfront and at bottom structure in the 10-20 mile range.
King mackerel are feeding 8-15 miles out and taking an interest in dead cigar minnows and trolled spoons.
The spanish mackerel action is solid in 30-35’ of water off the beaches for boaters trolling #00 Clarkspoons behind planers and trolling weights.
Bottom fishing has been a bit up-and-down, but there are plenty of black sea bass feeding around nearshore structure for anglers looking for some fast action and tasty meals.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that there’s been action with king mackerel, amberjacks, dolphin, and bonito around structure in the 20 mile range. Trolling dead ballyhoo has tempted bites from all four species in recent days.
Bottom fishing in the same range is producing plenty of action with black sea bass, grunts, porgies, and more. Squid and cut baits will fool all the bottom dwellers.
Ernie and Zach Mayo with a 110 lb., 74″ wahoo that bit a ballyhoo under a red/black Blue Water Candy Mini JAG while they were trolling the Gulf Stream off Wrightsville Beach on the “Zach Attack.” Photo courtesy of Intracoastal Angler.
Trevor, of ProFishNC Charters, reports that spanish mackerel are still feeding off Wrightsville Beach, but the bite has slowed a bit since the hot-and-heavy action a few weeks ago. Trolling Clarkspoons and other flashy lures around first light has been the best bet for anglers looking to connect with the spaniards recently. Plenty of bluefish are around and falling for the same lures, however.
Black sea bass have pushed offshore a bit, and anglers may need to go 10+ miles to find keeper-sized fish right now.
Inshore, there are plenty of red drum feeding around structure and the marshes in the backwaters.
Flounder are in many of the same areas, but many are undersized right now. Both the flatfish and reds are taking an interest in live baits and soft plastics like Gulps.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that plug casters are hooking plenty of bluefish and spanish mackerel at present.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with pompano in the daytime and sea mullet after dark, primarily on shrimp.
Some flounder are falling for small live baits fished under the pier.
Live baiters had several king mackerel strikes last week, but were unable to hook them.
The water is 74 degrees.
