Wrightsville Beach May 12, 2011
Dean Zoglio, of Raleigh, with an Atlantic bonito that fell for a diving plug near New River Inlet while he was fishing with Capt. Arlen Ash of Ultimate Reaction Charters.
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the red drum bite has slowed down a bit recently, and many of the fish seem to have moved out to the surf. Anglers may still find some reds feeding on the flats and in the creeks, however, and can tempt them to bite live baits, Gulps, or a variety of other artificials.
The flounder bite is turning on inshore, and the ratio of keepers to short fish keeps improving. Live baits and Gulps will tempt bites from the flatfish.
Outside the inlets the spanish mackerel have shown up, and anglers trolling Clarkspoons and other lures are hooking them along with plenty of bluefish just off the beaches.
King mackerel have shown up nearshore, and a few have been caught by boaters and from the piers to the south. Live baits like pogies are top choices for the kings.
Grouper season is open, and anglers have been putting together some good catches around structure 35 miles and further offshore. The bite has been a bit on the slow side closer to the beaches. Live and cut baits, frozen cigar minnows and sardines, and vertical jigs will all attract attention from the groupers.
Boats making the run to the Gulf Stream last week connected with some blackfin tuna, dolphin, and healthy wahoo. Trolling rigged ballyhoo is producing most of the action, but anglers can also tempt the tuna to take vertical jigs and topwater poppers when they’re schooling.
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that the flounder bite is turning on all over the inshore waters, and anglers are hooking the fish on live pogies and Gulp and Big Bite soft baits.
Red drum have been taking a liking to topwater plugs in recent weeks, and anglers are finding them in the marshes and bays behind the barrier islands.
Sheepshead are moving inshore, and anglers can hook them by fishing fiddler crabs near hard structure like rocks and pilings. A few black drum are in the same areas.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding heavily outside the inlets and along the beaches, and several kings have already been caught from the piers to the south, so it shouldn’t be long until they’re here in full force.
Cobia should also be making an appearance nearshore over the next few weeks.
Offshore, the Gulf Stream bite is excellent. Boats making the run to the blue water are still hooking up with some wahoo, and blackfin tuna and dolphin are making an excellent showing as well. Some blue marlin have been seen in the past few weeks, too. Rigged ballyhoo and skirted trolling plugs will tempt bites from the blue water predators.
It shouldn’t be long until the dolphin begin moving inshore of the Stream.
Charlie Dawson, Dillon Paulson, Ethan Guinn, and Chris and Jack Day with a wahoo that ate a blue/white Eye Catcher Outlaw in 30 fathoms north of the Same Ol' Hole while they were fishing with Capt. Tim Day on the charter boat "Fishin' Days" out of Wrightsville Beach.
Rick, of Rod-Man Charters, reports that there’s been a decent flounder and red drum bite for anglers fishing live pogies on Carolina rigs around structure in the lower Cape Fear River lately.
Structure (like docks in the ICW) has been producing some smaller, but keeper, flounder and reds as well, and peanut pogies are also getting their attention.
Bluefish are schooling in the inlets and just off the beaches, but the bite’s been up-and-down depending on whether a front is rolling through over the past week.
Spanish mackerel fishing hasn’t gone off yet, but anglers are catching a few while trolling spoons and casting metal lures just off the beaches.
King mackerel are just starting to show up nearshore in the area, and the bite should improve over the next few weeks.
Some chopper bluefish (5-10 lbs.) and over-slot red drum have been feeding around Masonboro Inlet. The reds are milling around and somewhat difficult to locate, however.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that there’s been a solid spanish mackerel and bluefish bite just off the beach lately. Clarkspoons behind planers and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers are producing most of the fish.
A few king mackerel have already been landed nearshore in our waters, and the bite should only improve.
Some larger (4-5’) sharks are already feeding along the beaches for anglers looking for some serious battles. Large cut and dead baits will attract attention from the sharks.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers have been putting together solid catches of bluefish and spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs from the pier. The spanish bite has been better early and late in the days.
Live baiters caught some chopper blues (to 10 lbs.) last week and saw some cobia. It shouldn’t be long before the first king mackerel of the year hit the deck.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with some bluefish at night, but the sea mullet bite has slowed down.
Some larger red drum have been seen in the surf zone from the pier.
The water is 70 degrees.
