Wrightsville Beach – May 12, 2016
Matt, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that surf anglers are catching great numbers of bluefish. Cut bait, metal jigs, and Gotcha plugs are all producing fish. Bottom fishermen are enjoying great numbers of croaker, black drum, and sea mullet, but most fish have been on the small side. Fishbites in sand flea and shrimp seem to be working the best.
Inshore, the flounder are being found in deeper water towards the inlets. The bulk of the fish are under-sized, but there are some legal fish being caught in the mix.
Red drum are beginning to spread out in the backwaters. They are being found in a wide variety of water including waterway docks, shallow bays, and the flats during higher tide cycles. Scented plastics made by Z-Man and Gulp are working well, and live and cut bait is also working for anglers that enjoy a more relaxed approach.
There are also some nice slot-sized reds beginning to show up on the rocks of Masonboro Inlet. The same tactics used inside will catch fish holding on the jetty.
Speckled trout are feeding on hardbaits such as Rapala X-Raps and MirrOlure MR17’s. Larger fish are actually being caught on topwater plugs in the mornings. Yo-Zuri 3D topwater plugs and Rapala Skitter Walks seem to be producing the best results.
Sheepshead are showing up in better numbers, especially in the Cape Fear River. Fiddler crabs fished in close proximity to a dock or bridge piling is the best way to fool them.
Spanish mackerel, false albacore, and bluefish are being caught around the usual places: Dallas Rock, 5 Mile, and the Liberty Ship. Most fish are falling for spoons fished behind planers, but small deep diving plugs are producing bites, too. A solid king mackerel bite is happening in the 5-10 mile range. The kings have been found as close as 2 miles, but the most consistent fishing has been a bit further off the beach. Drone spoons, dead cigar minnows, and large Clarkspoons are hooking the kings, but most of the kings have been on the smaller side.
Boaters in Gulf Stream waters have been seeing great numbers of gaffer dolphin. The same areas are producing blackfin tuna, with trolled ballyhoo working best. The fish are eating Ilander lures, sea witches, and jags—both with ballyhoo and naked.
Wahoo are being caught on planer rods, and some larger fish have been reported. Naked and skirted ballyhoo are landing the ‘hoos.
Sailfish and white marlin have been spotted recently, and their numbers should improve in the following weeks.
Nick High with a bonito he caught around the Liberty Ship while fishing with Capt. Jot Owens.
Trevor, of ProFish NC Charters, reports that king mackerel are thick in the 3-12 mile range. Most fish have been school-sized 30” class fish. They are feeding heavily and eating a wide range of baits. Dead cigar minnows fished on Hank Brown rigs and large Yo-Zuri deep diving plugs in sardine colors are working best, and troll speeds in the 5-7 knot range is preferred. Boats have also been catching plenty of kings on Drone spoons fished behind a #2 planer.
The false albacore have been thick recently, crashing glass minnows on the surface. Epoxy jigs and diamond jigs retrieved quickly through the schools is producing solid hookups. There are a few bonito hanging around 3-8 miles off the beach. The bonito are following the cooler water temperatures north. Mahi are reported in the 7 mile range, and they are following the abundance of bait fish that are hanging just off the beaches.
Cobia are now in the 10 mile range. The fish are cruising around with schools of jacks. Bucktail jigs rigged with 6-8” curly tails will fool these fish.
Flounder fishing is getting better every day, and the best fishing has been with soft plastics rigged on lead heads. Z-Man plastics fished on Blue Water Candy jigheads is providing steady action, and Pro-Cure scented baits seem to be out fishing baits without it.
Scott Jecha with a 38 mahi he caught in the Gulf Stream north of Same Ol in 300 of water. The fish fell for a black and purple skirt rig. He was fishing with Capt. Jesse Gawlick of Ocean Stinger Charters.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that spanish, kings, false albacore, and bonito are all within a few miles of area inlets this week. The fish are taking an interest in traditional spoon and planer combinations. Deep diving plugs are also working alongside the spoons.
Speckled trout are feeding well in the marsh areas. They are taking hard baits like the Rapala X-Rap and topwater baits like the Rapala Skitter Walk. The red drum have been active along the waterway docks. Live menhaden fished on Carolina rigs and cut bluefish are getting it done on the reds.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that Gulf Stream fishing has been excellent over the past week. Blackfin tuna fishing has been red hot lately, and gaffer-sized dolphin are being caught in the same areas. The fish are eating a variety of Fathom lures and Blue Water Candy Flying Scooters.
There has also been a decent bite of medium-sized wahoo. They are responding to surface lures and lures fished behind a planer.
A few sailfish have been spotted lately in the Gulf Stream. As this month progresses, they should be mixed in with the dolphin. Temperature breaks, weed lines, debris, and bait schools will keep the sails and mahi around.
Donnie, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that the spanish mackerel bite is firing off right now. Sparkle diamond jigs and white-bodied Gotcha plugs with either blue or red heads are working best.
There are lots of bluefish mixed in with the spanish, and they are eating the same offerings. The early season spanish are of good size this year, and most of the blues have been in the 1-2 lb. range.
The water temperature is 70 degrees.
