Wrightsville Beach May 23, 2013
Chris Teeter with a 21″ flounder that fell for a Gulp bait near Riches Inlet while he was fishing with Capt. Trevor Smith of ProFishNC Charters.
Ryan, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that boats finally have had some decent weather for the run to the Gulf Stream, and the fishing hasn’t disappointed. Big numbers of gaffer dolphin are feeding around local spots like the Steeples and Same Ol’ Hole. Wahoo, blackfin tuna, and a few yellowfins have been mixed in. Boats also released solid numbers of billfish (including several blue marlin) last week. Skirted ballyhoo are fooling most of the blue water pelagics.
Grouper fishing has been decent since the beginning of the season. Anglers are connecting with gags around bottom structure in the 20-30 mile range, with reds and scamps feeding in deeper water. Vertical jigs, cigar minnows, and squid are all solid bets for the grouper and other bottom dwellers.
Cobia are making a showing nearshore off Wrightsville, with several landed on the pier last week and more on boats within a few miles of the beachfront. Casting jigs and live baits to pods of menhaden has been the most productive strategy for the cobes.
Atlantic bonito are feeding around the Liberty Ship and other nearshore structure, where anglers can hook them trolling Yo-Zuri Deep Divers or while casting diamond jigs or other metal lures to fish feeding on the surface.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding closer to the beach and biting the metal jigs or trolled Clarkspoons.
Surf casters are hooking some sea mullet, flounder, and bluefish from the beach at Wrightsville.
The flounder bite is also improving inshore, with particularly good reports coming from the inlets last week. Live mud minnows or Gulp baits will fool the flatfish.
Speckled trout are feeding in the creeks inshore and will bite a variety of soft plastics or suspending hard lures.
Red drum are feeding in marshy bays and around inshore structure like docks. Live and cut baits, soft plastics, and topwater plugs all will attract attention from the reds.
Trevor, of ProFishNC Charters, reports that anglers are hooking some Atlantic bonito around the Liberty Ship while casting metal jigs to fish feeding on the surface. Some false albacore are mixed in, and they are also taking an interest in the jigs.
A few red drum are showing up around the Masonboro jetties, where they’ll take an interest in cut baits.
Smaller reds have been feeding around structure and in the marshes inshore.
Grayson Shallo with a 67.5 lb. cobia that bit a live menhaden off Johnnie Mercers Pier.
The flounder bite is picking up inshore. The fish aren’t everywhere yet, so anglers have to find the holes where they’re holding. Once they do, the bite has been solid lately. Gulp baits on jigheads heavy enough to stay near the bottom are fooling most of the flatfish.
The water temperatures are up and schools of menhaden are working along the beachfront, so it’s high time for cobia.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that gaffer dolphin and wahoo are on the feed in the Gulf Stream, and anglers encountered some inshore in the 40 mile range last week as well. Skirted ballyhoo will tempt bites from both the dolphin and wahoo.
Nearshore, Atlantic bonito are feeding around the Liberty Ship, and anglers hooked some big spanish mackerel further south towards Carolina Beach last week. Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers or casting metal jigs at fish feeding on the surface will fool both the spaniards and bonito.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers are hooking spanish mackerel, false albacore, Atlantic bonito, and bullet tunas while trolling within a few miles of the beaches. Clarkspoons paired with planers and trolling weights will tempt bites from all the nearshore pelagics.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that dolphin have arrived in force in the Gulf Stream. Anglers are hooking big numbers of ‘phins while trolling ballyhoo and skirted lures.
Plenty of blackfin tuna are still in the mix in the blue water, and anglers are picking up some wahoo as well.
Deep-jigging along the edge of the break is producing fast action with amberjacks and some grouper.
The grouper bite has also been on a bit closer to shore in the 100-140’ depths. Both jigging and bait fishing are producing results on gag, scamp, and red grouper, along with plenty of other bottom fish like porgies, grunts, triggerfish, and more. Cigar minnows, squid, cut baits, and more will tempt bites from all the bottom dwellers.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of bluefish while working Gotcha plugs from the pier. Some spanish mackerel are also around, and pluggers had some excellent spanish action several days last week.
Bottom fishermen are hooking good numbers of sea mullet at night on cut baits.
Flounder (some to 20”+) are biting live mud minnows under the pier.
The water is 70 degrees.
