Wrightsville Beach November 13, 2008
Capt. Chris MicKey and angler Ken MicKey with a 58 lb. wahoo caught while trolling just south of the Nipple on a skirted ballyhoo.
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the speckled trout bite has been excellent throughout the area lately, and it should only continue to improve as the weather cools down. Several fish over 6 lbs. have been weighed in over the last week.
Anglers are finding the specks throughout the area, with solid reports coming from the Cape Fear River. Rich’s Inlet, and Masonboro Inlet. Deep holes inshore have been producing plenty of fish as well.
Anglers are hooking the specks on MirrOlures, X-Raps, and a variety of soft plastics. Live baits, like shrimp and finger mullet, are proving deadly as well.
There’s still some good flounder fishing going on as well, especially near the inlets. Small live baits on Carolina rigs are top choices for the flounder, but Gulp baits will produce action, too.
Surf fishing has been very productive lately from Topsail all the way south to Pleasure Island. Anglers baiting up with shrimp and sand fleas are hooking some huge whiting (2+ lbs.), pompano, and puppy drum.
The pups are also feeding around the jetty.
King mackerel reports have been a bit scattered lately, with most of the action coming from spots in the 15-25 mile range like the Schoolhouse, WR4, and 23 Mile Rock. Live baits, dead cigar minnows, and lures like Yo-Zuri Deep Divers and Drone Spoons should produce action with the kings when anglers can find them.
Bottom fishermen are finding action with gag grouper and black sea bass at ledges and other structure from 18 miles on offshore. Cigar minnows and other larger baits will get attention from the grouper, while squid should appeal to the sea bass. Jigging lures are also effective on the bottom feeders.
Gulf Stream trollers are reporting decent action with wahoo and blackfin tuna. Skirted ballyhoo should produce results in the blue water.
Carlton Clark with a 22 lb. gag caught in 80’ of water off of Carolina Beach. He was fishing on his 22’ McKee Craft “Tangled Up.”
Stu, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that 30-40″ red drum are schooling in the surf off Lea Island. Anglers are hooking up with them by casting the large 7″ Gulp baits and 17 and 27MR MirrOlures from the beach and boats on the backside of the surf.
The speckled trout bite is turning on at the Masonboro jetties, and anglers are hooking them on the same MirrOlures in pink/chartreuse/silver, chartreuse scale, and 808.
The kings have begun to move off the beaches, and the bite has been best in the 15-20 mile range lately. The fish are small but schooled up thick, so anglers should be able to hook up with good numbers when they find the schools.
Not many boats have made it to the Gulf Stream lately, but those who’ve been out are reporting decent numbers of wahoo and blackfin tuna. The action has been best up north around the 200 line, and the better bite has been in shallower water (130-150′).
William “BB” Parham, of Wilmington, with a pair of speckled trout that weighed in at 5 and 7 lbs. They were caught near Masonboro on live shrimp.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that the king mackerel bite is solid at structure in the 10-15 mile range and further out. Dead cigar minnows will produce plenty of action with the kings, both trolled on top and deep behind a planer. Anglers reported some fish to 30+ lbs. in the vicinity of the Dredge Wreck.
Gray trout are feeding on bottom structure south of Wrightsville Beach like Sheepshead and Corncake Rocks, but the action hasn’t been as hot closer to home. Jigging lures like Maria jigs will attract attention from the grays
Speckled trout are feeding in the creeks behind Masonboro Island, especially on the high falling tide. MirrOlures have been producing good action with the specks, and anglers getting out early enough may be able to find some topwater action.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that gag grouper, sea bass, pinkies, grunts, and other bottomfish are feeding at structure not too far from the beaches-in the 10 mile range. The action has been better up off Topsail than in the Wrightsville area. Cigar minnows and other baits on bottom rigs will get plenty of attention. Anglers can also fish metal jigging lures on lighter tackle with success.
King mackerel are feeding in many of the same places. Anglers found good catches of kings recently as close in as the first set of boxcars off Topsail, with plenty of amberjacks around, too.
Inshore, the trout bite has been good behind Figure Eight and near Richs Inlet. Trolling or casting MirrOlures and grubs will produce action with the specks.
Danny, of 96 Charter Company, reports that surf fishing has been producing plenty of action lately. While casting off the beach at Wrightsville, anglers are hooking up with pompano, whiting, speckled trout, flounder, and red drum. Bottom rigs baited with shrimp will get attention in the suds, and anglers can also cast MirrOlures, swimbaits, and other artificials for the trout and drum.
Fishing just outside the surf zone from the boat has been producing action with speckled trout and some big bluefish off of Lea Island.
James, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that bottom fishing with shrimp and cut mullet is producing action with plenty of big whiting, red drum, black drum, and a few flounder. A 10.9 lb. black drum broke the pier record last week.
Anglers are hooking up with some speckled trout (most around 2 lbs.) on plugs.
The water is 65 degrees.
