Wrightsville Beach – November 13, 2014
Will Price and Doug Dann with 33.2 and 32.10 lb. king mackerel that struck live bluefish off the end of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier in early November.
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the speckled trout bite has kicked off at Wrightsville Beach for the fall but, as is often the case, they’re biting ferociously one day and seemingly nonexistent the next. The hottest baits this year have been Billy Bay Halo Shads, Night Stalker MirrOlures (even in the day), and Storm Shrimp, but anglers can toss a wide variety of soft and hard artificials to hook up. The fish are feeding in the creeks, near the inlets, and around rocks, seawalls, and other structure.
A few specks have also begun feeding in the surf, where anglers are hooking them at night on soft plastics and MirrOlures.
Flounder are still around and feeding, and anglers are hooking them near the inlets and around inshore structure like docks. Live finger mullet and soft baits like Gulps will fool the flatfish.
Red drum are feeding in the same areas as the specks and flatfish and around the inlets. The reds will take an interest in all the same baits along with cut baits.
There’s also been some solid red drum action for surf casters (with some fish 40”+), who are hooking them on finger mullet and cut baits, particularly in the evening hours.
Spanish mackerel have moved on, but there are plenty of bluefish feeding just off the beachfront and biting trolling spoons and metal casting jigs.
John David Allen (age 10), of Wilmington, with a pair of spanish mackerel he hooked on pink Clarkspoons just off Wrightsville Beach while fishing with his father and Mike Accattato on the “Dip-Sea-Dah.”
False albacore are chasing bait a bit further out and taking an interest in the same offerings as the blues.
As of last weekend, anglers were still finding some solid king mackerel action in the 10 mile range, but cooling temperatures will chase the fish offshore in the coming weeks. The kings have a tough time turning down live baits, but dead cigar minnows and ballyhoo, strip baits, and Drone spoons will all work and save anglers time looking for bait.
Gag grouper have been feeding around bottom structure in the same range, and anglers are reporting excellent gag action from the 60-80’ depths. Live, dead, and cut baits will all attract attention from the grouper.
Anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream have found a bit slower wahoo fishing than several weeks ago, but some solid blackfin tuna action at many of the local blue water hotspots. Skirted ballyhoo will often fool both, but smaller lures like cedar plugs are often more effective on the tunas and high-speed lures seem to have been producing the best catches of wahoo lately. A few sailfish are also feeding in the ‘Stream and biting ballyhoo.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that anglers are hooking big numbers of amberjack along with some grouper while working vertical jigs in 150-250’ of water along the break.
Blackfin tuna are feeding in many of the same areas along the edge of the Gulf Stream, and anglers are hooking them on topwater poppers, vertical jigs, and traditional trolling baits and lures.
Wahoo are also feeding in the ‘Stream, but the bite isn’t quite what it was a few weeks ago.
Bottom fishing inshore of the break in 110-140’ of water is producing plenty of action with gag and scamp grouper, triggerfish, grunts, and more. Cigar minnows, cut baits, and vertical jigs are fooling the bottom feeders.
Gray Currin with a citation-class red drum he caught and released just off Masonboro Inlet after it struck a live mullet.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers still saw some excellent king mackerel action at spots in the 60’ depths last weekend. Big numbers of false albacore are mixed in, and both are falling for cigar minnows and strip baits.
Bottom fishing in 70-80’ of water has been producing plenty of action with gag grouper and black sea bass. Cigar minnows are also fooling the bottom fish.
Inshore, anglers are finding some solid fishing in the Cape Fear River around Wilmington, where they’re hooking striped bass, flounder, and red drum on green and white soft plastics.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that anglers are hooking solid numbers of king mackerel while trolling 10-12 miles offshore and, surprisingly, some Atlantic bonito have been mixed in. Cigar minnows and strip baits are fooling both.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that anglers are hooking solid numbers of speckled trout around the inlets, creeks, and channels inshore right now. Soft plastic shrimp imitations, grubs, and suspending lures by MirrOlure and Rapala have been fooling the specks.
Flounder are in many of the same areas and are feeding around live bottoms in the ocean as they prepare to head offshore for the winter. They’ll bite soft plastics or Carolina-rigged live baits.
Red drum are schooling up along the beachfront and biting a variety of baits and lures when it’s calm enough to fish the surf from a boat.
Ryan, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with plenty of bluefish while working Gotcha plugs and soaking cut baits off the pier.
Some false albacore are still in the mix and biting Gotchas and smaller casting lures like diamond jigs.
Bottom fishermen are hooking plenty of sea mullet on shrimp.
Some large schools of large red drum have been moving past the pier, but they’ve been a bit reluctant to bite.
The water is 66 degrees.
