Wrightsville Beach November 8, 2007
Chris, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are finally seeing good numbers of speckled trout in areas outside the river. Anglers have been tight-lipped about exactly where they are catching many of the trout, but the bays and creeks behind Masonboro Island have been producing decent numbers of fish. The trout have been biting topwater plugs well over the past week, and anglers can also hook up with the specks on live finger mullet, shrimp, Gulp baits, and other soft plastics.
Flounder fishing is still good inshore, where anglers are hooking up with the flatfish around structure and creeks off the ICW and in the inlets. Live finger mullet fished on Carolina rigs are the top flatfish producers, but anglers casting Gulp baits on jigheads can also tempt the fish to bite.
Red drum are feeding in the same inshore areas as the flounder, as well as in the inlets and the surf zone. Inshore, the drum will fall for the same baits and lures anglers are using for flounder and trout. In the inlets and surf, cut baits and finger mullet are likely to draw their attention.
Surf anglers are also hooking up with pompano, whiting, and spots while baiting bottom rigs with shrimp and sand fleas.
King mackerel are still running the beaches, and a number were caught from the pier last week. The cooling water temperatures will soon trigger the king’s offshore migration, however, so anglers should get in on the nearshore bite while they still can.
False albacore are beginning to show up around the live bottoms and AR’s off Wrightsville, and anglers are likely to find these hard fighters anywhere they can locate concentrations of bait. Small metal casting lures and flies are the best imitations of the small forage fish the albacore usually prefer, and boats can also troll small Clarkspoons around the breaking schools with success.
The grouper bite is still good when the weather allows boats to get out to the fish. Although there are some gags feeding closer to the beaches, most boats are running the 30+ miles it takes to get into the red and scamp grouper bite.
Gulf Stream action should be excellent when boats can get back out to the blue water. Last week, the few anglers who went out reported good catches of wahoo and blackfin tuna, along with some sailfish. A few yellowfin tuna have begun to show up as well.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that the rapidly falling water temperatures have spurred the fall fishing into gear.
The speckled trout bite is heating up in the backwaters near Masonboro Island. The fish have been quite willing to hit topwaters recently, but when they aren’t, Gulp baits and live baits should entice them to strike.
Some red drum and fat 2-3 lb. bluefish are feeding in the same areas the trout are, and both will also readily strike topwaters or subsurface baits.
Flounder and drum are also looking for meals in the creeks to the north, and both will fall for a leadhead/grub combination.
Anglers are catching some gray trout at the nearshore live bottom areas, such as John’s Creek, but most are running on the small side. Some very large (up to 40+ lb.) red drum are hanging around the live bottoms, too, and they’ll take the same jigging lures anglers are using for gray trout, providing serious battles on trout tackle.
A few spanish mackerel are still around the nearshore structure, but they won’t be around for much longer if the water temperature continues to fall quickly.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that anglers are catching some quality gray trout at nearshore structure off Pleasure Island (such as the Marriott Reef). The trout will bite jigging lures, such as Stingsilvers, or Carolina-rigged mullet and other baits. Interestingly, last week the trout seemed to bite much better when anglers were fishing from an anchored boat instead of drifting.
Inshore, speckled trout fishing is getting good behind Masonboro Island, and anglers are catching a few red drum there as well.
Neil, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching good numbers of a variety of fish. Spot are beginning to show up, and they will eagerly bite bloodworm baits.
Anglers using bottom rigs baited with shrimp, crabs, and sand fleas are landing whiting, pompano, and black drum.
Some over-the-slot red drum are hanging around the pier as well, and finger mullet, cut mullet, and whole shrimp are attracting attention from the big reds.
Anglers decked a decent number of spanish mackerel (up to 3.5 lbs.) last week, both on plugs and live baits.
Anglers fishing live baits from the end of the pier have seen some fast action with king mackerel in the recent weeks, with the largest weighing 26 lbs. Live bluefish and threadfin herring have been drawing most of the king bites.
The water temperature is 74 degrees.
