Wrightsville Beach October 10, 2013
Dave Moore with a wahoo that bit a high-speed lure near the Same Ol’ Hole while he was fishing with Barron Glenn.
Hunter, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that fall fishing is upon the area.
Spot have begun to show up in the creeks and ICW, and more should be on the way.
Anglers are finding action with flounder in the creeks, marshes, inlets, and around inshore and nearshore structure (with some fish to 8 lbs. weighed in recently). Most are falling for live finger mullet, but Gulp baits and other soft plastics are also getting attention from the flatfish.
Red drum are feeding in many of the same places as the flatfish and taking an interest in topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live and cut baits.
Despite the recent warm weather, anglers are connecting with speckled trout around the inlets, primarily on soft plastic baits. A few gray trout are mixed in.
Surf casters are connecting with some flounder and red drum while baiting up with finger mullet or working soft plastics.
Off the beaches, the spanish mackerel bite has been excellent. Trolling Clarkspoons is putting big numbers of the fish in boats, but anglers are also doing well while casting metal jigs on lighter tackle to fish feeding on the surface. Good numbers of false albacore are mixed in and also taking an interest in the casting lures.
King mackerel have been feeding from the beachfront to the 20 mile range (with good numbers to 20+ lbs.). Live baits like menhaden and bluefish are fooling the majority of the kings.
David Robinette, of Reidsville, NC, with a 7 lb. flounder he hooked on a live finger mullet near Mason’s Inlet.
Bottom fishermen are reporting solid grouper and black sea bass action around structure 15-40+ miles out. Squid, cigar minnows, sardines, and a variety of other baits are attracting attention from the bottom feeders.
Amberjacks are schooled up around high-relief structure from the 20 mile range on out. They’ll bite live baits, vertical jigs, and, at times, topwater plugs.
Boaters making the run to the Gulf Stream are reporting an excellent wahoo bite, with both skirted ballyhoo and high-speed trolling lures producing plenty of action in 150-300’ of water. Blackfin tuna are in the same areas and falling for the same baits along with vertical jigs and topwater plugs. A few dolphin and sailfish are mixed in as well.
Trevor, of ProFishNC Charters, reports that big numbers of gray trout are feeding at live bottoms and other structure 3-6 miles off Wrightsville. Anglers are hooking them while working diamond jigs just off the bottom.
Flounder are also looking for meals around the nearshore structure and on out to the 10 mile range. Anglers can fool the flatfish with Carolina-rigged live baits or Gulp-tipped bucktail jigs.
Spanish mackerel and false albacore are busting bait within a few miles of the beachfront, and both are falling for flashy casting jigs worked around the melee.
Cobia have shown back up within 10 miles of shore, so anglers should be prepared with a bucktail jig or live pitch bait in case one of the curious fish shows up to check out the boat.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that there’s been some good action with king mackerel, dolphin, and amberjacks in the 15-25 mile range off Wrightsville recently. Anglers can hook all three fish while trolling live or dead baits around bottom structure and suspended bait concentrations.
Capt. Jon Huff, of Circle H Charters, and Stan Pigman, from Virginia, with a 43″ red drum that bit a Gulp jerkshad in the Cape Fear River.
Bottom fishing around structure in that same range and a bit closer to land is producing plenty of black sea bass and some gag grouper action. Dead cigar minnows, sardines, and squid will all tempt bites from the bottom dwellers.
Closer to the beachfront, spanish mackerel and false albacore are chasing bait on the surface. Anglers can either cast metal jigs into the action to hook up or troll flashy lures like Clarkspoons in the same areas with success.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that blackfin tuna have made their fall appearance at Wrightsville’s local Gulf Stream spots. Anglers are hooking the blackfins while trolling and while working vertical jigs and topwater poppers and stickbaits around fish feeding on the surface or visible on the depth sounder.
Good numbers of wahoo are also feeding in the same areas and attacking skirted ballyhoo and other trolling lures.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers landed several king mackerel while live-baiting from the end of the pier last week (most 20-25 lbs.).
Plug casters have been catching good numbers of spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
Flounder are falling for live baits fished on the bottom (with some fish over 4 lbs. recently).
Bottom fishermen baiting up with shrimp and bloodworms are hooking spot and sea mullet during the evening hours.
The water is 78 degrees.
