Wrightsville Beach October 11, 2012
Dave Moore, Harold Byerly, and Michael Hodgson with a wahoo that fell for a high-speed lure just inshore of the Same Ol' Hole while they were fishing out of Wrightsville Beach on the "Beats Workin'."
Ryan, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream are finding plenty of action with wahoo and blackfin tuna. Most are trolling skirted ballyhoo for the wahoo and smaller lures for the tuna. Both fish will readily respond to vertical jigs, and the blackfins will sometimes even bite topwater poppers.
King mackerel have finally made a strong appearance, and anglers found action with them last week from the ocean piers to locations well offshore. Live baits like bluefish and menhaden are the best bets for the kings near the beaches, but dead baits will also work, particularly further offshore.
Spanish mackerel have also put on the fall feedbag, and anglers are hooking big numbers from the piers and from boats. Pier anglers are catching the fish on Gotcha plugs and other flashy metal lures, and boaters are putting together big catches while trolling Clarkspoons and casting diamond jigs or Gotchas to fish that they see working on the surface. Small live baits often produce the largest fish (like an 8-pounder caught last week).
Inshore, the speckled trout bite is getting started around the inlets and in the creeks. Anglers are hooking the specks on live baits, Gulps and other soft plastics, topwater plugs, and suspending hard baits. The trout action should only improve as the water cools off and fall wears on.
Flounder fishing remains strong inshore, with many of the fish on the move towards the inlets as the water temperature drops. Live baits and Gulps are both top choices for the flatfish.
Red drum are feeding in their usual haunts all over the inshore waters. All the artificials and baits that anglers cast for trout and flounder are also effective on the reds.
Jon, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that the buzz lately has been speckled trout as the bite gets in gear for the fall. Anglers are finding the fish in the creeks, around the inlets, and near inshore structure in the ICW and Cape Fear River. Live shrimp and mud minnows or a wide variety of soft and hard artificial baits will tempt bites from the specks.
Steve Powell, Eric McGraw, Tim Vandenberg, Jay Rogers, Jack Landry, and David Hardin with 10 wahoo they hooked on both skirted ballyhoo and high-speed trolling lures while fishing 55 miles off Masonboro Inlet with Capt. Ken Upton on the "Gamekeeper."
Anglers are finding red drum on the flats, around the inlets, and near structure inshore. They’re taking an interest in live baits, Gulps and other soft plastics, topwater plugs, and other offerings.
There are still good numbers of flounder feeding inshore and in the inlets. Live finger mullet and mud minnows and Gulp soft baits are the best bets for putting the flatfish in the boat.
Outside the inlets, the spanish mackerel bite has been excellent recently. The fish are feeding around the inlets, along the beachfront, and at nearshore structure. Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers is producing the biggest numbers of spanish, but anglers are hooking up on light tackle while casting metal lures as well. Small live baits often produce the largest spaniards when anglers can find concentrations of feeding fish.
King mackerel have also made a big showing recently, with good numbers of fish feeding from the beaches out to structure in the 20-30 mile range. Live baits are the way to go for the biggest kings.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with some gag grouper at structure within 20 miles of the beaches. Red and scamp grouper are at deeper structure 30+ miles off. Live and dead baits are both effective on the grouper.
Gulf Stream trollers are putting together some excellent catches of wahoo while pulling skirted ballyhoo and baitless high-speed lures along the break. Some blackfin tuna, dolphin, and sailfish are also in the mix and falling for the same baits.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that the king mackerel bite has been red-hot lately, with some of the best action around 10 miles offshore. A few cobia have also been in the same areas, and anglers are hooking both on dead bait rigs.
The grouper bite’s been a bit slow lately, but anglers are hooking plenty of other bottom feeders like grunts and triggerfish at spots 10-15 miles out.
Spanish mackerel fishing within a few miles of the beaches has been excellent lately, and anglers are hooking big numbers (and big fish) while trolling Clarkspoons and casting metal lures to fish feeding on the surface.
Kayla Langley, of Hampstead, NC, with a 23" gray trout that bit a live finger mullet near at some nearshore structure off Carolina Beach while she was fishing with T.J. Dineen and Kyle Lewis.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel action around Masonboro Inlet is going strong (with small fish mixed in with some very large ones). Clarkspoons trolled behind planers and torpedo weights are fooling the majority of the mackerel.
King mackerel have shown up in force, and good reports are coming in from the beaches to offshore structure in the 20 mile range.
The wahoo bite is on in the Gulf Stream, and anglers are seeing double-digit catches on some days. Most of the fish are falling for ballyhoo rigged under skirted trolling lures. Blackfin and skipjack tuna are feeding in the same areas, and anglers also are seeing a few sailfish out in the blue water.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that bottom fishermen haven’t seen many spot yet, but pompano, sea mullet, puffers, and other panfish are keeping them busy until the spot arrive. Shrimp and bloodworms are the best baits.
Flounder and red drum are also feeding around the pier and falling for live baits.
Plug casters are hooking big numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish while working Gotchas from the planks.
Live-baiters finally saw some king mackerel action last week, putting three on the deck. .
The water is 77 degrees.
