Wrightsville Beach October 14, 2010
Charles Donohoe, of Wilmington, with an over-slot red drum he hooked on a whole finger mullet at the south end of Wrightsville Beach.
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers have finally been able to make it to the Gulf Stream, and they’ve found some solid fishing. Boats are picking up some wahoo while trolling the blue water, and one group released a pair of blue marlin last week. Ballyhoo rigged under skirted trolling lures will fool the Gulf Stream predators.
Bottom fishermen have been reporting solid action with red grouper in the 30-50 mile range, with gags feeding inshore to the 15 mile areas. Live baits are tops for the grouper, but dead cigar minnows and a variety of other baits will get their attention.
The fall king mackerel bite has finally begun, with anglers finding fish along the beaches to the north and south and at offshore spots as well. Live baits like pogies are the best way to tempt bites from the kings.
Surf fishermen are finding some action with pompano and whiting while baiting up with shrimp and sand fleas.
Bluefish are all over the area, with some particularly large specimens showing up around Carolina Beach Inlet recently.
Some speckled trout have begun to show up at the Masonboro jetties and inshore at Wrightsville (and just north of Wrightsville). Live shrimp, soft plastics, and MirrOlures are the way to go for the specks.
The flounder bite has been decent everywhere but the Cape Fear River, where the rains still have the fish turned off. Live finger mullet and other baits (or Gulp baits) will fool the flatfish, and anglers can find them in the surf zone, the inlets, and the creeks, marshes, and deeper holes inshore.
The red drum bite has been solid in the surf and the creeks lately. Topwater plugs, Gulps, and live baits are solid choices for the reds.
Rob Tennille, Grayson Irwin, and Steve Bunch with a 36 lb. wahoo Grayson hooked on an 8th brithday trip to the Gulf Stream with Capt. Mel Miller on the "Mara III." A skirted ballyhoo fooled the fish.
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that anglers have been finding some solid flounder action around the Masonboro jetties and at nearshore structure over recent weeks. Live finger mullet and other baits will attract attention from the flatties.
The speckled trout bite is improving in the area’s inlets and inshore around the creeks. White Gulp baits have been producing plenty of action with the specks lately.
Red drum are feeding in the creeks, but there haven’t been many reported in the bays lately.
Off the beaches, the king mackerel bite is turning on, both nearshore and on out to structure in the 20 mile range. A few cobia have been reported around 5 miles offshore as well. Live pogies and other baits will fool the kings and cobes.
Some African pompano are still feeding at structure 15+ miles off the beaches, and live baits will get their attention.
Offshore, the Gulf Stream is still producing some decent fishing for boats making the run. Wahoo, some dolphin, blackfin tuna, and a decent number of sailfish have been reported recently. Ballyhoo rigged under skirted trolling lures will fool all the blue water predators.
Rick, of Rod-Man Charters, reports that there’s been a solid red drum bite at structure in the ICW and Cape Fear River on live and cut baits lately.
The flounder action’s been solid in the inlets and the Carolina Beach boat basin lately. Live finger mullet and pearl white Gulp baits have both been attracting attention from the flatfish.
Bluefish (some to 3 lbs.) are feeding in the inlets and along the beachfront. Yo-Zuri Deep Divers have been particularly effective on the blues lately.
Keira Thigpen (age 7), from Wilmington, with a gag grouper she hooked on a cut bait while fishing a ledge 20 miles off Masonboro Inlet with her father and friends.
Danny, of 96 Charter Company, reports that there was some decent striped bass action in the Cape Fear River last week, but the influx of fresh water has pushed big numbers of gar down the river and slowed down the striper action. Soft plastics and trolling lures were fooling the stripers, and they should continue to do so once the fresh water clears out of the area.
Rob, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that live-baiters caught several barracuda and a large blacktip shark last week and had a king mackerel bite.
Plug casters have been catching plenty of bluefish (some to 5 lbs.), and the smaller blues are biting just about anything that anglers drop in the water.
The flounder fishing has been solid (with good numbers of keepers) for anglers dropping mud minnows and other live baits near the pilings.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with pompano (a few to 2.5 lbs.), croaker, whiting, and some spot.
The water has fallen to 76 degrees.
