Wrightsville Beach September 12, 2013
Andrew Hurd with a 7 lb. flounder that struck a live finger mullet near a Wrightsville Beach dock. Weighed in at Tex’s Tackle.
Hunter, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are seeing some solid spanish mackerel action along the beachfront at Wrightsville. Both trolling and casting have been effective lately. Clarkspoons and daisy chains pulled behind planers and torpedo weights have been putting the fish in the boat for trollers, and casters are hooking up on metal jigs like Shore Lure Glass Minnows.
Ladyfish are feeding around the inlets and lit structure in the evening hours. The acrobatic tarpon relatives will bite a wide variety of artificials, but small topwater plugs are some of the most fun.
Surf casters are connecting with some red drum, flounder, bluefish, and pompano from Wrightsville’s shores. Shrimp, sand fleas, and finger mullet are producing most of the action.
There’s also been some solid flounder, drum, and trout action in the inlets and creeks, where Gulps, other soft baits, or live baits will fool all three.
Flounder are also feeding at nearshore structure in the ocean, where live baits or bucktail/Gulp combos are producing results. Some large (to 40”+) red drum are hanging around the same areas and biting the same offerings.
Anglers are seeing a few king mackerel along the beach, with more feeding from the 10 mile range on out. Live menhaden are top choices for the kings, but anglers who don’t have live baits can hook up while pulling cigar minnows on dead bait rigs.
Bottom fishermen are reporting good black sea bass and gag grouper action at structure from 70’ on out. Squid and cut baits will fool the bass and other smaller bottom dwellers, while cigar minnows or live baits like pinfish are top choices for the grouper.
Anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream are reporting some excellent wahoo action from the Steeples all the way to the Swansboro Hole, with a few blackfin tuna mixed in. Both ballyhoo paired with skirted lures and high-speed artificials will tempt bites from the wahoo.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been solid around Wrightsville recently, but anglers may have to weed through some small fish to find the keepers. Trolled Clarkspoons are fooling the majority of the spaniards.
Flounder fishing has been good inshore and at nearshore structure in the ocean. Live baits and Gulp-tipped bucktails are both attracting attention from the flatfish.
Megan Coggins, of Pleasant Garden, NC, with a stout king mackerel that bit a dead cigar minnow while she was trolling off Wrightsville Beach near the 200/200 with her father on the “Baitfish.”
There’s also been a good red drum bite around the inlets and in the creeks inshore. Live shrimp and finger mullet have been the best bets for the reds recently.
Offshore, anglers are seeing scattered king mackerel action from the beach out to the 10 mile range. There’s been a better bite 20-25 miles out, and anglers hooked solid numbers of dolphin in that area last week as well. Rigged ballyhoo and dead cigar minnows are fooling both the dolphin and kings.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that there was an excellent dolphin bite around 23 mile Rock last week. Decent numbers of king mackerel and a few stray wahoo are in the same area, and all are falling for trolled ballyhoo.
Bottom fishing in the same range is producing plenty of action with gag grouper, black sea bass, grunts, and more.
Closer to the beaches, some large spanish mackerel were feeding around structure in 50-60’ of water last week and biting trolled spoons readily.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that anglers are hooking flounder at nearshore structure like the Liberty Ship. Carolina-rigged finger mullet are producing most of the action, and they are also fooling some fat gray trout in the area.
Some big spanish mackerel are feeding in many of the same areas and will attack small metal casting jigs when they’re chasing bait on the surface.
There’s still decent action with red drum in the inlets and around ICW docks. Live and cut baits are tempting bites from the reds.
Trevor, of ProFishNC Charters, reports that anglers are hooking gray trout, flounder, and a variety of smaller bottom feeders at nearshore structure within a few miles of the inlets. Both live finger mullet and bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp baits are proving effective.
Steve, of Johnnie Mercers Pier, reports that plug casters are hooking good numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish while working Gotchas from the pier.
Flounder are still falling for small live baits under the pier, and anglers are starting to see a few more keepers in the mix.
Bottom fishing has been producing spot and sea mullet in the evening hours. Both shrimp and bloodworms are fooling the panfish.
The water is 83 degrees.
