Wrightsville Beach – September 15, 2016
Matt, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that false albacore and spanish mackerel have been feeding heavily right off the beach. Most anglers have been able to find the fish by spotting birds or fish feeding on the surface, but the artificial reefs are also holding these fish. The spanish have mostly been on the smaller side off of Wrightsville Beach.
Paige (age 5) and Shea Rushing with a 28.5 red drum that Paige caught and released at Wrightsville Beach. The fish fell for a live finger mullet while the duo was fishing with Capt. Jamie Rushing of Seagate Charters.
Trolling anglers have been having success with Blue Water Candy Spanish Daisy Chains, Yo-Zuri Deep Divers, and #0 Clarkspoons behind a #1 planer or 2-4 oz. trolling weight. Shore Lures and Epoxy jigs in natural colors (in the 3/4 – 1 1/4 oz. range) have been working for casting to fish that are on the surface.
Surface feeding fish do not respond well to being trolled through. Trolling around the edges will keep the fish up and increase the odds of hooking up for you and other boaters in the area. Approach surface feeding fish slowly while casting because motoring in too loudly will push the bait and the fish down in the water column.
Flounder are being caught at the ledges and wrecks just off the beach, along with a few gray trout. There has been plenty of big red drum caught recently. The cobia have made a decent showing, along with a few tarpon and plenty of sharks.
Marianne Bonser, of the Netherlands, with a 31 lb. king caught from Johnnie Mercers Pier on a live bluefish.
Surf anglers are reporting bluefish, some larger sea mullet, pompano, croaker, black drum, and flounder. A few spanish mackerel are being reported on casting jigs early and late in the day. A few slot-sized drum have been caught near the inlets on cut bait. Anglers fishing large cut bait should have plenty of action with sharks and skates.
The arrival of fall should bring more king mackerel closer to the beach. Anglers have been seeing decent numbers of 10-15 lb. fish with some pushing 25-30 lbs. The smaller fish can be caught with Drone spoons or dead cigar minnows, whereas the larger fish have been preferring live pogies or bluefish.
Along with the kings, the gag grouper will soon begin their inshore push for the fall. Fishermen have been finding them as close to the beach as 65’, though the best of the grouper fishing is still in the 100-130’ range. In the same range, boaters are seeing a good mix of reds, scamps, gags, and the occasional rock or red hind. If you are looking to put some fish in the cooler, anglers are doing well on the seabass, triggers, pinkies, beeliners, and grunts by dropping smaller chunks of squid or fish to the bottom.
Gulf Stream anglers have reported improving catches of good-sized wahoo. There has also been consistent fishing for blackfin tuna on green machines and cedar plugs. The tuna are being caught hanging around bottom structure and along temperature breaks. The wahoo have been keying in on larger baits under dark skirts run on the planer.
There are still a few sailfish around as well.
Patrick Goncalez, of Wilmington, with a 70 lb. wahoo caught off Wrightsville. The fish fell for a trolled ballyhoo.
Trevor, of ProFish NC, reports that flounder are feeding heavily on nearshore ledges and reefs. The fish are beginning to push closer inshore to capitalize on the mullet run that is beginning to happen.
Large grunts, sea bass, and triggerfish are being found in the 1-10 mile range from the beach. The “feeder” and fall kings are starting to show up in the nearshore waters. Look for the “mini-run” of cobia coming up towards the end of the month and the first part of October.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are widely distributed in the 18-43’ range, with Clarkspoons and planers as the best method.
Red drum have been hitting topwater plugs well in the first hour of “seeing light,” and the bite has continued longer on overcast days. The fish are holding around oyster rocks and grassy shorelines.
Bair Kuneyl (age 7) with a 27 redfish caught on a live pogie while fishing near Wrightsville Beach.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that spanish, false albacore, bluefish, and bar jacks have all been biting well this past week around Wrightsville Beach. Blue Water Candy casting jigs are working great thrown to the schools of surface feeding fish.
Red drum are biting well in area creeks and along the ICW. Live finger mullet or menhaden on Carolina rigs have been getting the bites, and cut baits have also been producing some action with the reds.
A few speckled trout have been caught this week on Rapala Skitterwalks, X-Raps, and Yo-Zuri Crystal Shrimp. The flounder bite continues to provide action inshore and just off the beach around structure.
Bob McCarter with a gag grouper caught while bottom fishing at the break between the Same Ole and the Steeples. The fish was caught on a two hook bottom rig with squid.
Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that wahoo action has been good, with the best fishing being found close to the “break.” The wahoo are biting wire rigged ballyhoo behind #6 and #8 planers.
In the 20 mile range there have been a few kings, and dead cigar minnows and Drone spoons are getting the bites.
Closer towards the beach, spanish mackerel fishing has been quite productive as of late. The fish are being caught with planers and spoons. Surface feeding fish are hitting small metal jigs retrieved quickly through the school.
Beau McCollum, of Wilmington, with a 29 red drum caught on live shrimp in the Cape Fear River.
Brian, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that spanish and blues are being caught plugging. Bottom fishermen are seeing good numbers of undersized red and black drum, and the fish are eating shrimp and Fishbites. There are lots of houndfish being hooked on Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs.
Tarpon have made a strong showing recently, along with undersized cobia. Most of the cobia have been caught on the bottom on shrimp, while the tarpon have been eating live baits offered on the end of the pier.
The water temperature is 81 degrees.
Chris McDougald with a 22.5 lb. citation blackfin tuna caught on a skirted ballyhoo at the Steeples. He was fishing with Capt. Jon Blanchard.
