Wrightsville Beach September 16, 2010
Peter Park, from College Point, NY, with a 36 lb. gag grouper he hooked on a white Spro bucktail tipped with a glow grub in 120' of water inshore of the Same Ol' Hole while fishing with Capt. Mike Jackson of Live Line Charters.
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the Gulf Stream bite has finally turned on, and boats making the run to bluewater last week found an excellent wahoo bite at local spots like the Same Ol’ and the Nipple. Rigged ballyhoo under dark-colored trolling lures are the most effective baits for the ‘hoos.
The king mackerel bite has been slim to nonexistent lately, but anglers are hooking up with some African pompano on live baits in the vicinity of Frying Pan Tower.
The grouper bite has been solid around bottom structure from 18 miles on out, with anglers hooking up with gags at the closer spots, and then with gags, reds, and scamps in deeper water. Live, cut, and frozen baits will all attract attention from the groupers.
Plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish (both up to 5 lbs.) are feeding along the beaches, and anglers can hook big numbers while trolling Clarkspoons and other lures. Or they can target the larger fish with small live finger mullet and pogies.
Surf fishermen are starting to see good numbers of whiting and pompano, with both hitting shrimp and sand fleas.
Some red drum are also feeding in the surf, and anglers can tempt them to bite cut baits, finger mullet, or Gulps.
The red bite has also been on in the creeks and marshes inshore, where the fish will take an interest in live baits, Gulps and other soft plastics, topwater plugs, and other lures.
The flounder bite is also solid inshore in the marshes, creeks, and around deeper structure off the ICW. Live finger mullet and pogies on Carolina rigs are tough to beat for the flatfish.
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that the red drum bite is still solid in the backwaters from Topsail on down to the Cape Fear River. Anglers are fooling the reds on Gulps, topwater plugs, live baits, and more.
Some speckled trout are still in the mix in the Cape Fear River and in the creeks closer to Wrightsville. Soft plastics, topwater plugs, and MirrOlures will all attract attention from the specks.
Sheepshead are feeding around hard inshore structure (like bridge and dock pilings), and anglers can tempt them to bite sand fleas, fiddler crabs, and other small crustaceans.
Harley Lawson, of Wilmington, with a 35 lb. wahoo he hooked on a skirted marlin lure while trolling at the Same Ol' Hole aboard the "Doctor M."
Off the beaches, the spanish mackerel bite is still hot, and some false albacore are starting to show up off the area’s inlets. Casting small metal lures at the schools of spanish and albacore while they’re feeding on top will tempt them to bite.
Some tarpon are still cruising along the beaches.
The king mackerel bite is still slow, but anglers have seen a few cobia in the typical king spots lately, and live pogies will tempt them to bite.
Gag grouper are moving in closer to the beaches, and anglers reported some from as close as 10 miles off Topsail. Live baits are the ticket to bites from the larger groupers.
Gulf Stream trollers found a much better bite over the past week than they’ve seen all summer, reporting excellent wahoo fishing, good numbers of blackfin tuna, and some sailfish and white marlin. Rigged ballyhoo will fool all the bluewater predators.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that anglers trolling the Gulf Stream have found a solid wahoo bite lately, mostly along the break from 250-350’ of water. Some blackfin tuna are feeding slightly shallower, and anglers can tempt them to bite trolled lures or hook up while vertical jigging.
Jigging along the break is producing fast action with oversized amberjacks and a few grouper bites.
Anglers bottom fishing in 120-140’ are hooking up with good numbers of red and gag grouper, triggerfish, some beeliners, and plenty of other bottom dwellers.
Rick, of Rod-Man Charters, reports that there was an excellent red drum bite (with fish to well over 30”) last week along the ICW at docks and along grass edges. Live finger mullet and Gulp baits on light jigheads produced the lion’s share of action with the reds.
Rob Boline, of Marine Warehouse, with a sailfish he hooked at the 5 Mile Boxcars on a dead ballyhoo while fishing from his 17' Jones Brothers skiff.
Rob, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking up with (but not always getting to the pier deck) some fat (3-5 lbs.) flounder lately. Some over-slot red drum are in the mix, and both are falling for live finger mullet and D.O.A. shrimp on Carolina rigs.
Bottom fishermen are decking some whiting, a few spot, and spadefish, with the best action early and late in the day. Shrimp are producing the most action.
The spanish mackerel bite has been decent (with some fish to 3-4 lbs.), and anglers are hooking the spaniards on Gotcha plugs and live baits.
The water is 83 degrees.
