Wrightsville Beach September 2, 2010
Harold Burton with a sailfish he caught and released 12 miles off Wrightsville Beach. The sail fell for a dead cigar minnow on the downrigger while he was fishing with Dale Keller on the "Ultimate Lure."
Arlen, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the speckled trout bite has been solid in the Cape Fear River lately, and anglers are hooking the fish on topwater plugs in the early mornings and live baits later in the day. The bite’s been doing well both north and south of Snow’s Cut.
Red drum are feeding in the marshes from the river up to Topsail, and there have been some schools feeding in the surf as well. The bite’s been up and down, though, and live baits have been producing the most consistent results.
The flounder bite is still solid inshore around the inlets and in the marshes, and anglers also found good flounder action at nearshore structure in the ocean last week. Carolina-rigged live baits will fool the flatties inshore and off, but anglers can have equal or better results with the ocean fish while bouncing Gulp-tipped bucktails off the bottom.
King mackerel fishing’s been a little tough this week, but anglers are finding plenty of action with bailer dolphin around structure and bait 10-30 miles off the beaches. Some wahoo have been feeding around structure in the 20-30 mile range to keep things interesting for trollers, and there are a few sailfish in the same areas. Live and dead baits will fool the wahoo and sails. Bottom fishermen have been finding some action with gag grouper at spots 15-25 miles out, but the bite’s been a bit inconsistent. Live and cut baits or dead cigar minnows will attract bites from the gags when they’re on the feed. The red and scamp grouper bite has been a bit better, with the best action coming from structure in the 35 mile range. Some African pompano are feeding around high-relief structure in the same areas, and they will readily strike live baits.
Gulf Stream trollers are reporting an improving wahoo bite (with 6-8 shots a day) along with a few sailfish. Both rigged ballyhoo and skirted trolling lures are fooling the blue water fish.
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that fall fishing seems to have started early in the Gulf Stream, where anglers are hooking up with decent numbers of wahoo along with some blackfin tuna and sailfish. Ballyhoo under skirted trolling lures are producing most of the action in the Stream.
Sailfish are scattered inshore to the 23 mile range, and some dolphin (with a few gaffers in the mix) are feeding alongside them.
Chris Schwartz with a 31" red drum he hooked in the Wrightsville Beach surf on cut pinfish.
The grouper bite has been best 30 miles and further off the inlets. Barefoot Decoy jigs tipped with live or frozen baits have been particularly effective on the red, gag, and scamp groupers lately.
Some citation-class red drum have been on the hunt at bottom structure in the 10 mile range off Wrightsville, and anglers are hooking them while trolling live and dead baits king mackerel style.
Inshore, there’s been a good speckled trout bite (with fish to 6 lbs. reported) in the Cape Fear River. Anglers are fooling the fish on live baits, soft plastics, and topwater plugs.
Flounder and red drum are feeding around the inlets, near ICW docks, and in the marshes. Both will take an interest in live finger mullet or Gulp baits.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of large sharks just off the inlet around the sea buoy. Bluefish make excellent cut and live baits for the sharks.
The king bite’s been a bit slow, but anglers are catching some large (to 4+ lbs.) spanish mackerel around structure 5-10 miles offshore while trolling dead cigar minnows and squid.
Bottom fishing’s still hot in the 30 mile range, particularly to the south. Gag grouper, grunts, pinkies, and other bottom dwellers are feeding at structure in the area. Live baits are tops for the grouper, and anglers can tempt bites from the smaller bottom dwellers with cut baits or squid.
Deep-jigging on the edge of the Gulf Stream is producing fast action with some fat amberjacks (some to 90+ lbs.). Some blackfin tuna have been in the mix lately as well. Trolling in the same areas is also attracting attention from wahoo.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers are finding some solid action with red drum, speckled trout, and flounder in the lower Cape Fear River. The action’s best around grass islands, oyster rocks, and other structure, and live finger mullet are fooling all three fish.
Spanish mackerel fishing just off the inlets is going strong, and anglers are landing excellent numbers while trolling Clarkspoons and other lures.
Jake (age 4) and Jackson (age 9) Garrett and Lydia McCroy with a 7 lb., 7 oz. flounder that Jackson landed on a live pogy outside Snow's Cut while they were fishing with Greg Garrett. Weighed in at Island Tackle and Hardware.
Rob, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that pompano (some in the 2 lb. class) provided the most excitement at the pier last week. Anglers are hooking them on sand fleas, shrimp, and while jigging sabiki rigs.
A summertime mix of other bottom feeders is producing fast action for anglers baiting up with small pieces of shrimp.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel have been somewhat hit-or-miss lately, but anglers are landing a few while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
The water is a steamy 86 degrees.
