Added on Thursday, September 27, 2012  Gary Hurley

Wrightsville Beach September 27, 2012

Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers saw some excellent surf fishing from the sand at Wrightsville over the weekend. Red and black drum, flounder, pompano, sea mullet, sheepshead, and more were hooked by local surf casters last week. Shrimp, sand fleas, and finger mullet have been fooling most of the fish.

Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding just off the shoreline, and anglers caught good numbers from the pier last week while working Gotcha plugs. Trolling Clarkspoons and casting metal jigs from boats has also been rather effective. Some false albacore are in the same area and chasing bait as well. They’ll respond to the same tactics.

Inshore anglers continue to catch big numbers of flounder around docks, in the marshes and creeks, and around the inlets. Live mud minnows and finger mullet, as well as Gulp baits, are fooling the majority of the flatfish.

Red drum are feeding in many of the same areas and are vulnerable to the same baits.

Offshore, anglers bottom fishing at spots 25-40 miles out reported a productive weekend, with good catches of grouper, red snapper, triggerfish, grunts, porgies, and more. Dead cigar minnows, sardines, and squid are fooling most of the bottom feeders, with some of the larger grouper falling for live baits.

Anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream are finding that the excellent wahoo bite is still going. Trolling ballyhoo with skirted lures on the surface and behind diving planers is producing most of the action, but anglers are also connecting with the fish while dragging baitless high speed lures.

Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that anglers found good numbers of red drum feeding in the surf off Wrightsville and Figure Eight last week. The fish have also been plentiful in the creeks, around docks and other structure, and in the Cape Fear River. Live and cut baits, Gulps and other soft plastics, and topwater plugs are all excellent choices for anglers looking for the reds.

The flounder bite has also been solid locally and in the river over the past week (with some big fish to 10+ lbs. weighed in). Live finger mullet and menhaden are fooling the majority of the flatfish, but anglers are also hooking plenty on Gulps and other soft plastic baits.

Speckled trout are beginning to show up around Wrightsville Beach and the adjacent waters, with most of the action in the creeks and around the inlets. Live shrimp are tough to beat for the specks, but anglers can also hook up while working soft plastics, topwater plugs, and suspending hard baits like MirrOlure MR17’s.

Bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding around Masonboro Inlet and within a few miles of the beach on both sides. Trolling Clarkspoons or casting small metal jigs to fish feeding on the surface is the way to fool both speedy nearshore pelagics. Some false albacore are showing up in the same areas and are vulnerable to the same tactics.

King mackerel are making an appearance nearshore, with several caught on local piers lately and more at spots from the beach out to the 20 mile range.

The wahoo bite is still exceptional for boats making the run to the Gulf Stream, and anglers are hooking most of the fish on skirted ballyhoo.

Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that blackfin tuna have shown up in force in the Gulf Stream, and anglers are hooking big numbers on vertical jigs and topwater poppers (with many 20-30+ lbs.). Wahoo are also putting on the fall feedbag at local Gulf Stream spots, and anglers are hooking them trolling and jigging.

A few dolphin are left in the Stream and inshore to the 40 mile range, but they’ll be heading south before long.

Bottom fishing at spots 40-50 miles out is producing plenty of action with red and scamp grouper, along with smaller bottom feeders like beeliners, triggerfish, grunts, and more. Live, dead, and cut baits, along with vertical jigs will tempt bites from the bottom dwellers.

Closer to the beach, there’s still a decent flounder bite around structure in 30-50’ of water. Scented soft plastics on bucktails are tempting most of the bites from the flatfish.

Lynn, of Shearwater Charters, reports that anglers are still catching plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish while trolling Clarkspoons around Masonboro Inlet and a few miles offshore.

Some king mackerel have been falling for live and dead baits and trolled spoons around 10 miles offshore lately.

Anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream are connecting with wahoo and blackfin tuna, and a few straggler dolphin are also in the area. Rigged ballyhoo are fooling the blue water predators.

Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel and bluefish bite around Masonboro Inlet is still going. Trolled Clarkspoons are fooling most of the fish.

Some false albacore are feeding in the same areas as the spanish and blues, and they’ll bite trolled Clarkspoons or metal jigs cast into schools of fish chasing bait on the surface.

Steve, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that live-baiters landed a 35 lb. king mackerel from the end of the pier last week.

Good numbers of spanish mackerel and bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier.

Some slot red drum and flounder are taking an interest in small live baits fished under the pier.

Bottom fishermen baiting up with shrimp are connecting with some sea mullet.

The water is 79 degrees.