Wrightsville Beach September 29, 2011
Paul Gilbert with a 7 lb. flounder that bit a live finger mullet on a Carolina rig under a dock in Banks Channel near Wrightsville Beach.
Chip, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that anglers are finding some solid action with speckled trout and puppy drum around the inlets. MirrOlures, topwater plugs, and soft plastics are all attracting attention from the fish, and live baits are also effective.
Flounder are on the feed with the cooler weather, and anglers can find them at the nearshore reefs, in the inlets, around inshore structure, and in the marshes. Live finger mullet and mud minnows will tempt bites from the flatfish, and anglers can also cast scented soft plastics like Gulp baits with success.
Spanish mackerel are still on the feed just off Masonboro Inlet and up and down the beaches. Trolling Clarkspoons, squid rigs, and other small flashy lures will tempt plenty of bites from the spaniards. Anglers can also hook up by casting small metal lures to schools of fish feeding on the surface.
The king mackerel are finally making a small showing. Boats have reported action with the kings along the beachfront in Brunswick County, at spots on both sides of Frying Pan Shoals, and around 10-15 miles off the local beaches. With the coming cool weather, the fish should be feeding not far off Wrightsville and Carolina beaches in the coming weeks.
Menhaden and other live baits are the way to go for the kings.
The wahoo bite is still strong when boats get the weather to journey to local Gulf Stream spots like the Steeples and Same Ol’ Hole. Ballyhoo rigged under dark-colored skirts and baitless high-speed trolling lures will both tempt bites from the ‘hoos.
Bottom fishermen are reporting solid action with gag grouper and black sea bass at spots within 20 miles of the inlets. Live, dead, and cut baits are the way to go for the grouper. The bass will take an interest in smaller cut baits or squid.
Steve, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that anglers are starting to pick up good numbers of spot from the piers and in deeper areas off the ICW. Bloodworms on bottom rigs with very small hooks are the way to go for the tasty panfish.
Vann Fogelman and Jon Hargett with a wahoo they hooked while trolling in 200' of water off Wrightsville Beach.
Speckled trout are feeding around the inlets and creeks near Wrightsville, and anglers are catching decent numbers in the Cape Fear River between Snow’s Cut andBaldHeadIsland. Live shrimp are the best trout baits, but anglers can also tempt them to bite topwater plugs, MirrOlures, soft plastics, and other offerings.
The red drum bite is also solid around Wrightsville and in the lower Cape Fear. Recent flood tides have produced good opportunities to look for the reds on flooded grass flats and sight-cast to them with flies or weightless soft plastics.
When they’re not up in the grass, fishing the creeks, bays, and inlets with live baits, scented soft plastics, topwaters, spinnerbaits, and more will tempt bites from the reds.
Flounder fishing is solid right now, as the falling water temperatures have the fish feeding strong in the inlets. Live finger mullet and mud minnows or Gulp baits on jigheads and bucktails are the way to go for the flatfish.
The king mackerel bite is finally showing a few signs of life, and anglers found decent numbers along the beach at Oak Island last week. Live menhaden are fooling the majority of the kings that anglers are finding.
Bottom fishermen have been putting together good catches of gag grouper and black sea bass at structure in the 20 mile range lately. Squid, cut baits, live baits, and many other offerings will attract attention from the bass, grouper, and other bottom dwellers.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that anglers finally caught some king mackerel last week, with action in the 10-30 mile range off Wrightsville and decent reports coming from the southern beaches as well. Live menhaden are fooling most of the kings.
Flounder are feeding at bottom structure from the beaches out to the 10 mile range. Live baits on bucktails or Carolina rigs will tempt bites from the flatfish.
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that anglers caught decent numbers of king mackerel at spots 10-15 miles off Wrightsville last week while trolling cigar minnows on dead bait rigs.
Inshore, there’s been a good red drum bite around oyster bars in the marshes. Live finger mullet are tough for the reds to turn down.
Rob Lashin, of Hampstead, with an 8.75 lb. flounder that bit a live finger mullet on a jighead in the Cape Fear River while he was fishing with Ted Summerlin.
Warren, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are putting together good catches of spots in the evenings, especially when the water’s been a little dirty lately. Bloodworms are producing the best results.
Some pompano (including a few citation 2 pounders) and black drum are biting shrimp on bottom rigs.
Red drum and some flounder are taking an interest in small live baits under the pier.
Bluefish and an occasional spanish mackerel have been biting Gotcha plugs and other metal lures worked from the pier.
The water is 78 degrees.
