Wrightsville Beach Winter 2004
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports a good king mackerel bite on cigar minnows in early November from the 10 mile areas off Wrightsville Beach and Topsail. The Cabbage Patch area was also hot at this time. Offshore, the grouper bite has been good around the 23 mile rock, with an 18 lb. grouper being weighed in. In the stream, the wahoo bite was good in early November, with a few sailfish and dolphin as well. Just off the beach the gray trout were being caught off Sheepshead Rock and John’s Creek. Off the jetties and in the surf there are some bluefish running 3 to 4 lbs., as well as black drum and red drum. A few nice speckled trout are being reported in the 18 to 20 inch range, and most are being taken on artificials.
Dickie, of Tidal Market II, reports that everything was biting when the weather cooperated. The gulf stream was yielding nice catches of wahoo, with tuna in the mix. Not much to report with the bottom fishermen, but king mackerel have been biting cigar minnows very well from 30 miles out all the way in to the beaches. Inshore, the flounder were moving to the inlets and 16 to 19 inch fish were being caught from Rich’s down to Masonboro. Speckled trout have been beginning to pile up in the inlets from Rich’s to Carolina Beach, with a few fish coming from creeks in the area. Grubs or mirrolures are working best so far. Red drum are in the inlets and along the surf eating most live baits.
Larry, of Johnnie Mercers Fishing Pier, reports a wide variety of catches, including flounder from 1 to 2 lbs., false albacore, Virginia. mullet up to 2 lbs., pompano up to 2.5 lbs., as well as a black drum up to 7 lbs. Three kings were landed in the beginning of November. They weighed in at 15.5, 21, and 22 lbs. The biggest catch of the early month was a 90 lb. bull shark caught by Rick Britt. Anglers have been using Gotcha plugs to get a few blues. And the pier’s great king mackerel season finished up on 11/8 with a 17.5 lb. fish.
Seth, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that drum and trout fishing has been very good. The specks are good in the inlets hitting shrimposters. The drum are being reported in creeks and in the surf in the Topsail area, with those fly fishing having good success. A few false albacore have been sighted, and the king mackerel fishing was going on in the 10 mile areas and beyond. On farther out, the tuna and wahoo were being picked up in the gulf stream, and a lot of boats are already taking trips for the bluefin tuna fishing that is getting started.
Lloyd, at Bug-Em Bait Co., reports blackfin tuna and wahoo were dominating the gulf stream catch. The kings weren’t quite as far, as they were about 10+ miles out. Grouper fishing has been very good 20+ miles off the beach, with pinfish being a good bait to start with. Closer to the shore, the flounder and gray trout were holding on the nearshore reefs. Speckled trout fishing has been very good in the inlets and creeks on the usual shrimp baits, mirrolures, and
