Wrightsville Beach Winter 2010-2011
Duane Auman with a 40 lb. wahoo that attacked a ballyhoo on a Barefoot Chin Weight rig near the Same Ol' Hole while he was fishing with Todd Byrd.
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the speckled trout bite is still going on (with plenty of small fish but some larger ones in the mix). The best fishing locally has been around the Masonboro jetties, but anglers are also putting together decent catches in the lower Cape Fear River. Gulp baits, other soft plastics, and MirrOlures are producing most of the action with the trout.
Anglers are still reporting a handful of red drum in the Wrightsville surf, and the fish are schooling on the shoals of many of the local inlets. Gulp baits and MirrOlures are also attracting attention from the reds.
Anglers are hooking up with some whiting in the surf and the lower Cape Fear, and they’re biting bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Black sea bass fishing should remain excellent in the 20 mile range for most of the winter. The bass will take an interest in small jigging lures or nearly any natural bait pinned to a bottom rig.
Grouper fishing had been good around bottom structure 20-40 miles out, but the recent cold snap has likely pushed the action a bit further offshore. Live, dead, and cut baits and vertical jigs will draw bites from the groupers.
At last report, the Gulf Stream fishing was still going strong, with anglers reporting action with wahoo, sailfish, blackfin tuna, and even a few yellowfins (to around 30 lbs.). Trolling skirted ballyhoo or baitless lures will attract attention from the blue water predators, and as long as warm water is within range of local boats, the Stream bite should stay solid all winter.
Frank, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that blue water trollers are hooking up with wahoo, blackfin tuna, and some dolphin and sailfish while trolling skirted ballyhoo and lures. The wahoo bite may peter out a bit, but anglers can expect the blackfins to hang around for much of the winter, as anglers are just beginning to see the big schools jumping and feeding on the surface. In addition to trolling, anglers can tempt bites from the blackfin schools on topwater plugs and vertical jigs.
Anglers are reporting a good king mackerel bite at temperature breaks in the 30 mile range, and the kings will be feeding wherever boats can find water in the mid to high 60’s throughout the winter, likely in the vicinity of Frying Pan Tower.
The grouper bite was still good at 25-30 miles at last report, and the fish should be feeding at bottom structure nearby until the season is closed January 1.
James Hargrove with a large gray triggerfish he hooked on a yellow 10 oz. vertical jig tipped with squid in 220' of water at the break off Wrightsville Beach.
Bluefin tuna have already been landed in Morehead City, so some fish could pass through the local area at any time.
Inshore, anglers are still, surprisingly, hooking a few flounder, mostly on Gulp baits.
Spike speckled trout are feeding all over the inshore waters locally (but large fish are tough to come by). The creeks and inlets have been producing most of the speck action recently.
Red drum are schooling up on the inlet shoals and along the beachfront, and they should overwinter there. When anglers can find a school, they can tempt the fish to strike Gulp baits or MirrOlures.
Rick, of Living Waters Guide Service, reports that anglers found some solid action with grouper lately in 120-140’ of water, both on bait and vertical jigs. Large triggerfish and white grunts are feeding on the same structure and will give bottom fishermen something to target when the grouper season closes January 1.
Bottom structure a bit closer to the beaches should provide reliable sea bass fishing through the winter, and anglers can hook the fish on small metal jigs or bottom rigs baited with squid and cut baits.
The Gulf Stream has been producing some solid action lately, both for trollers and jiggers. Trolling ballyhoo and lures has been attracting attention from blackfin tuna, wahoo, and good numbers of sailfish. The troll bite should stay decent through mid to late January.
Anglers are catching even more blackfins (with some big, 20+ lb. fish) while vertical jigging, along with some hefty amberjacks. The African pompano are just starting to show up on the edge of the break, and soon they and cobia will be joining the jigging action, which should continue all winter long.
John McLamb with one of many slot and over-slot red drum he hooked near Masonboro Inlet on live finger mullet while fishing with Capt. Blair White of Tightline Charters.
Jim, of Plan 9 Fishing Charters, reports that the speckled trout and red drum bite has been excellent lately around Wrightsville and in the Cape Fear River for anglers who can stand the cold weather. Soft plastics are producing the lion’s share of the fish.
Gag grouper and black sea bass are feeding at bottom structure within 15 miles of the beaches, and some triggerfish have been in the mix lately as well. Live, dead, and large cut baits will get noticed by the groupers, and smaller cut baits or squid should appeal to the triggers and bass.
Rob, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers are picking up some keeper speckled trout on MirrOlures, especially while fishing around the lights at night.
Bottom fishermen are catching big numbers of pufferfish and a few whiting on shrimp.
Dogfish have just begun to show up, and they will bite nearly anything anglers can bait up with.
The water is 57 degrees.
