Wrightsville July 20, 2006
Tex, at Tex’s Tackle, reports that inshore the flounder are still biting in the creeks, inlets, and nearshore ledges. Most fish are 1 to 3 lbs., with the occasional doormat weighed in.
Redfish are biting live or cut bait (along with artificials such as Gulp baits) in the surf and creeks.
Ladyfish are being caught at night around the bridges and under dock lights. Blues and spanish are along the beaches when the weather allows anglers to troll for them.
Some bigger kings seem to be moving to the beach, with good catches still coming from the Schoolhouse and Dredge Wreck, along with most other reefs within 30 miles of the beach.
Dolphin will be scattered out in the same areas, while sailfish should become more abundant in the Schoolhouse to 23 Mile Rock areas.
Grouper fishing has been decent on most ledges in the 20 to 40 mile range.
Not much talk from the gulf stream, but as the seas settle there should be good catches of dolphin, wahoo, and the occasional billfish.
Jim, at Plan 9 Charters, reports king mackerel and dolphin fishing has been best at the Schoolhouse and WR4 areas. A few sailfish are being caught at 23 Mile Rock, but the dolphin bite has slowed there. However, kings continue to be caught at 23 Mile Rock, along with big false albacore.
Grouper are being caught around 20 miles out, and sea bass are as close as 5 miles off.
Jot, at Fortune Hunter Charters, reports excellent red drum fishing in the Wrightsville Beach area. Creeks and docks are the best producers. Fish are ranging from 16 to 30 inches, and live bait or topwaters are working the best.
Flounder have been picky lately, so not much to report with them. Sheepshead are still biting very well on fiddler crabs, with a few black drum mixed in with them.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been on one day (with over 40 caught) and off the next day (with only 9 to show for it). Trolling Clark spoons and planers has been the best method.
There have been a few tarpon, cobia, and big sharks sighted or caught along the beaches using big live or dead baits.
Dolphin, king mackerel, and sailfish are being caught as close as 5 miles, with better success in the 10 to 30 mile areas.
Matt, at Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that lots of whiting are biting shrimp fished off the end of the pier. Red drum from 3-6 lbs. are also being caught.
Shrimp fished on the bottom are also catching flounder from 1-3 lbs.
Gotcha plugs and cut bait are producing blues.
Live blues have produced kings from 15-27 lbs. over the week. Barracuda are also eating the live baits.
The water temperature at the pier is 82.9 degrees.
