Still a few fish

I am getting a few reports (very few) of speckled trout in the surf. It seems that there are a few more being caught in the sound and creeks. Specifically, the grassy banks around ICW marker 98 and Turkey Creek. I haven't been fishing in weeks, so I am only getting second hand reports. I'll post more information as I get it. I have seen first hand the stringers being brought in by those that are flounder gigging. It seems that they are everywhere off the waterway in shallow water. Just pick a night when there is no wind. Just about everyone that goes out near here is coming back with close to their limit.
Till next time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Bandit Charters Offshore Report

Got an email from Capt Tim Fairchild of Bandit Charters today. Here is part of the email.

"Only trip Last week was tuna Trip. Caught one BlueFin 93" long Est. weight 150-180lbs. Tag and released. Same trip got into Big blue fish (great bluefin bait). Had couple black tip Sharks that night."

"Next trips will not be until Jan 7,14,21 all bluefin Tina charters. Stripers have tried for them around divers rock (no Luck) Black sea bass still all over from 5-15 miles off along with some Gag Grouper."

"Talk to you later Capt. Tim"

You can contact Capt Tim for a charter at 910-512-6047 or 910-327-3980. Or you can email Capt Tim at gradywhitebandit@aol.com or bndtchrtrs@aol.com.

Merry Christmas

Haven't posted in a while. The migraines have made me crazy. Doc has put me on new meds that are doing a number on me. On a positive note, I can't believe the flounder are still in the bays and creeks. I have a friend that went flounder giging three nights this week. Got a total of 20 flounder and never left Becky's Creek! I have never seen so many flounder in one spot. I can't get one to bite a hook for nothing, but they are out there. I promise you, Lord willing, I will have flounder lights on my boat by next spring. And, I will have a freezer to store all the flounder I will have for the winter fish fries!

Trout

Trout are everywhere behind the island. I am hearing that most creeks off the ICW are holding trout. Most are small, but they are out there. Hear they are hitting brightly colored plastics on jig heads or spinners. They are also catching some in the surf around daylight.
Till next time;
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Kayak Adventure

I received this email from reader Ward Clark. I hear many stories about fishing the grassy banks off the ICW(Intracoastal Waterway). I haven't had this kind of luck in my sixteen foot flat bottom boat, but I am haven't given up. I know that trout and puppy drum in this skinny water, as some boaters call the shallow flats behind Topsail Island, spook really easily.
Please feel free to email your Topsail area fish tales and I will post them.

Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did.
......................................................................

HI,

I stumbled onto your blog postings about six months ago and find them very informative. Thought I would share a fishing story.

I get to Topsail once a year, in the summer, and love to fish. This past summer we visited the 3rd week of July. Surf fishing was slow so one morning I went to Herrings (spelling?) kayak and fishing place and rented a kayak. I tooled around in the marshes behind their store for a couple of hours. I threw spinnerbaits at the banks, but replaced the skirt with a green and white mr. twister type rubber jig. I landed two really nice redfish in the 25” range (one may have been bigger) and lost 2 others. They were released unharmed. The bigger one towed me around for a bit before tiring. I had a blast and this was the fist time I ever fished from a kayak and the first time I ever “targeted” shallow water reds. I can’t wait to do it again. I have caught a couple over the years in the OBX while surf fishing with cut bait.

Is this typical of all the shallow backwaters behind Topsail during the summer or did I luck into one of those “great memories”? All the fish were holding in or near oyster beds.

GO TOPSAIL!!

Ward Clark

East Coast Tackle Fishing Report

I haven't been fishing lately, so I don't know much about what is going on. I have heard that speckled trout are out there at sunrise. Also bunches of small mullets and black drum. Lots of flounder are being brought in by the night time giggers. A few reports of boats getting their limit. If you are set up for flounder gigging, now is the time. Go towards the inlets where the water is more clear.

Capt. Chris Medlin has just posted his Topsail Island fishing report at www.eastcoastsports.com.

Check it out. Lots of cool info about fishing, inshore and offshore, dredge and inlet reports, and even links to up to date weather reports.
Till next time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Slow Down

Fishing has slowed down a bit from the frenzy of the last few weeks. Piers are still reporting some spots and mullets, but the big ones haven't arrived yet. It's late in the season, and I'm not sure they haven't bypassed us this year. I am hearing of big spots around Morehead City, so maybe they will make it down to Topsail. Pier anglers are also catching some specs (speckled trout) and puppy drum. Surf anglers are doing well, catching spots and lots of black drum, with some mullets and speckled trout mixed in. Winds have been out of the south for the past week. A front moved in last night and today bringing cold temps and wind changes. Wind will be out of the north for the next couple of days, so we will see if the wind change makes a difference. Took the boat out Sunday afternoon. Donna and I cruised the waterway and talked to several anglers, none were catching anything but pin fish. I am still hearing about trout in the creeks, but I haven't been able to find them.
Till next time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Our inlets are in trouble. The current administration has cut funding to the Army Corps of Engineers who is responsible for dredging our inlets and waterways, especially the Intra-Coastal Waterway. New River Inlet on the north end of Topsail Island was actually closed for a time this summer. There is now some money allocated for dredging for 2006, but it is not nearly enough to keep the inlets and the waterway open. I have never given a second thought to the maintenance of the ICW. But it is apparent now that we need to get involved to make sure we have these waterways available in the near future. Not years from now, but months from now. Click on the Frying Pan Tower link below for links to contact your congressional representatives and urge them to take action on this important issue.

Rod Man Charters Report

Thanks to Capt. Rick Bennet and Rod-Man Charters for this report. Sounds like I need to be fishing the inlets and creaks.



Rod-Man Charters Fishing Report November 10, 2005:

Hi Folks,
Only one word is needed to describe inshore fishing around Wrightsville Beach...HOT!!! Virtually everything is biting well and the moderate temps we are experiencing should keep the fish biting. The Rod-Man and his guests in the Cape Fear Red/Trout Celebrity Classic did not take home any trophies this year, but we did catch a bunch of trout and had lots of fun doing it.

Now here's my report:

Inshore: Speckled trout are about to bite the bottom of the boat out. Grubs, Gulp, twitchbaits, mirrolures, live shrimp...all are catching trout in the inlets and the creeks. Red drum are biting in the inlet along with some black drum. You can also find them in the creeks. Plenty of blues are in the inlet, particularly at high tide. While you'll have to buy your live shrimp there is some live mullet around in the shallows and the creeks on the falling tide.

Nearshore: Gray trout are biting at the nearshore reefs. Jigging spoons work best along with live or cut bait. Some big reds are patrolling the surf and will hit just about anything.

Offshore: Reports are that kings are still around in good numbers in the 20-25 mile areas. Grouper fishing has been super.(Let me know and I can "hook" you up with a VERY GOOD grouper charter.

Gulfstream: Wahoo and tuna, mostly blackfin, are biting well.

Sponsor's Corner: Reports from Bug-em Bait state they are selling cigar minnow rigs for only $4.00...time to stock up. I cannot begin to count the number of fish caught on Berkley's Gulp this past weekend...just awesome. The Rod-Man Fishing School is selling fast. Be sure to get your seat soon.

Don't miss this week's pics of the week:
http://www.rodmancharters.com/report.htm

LOT'S of great fishing ahead..so...
Let's Go Fishing!!!
Capt. Rick Bennett
Rod-Man Charters

Fishin' Still Good

Haven't posted in a while due to a killer migraine. However, I am hearing that fishing on the beaches of Topsail Island is still good. Lots of trout are being caught in the surf as well as the ICW and creeks with grassy banks. I heard one report from Chris at East Coast Sports (http://www.eastcoastsports.com)that lots of puppy drum and trout were being caught around the marker 98 area of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Spots, mullets, black drum, trout, and blues are being caught everywhere on the surf and piers. A few spanish were caught at the SeaView Pier in North Topsail Beach, but I haven't heard of any on the other piers. Flounders are coming out of the water in numbers that are impressive, not just on the piers and backwaters, but in the surf as well. Anglers are having good luck with big blues on gotcha plugs from Surf City pier.

Before this last migraine put me down, I had good luck fishing with beef liver. Dad and I caught mullet, spots and black drum from the surf on the liver. I am excited about this because of the high cost of bloodworms. About $11 for 10 worms, and they keep getting smaller and smaller. The bloody beef liver is about $1.49 a pound. Give it a try. Someone suggested salting it down so it will keep longer, but I don't know if that would be necessary. I talked to an angler on Surf City Pier that salts his shrimp. He buys large quantities early in the season when shrimp are cheap, heads and cuts them into small bait size pieces, salts them down, then puts them in quart freezer bags and freezes them. When he heads for the pier, he just tosses a bag in his cooler and his bait is ready. Just a note, he was catching just as many fish as I was on fresh shrimp. Sounds interesting.

Thanks to fishin bud Ken for keeping me up to date on the fishing reports while I have been incarcerated.

Till next time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Wanted! Northeast wind!

The wind changed last night and blew the fish out of our area. I don't know why the wind direction makes such a difference when it comes to the spot bite. But spots have been in the water all this week until last this morning when the wind changed from NE and NW to SW. It would take dynamite to get them up now. However all is not lost. Big blues were hitting gotcha plugs good this morning from the Surf City Pier. No kings or spanish have been caught recently, the last one was caught last Friday morning by Adolfo. So it looks like it's blues or nothing.

Rod Man Charters Offshore Report

Thanks to Captain Rick Bennet and Rod Man Charters for this fishing report. Rod Man Charters home port is Wrightsville Beach. Contact Rod Man Charters and Captain Rick Bennet at (910) 799-6120 or on the web at www.rodmancharters.com.

Rod-Man Report November 3, 2005:

Hi Folks,
Wow the fishing has been good lately. Trout are most everywhere. Red drum and black drum are biting. Fall fishing is in full swing I will be fishing the Cape Fear Red Trout Tournament this weekend and hopefully we will do well.

Now here's my report:

Inshore: Speckled trout are everywhere! You can find them from the inlets to the marsh banks in the creeks. Gulp baits are working well as are Mirrolures. Black drum and red drum are biting. Bluefish (nice fat ones) are biting at the inlets on high tide. Just watch for them running baitfish.

Nearshore: Some nice flounder are biting around the reefs and inshore wrecks. Gray trout are hitting jigs and live bait. Big drum are hitting live or cut bait.

Offshore: Kings are generally biting well around 10 to 20 miles out. Bonito are in the 7 to 10 mile areas. Bottom fishing has been good from 15 to 25 miles out.

Gulfstream: Wahoo and blackfin tuna have been biting well. A few billfish have added to the mix.

Our inlets are in trouble. The current administration has cut funding to the Army Corps of Engineers who is responsible for dredging our inlets and waterways, especially the Intra-Coastal Waterway. New River Inlet on the north end of Topsail Island was actually closed for a time this summer. There is NO MONEY allocated for dredging for 2006. I have never given a second thought to the maintenance of the ICW. But it is apparent now that we need to get involved to make sure we have these waterways available in the near future. Not years from now, but months from now. Click on the Frying Pan Tower link below for links to contact your congressional representatives and urge them to take action on this important issue.

Mullets, Black Drum

No trout in the surf this morning. Got started about 6, but friend Ken was there about 5:30 and He didn't catch any either. We fished until noon, and caught a nice stringer of mullets and black drum with a couple of pompano mixed in. I couldn't find any sand fleas this morning. Others on the beach said they were scarce today. I saw one black drum caught that was probably 6 or 7 pounds. It was bigger than the guys cooler. Gotta go clean fish.
Until next time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Trout in the Surf

Monday morning. 7AM. Surf just north of Surf City Pier. As fishin bud Ken and I hit the beach, A couple of guys are fighting fish on light spinning rods. Turns out to be trout. He says "They were everywhere, Man! Every cast we caught one!" At first I thought about some of my embelishments about a good fishing day. You know the saying, "I fish, thus I lie." But then I saw him and his friends walking around with a cardboard box picking up the trout they had caught. "Here's another bunch!" the young man screamed to his buds as he picks up 3 trout and a blue laying in a pile on the beach. One trout still flopping. I cast my mirro-lure into the surf and immediately hooked up. I landed a nice 18 inch speck. That was the last one I caught. They just quit. I saw no less than 25 trout that had been caught that morning. We fished on and caught a dozen large mullets and a black drum before lunch break, but not another trout.

The wind is going to be right in the morning. NE about 5 mph. Air temp will be about 55 and water temp is about 62 and the tide will be almost high incoming. I WILL be on the beach before sunrise waiting for the specks to return. I am hearing the hot color for mirro-lure is rainbow. I don't have one, so I will try the closest color I have.

Oh, by the way, pier anglers were slaying the spots this evening. A friend, Nick, says some blues were biting got-cha plugs early in the day from Surf City Pier. They have caught a couple of kings this week also.

Till next time,
Tight Lines!

Johnny

Spots Out, Blues In

I haven't posted for a couple of days. Bad migrane. I called Surf City Pier this morning between naps, and found that everything except spots are biting. The water is really clear and the blues have moved in. The gotcha pluggers are having a ball with the blues. They have caught a couple of kings this morning also. Bottom anglers are catching black drum, mullets, speckled trout, and flounder.

Till next time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Our inlets are in trouble. The current administration has cut funding to the Army Corps of Engineers who is responsible for dredging our inlets and waterways, especially the Intra-Coastal Waterway. New River Inlet on the north end of Topsail Island was actually closed for a time this summer. There is NO MONEY allocated for dredging for 2006. I have never given a second thought to the maintenance of the ICW. But it is apparent now that we need to get involved to make sure we have these waterways available in the near future. Not years from now, but months from now. Click on the Frying Pan Tower link below for links to contact your congressional representatives and urge them to take action on this important issue.

Fall Fishin' is GOOD!

Surf City Pier has come alive with shoulder to shoulder anglers. All ages and sizes. From everywhere in the state and some from out of state. The spots are biting so well that bait doesn't seem to matter. One angler said "I think I could catch them with marshmallows!". Everyone is filling their collers. The surf fishing is good also. Scattered trout, puppy drum, and flounder are being caught in the surf. Spots seem to be everywhere in the surf, and although you may not catch as many you would from the piers, you can catch plenty. The large fall mullets are coming in as well. I caught 3 big ones yesterday, 13, 14, and 15 inches. The rain is also here and will be here for a couple of days. It's not stopping the fishing. Rain suits, ponchos, and even large black plastic bags with holes cut in them for your head, are everywhere. If you can get out there, now is the time.
Till next time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny



Our inlets are in trouble. The current administration has cut funding to the Army Corps of Engineers who is responsible for dredging our inlets and waterways, especially the Intra-Coastal Waterway. New River Inlet on the north end of Topsail Island was actually closed for a time this summer. There is NO MONEY allocated for dredging for 2006. I have never given a second thought to the maintenance of the ICW. But it is apparent now that we need to get involved to make sure we have these waterways available in the near future. Not years from now, but months from now. Click on the Frying Pan Tower link below for links to contact your congressional representatives and urge them to take action on this important issue.

Surf Fishing

Donna and I went surf fishing in Surf City near the Fire Department today. We got out to the beach about 9:30 AM. Immediately caught a 14 or 15 inch whiting using a sand flea for bait. Ken and Karen got there about 10 AM. Throughout the morning, we caught another pair of mullets. The three were 13, 14, and 15 inches long. We caught 3 nice pompano, and 10 medium to large spots. Sand fleas caught all the mullets and a couple of the pompano. The spots were caught on shrimp and artificial blood worms, made by FishBites. Surf was calm, wind NW, cool temp morning to warm about noon and clear. High tide was about noon today. May go back in the morning if weather permits. Calling for windy and rain.

Our inlets are in danger. The current administration has cut funding to the Army Corps of Engineers to the extent that there is not enough money to dredge the inlets. Enough money was obtained by a special bill to dredge once this year. No money is allocated for 2006. Visit the website below to find out what you can do to help. The website contains links to contact your representatives. Get involved.



Till next time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny

NW Wind Yields Better Spot Bite

The wind is back out of the NW, and with it comes the spots. Anglers are catching coolers full. Bait of the day is blood worms, and the bite is only on the north side of the pier. I only saw a few spots caught on the south side. I saw a few croakers, but no pompano or mullets. The spots that are biting are still not the usual fall monsters. They are still on the small to medium size. Larger spots along with the large sea mullets and whitings should be moving in soon. Get those home made rigs ready for the mullets. They don't like shiny hardware on the rigs.
Till Next Time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny

NW Wind Yields Better Spot Bite

The wind is back out of the NW, and with it comes the spots. Anglers are catching coolers full. Bait of the day is blood worms, and the bite is only on the north side of the pier. I only saw a few spots caught on the south side. I saw a few croakers, but no pompano or mullets. The spots that are biting are still not the usual fall monsters. They are still on the small to medium size. Larger spots along with the large sea mullets and whitings should be moving in soon. Get those home made rigs ready for the mullets. They don't like shiny hardware on the rigs.
Till Next Time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny

NIght Fishing Outing a Blank

Went surf fishing last night with Ben. Water looked good. Not really rough, but deffinetly not flat. No undertow. Also, no fish. Tried every bait. Sand fleas, shrimp, cut mullet, fresh cut spot, redworms, and squid. Still nothing. We were fishing in sight of the pier, (Surf City), and I didn't see a fish caught there either. Really slow night, but not wasted. The almost full moon reflected in the water gave a silvery glow and was beautiful.

Till next time,
Tight Lines,
Johnny

Wind Change Changes Bite

The wind changed to SSW yesterday, and so did the spot bite. What was a terrific 2 at a time bite has changed to one every couple of hours. However all the news is not bad. When the spots moved out, the flounder moved in. I don't think I have ever seen the flounder bite so good from the piers. Reports from pier employee Vinita is that one angler caught 56 flounder Tuesday. He left the pier with his limit of 8 keepers. One young lady, age 10 hooked and landed (with the help of her dad) a 5 and 1/2 pounder. My dad, John Sr. caught a 20 inch beauty! I am guessing it weighed between 4 and 5 lbs. There was a huge 4 1/2 lb spadefish caught Tuesday. The netters in the bays and intracoastal waterway are starting to catch spots in their nets, and the night time flounder catch is pretty good, with probably 2 to 5 flounder a night per 100 yard net. Starting November 1st, netters will have to sit with their nets instead of leaving them out all night. I am hearing the reds are still biting near the inlets, especially New Topsail Inlet. Trout are showing up around the New River bridge, with a few being caught around the Surf City Swing bridge. The swing bridge is also producing a few black drum. There are still a few blues being caught at the end of the piers early morning. Offshore, the captains are telling me that the water is still dirty as far out as 8 miles, so the game fishing is a bit off. They are still catching a few kings, but are having to go deep to get them. My outing tonight south of Jolly Rodger pier produced one shark, one spot, two pompano (small), and a skate. Pretty dismal. Waiting for the weekend when a wind change is predicted. Until next time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Get in Line!

Just returned from the pier. We got there just as the spot run was winding down. There were lines at the cleaning tables. Two sinks on each side of the pier, all busy, and several people waiting on each side. Coolers full of nice spots, pompanos, mullets and blues. Heard there was several nice flounder caught. One was just over 5 lbs. Flounders hitting finger mullets. Winds are NNW at about 7 mph. High tide is about 5:30 am and if I can get out of bed, we will be there. The spots have been biting best at about 2 hours before and 2 hours after high tide. Stay tuned for tomorrows report.

Tony, better hurry! We are gonna catch'em all before you get here Saturday! Be safe.

Till next time...
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Catch'em While you Can

If you want to catch spots, and if you don't mind the shoulder to shoulder crowds, call in sick to work tomorrow, grab your gear, and head for Surf City. They are coming up on the pier two at a time, almost the total length of the pier. Everybody is catching them. Don't know how long this will last, so don't delay!

UPDATE

Just talked to a man and wife fishing team who were cleaning fish near my home. They had over 150 large spots and large pompano and 3 keeper flounder. All were caught Wed and Wed night from Surf City pier. They were cleaning fish for several hours. Both say they are ready to go fishing again early in the morning. Congratulations!

The Bite is Good!

Spots are biting anything in the water. Shrimp, bloodworms, redworms, nightcrawlers, and artificials like "Fish Bites". I went to Surf City Pier tonight and everyone has a nice catch. Spots range in size from small to huge. A bunch of really good pompano are coming over the rail. A good number of speckled trout along with lots of blues are in the water. Take your rain gear, small showers are coming through, but only for a few minutes at a time. If you run to the pier house, someone will get your spot.
Until next time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Spots, Lots and Lots of Spots

I haven't fished or posted in about 2 weeks because I had some bad migranes. I am hearing of some really good spot runs at all piers. Have heard as many as 50 to 60 spots can be caught in just a few hours. I can imagine that they are biting in the surf as well. Best bait is bloodworms although they are biting shrimp also. I am hearing of huge puppy drum in the creeks and waterways. Some as big as 10 lbs. according to Bandit Charter's Captain Tim Faircloth.

I see SPOTS

The surf is still full of seaweed. The spots are still here, but not the big run. They are still biting bloodworms. "sigh" I guess I'm going to need to break down and buy some goldworms, I mean bloodworms. They are about 8 bucks for 10, even more for the XXL bloodworms. About 11 bucks for 10. There have been a few puppy drums, a couple of speckled trout, and small flounder caught. A large king was caught from Surf City Pier. Fishin' is gettin better. The wind is coming out of the NE and its been cloudy for a couple of days. If these conditions hold, the water will cool on down and the spots will follow the cooler water. So get ready. Tie your rigs, clean those reals, and go out and dig some old fashioned earth worms. Spots love em. Yea, fall is here and the fish are coming. Till next time.....
Tight Lines,
Johnny

Bloodworms R Us

The spot bite has cooled a bit, but I suspect it's only temporary. The wind is E-SE and relatively calm. The water temp has risen, if you can believe it, to 81 degrees. We need some NE or N winds and some cloudy days to cool down the water before we will see the really good spot runs. I'm not saying you can't catch a few spots, but to catch a full cooler, it will take all day, maybe even two days. The best bait at this time is bloodworms, or goldworms as I like to call them. I’m so stingy, that I hate to turn loose of enough money to buy them when I can catch my own shrimp and finger mullets, or dig my own sand fleas, but spots love them. Most anglers with a substantial catch are using bloodworms. I haven't seen a big mullet in weeks. There have been some good spanish runs, but not many kings have been caught from the island's piers. The blues are still around, and the persistent angler can catch a few nice ones. Monday, there were a couple of nice speckled trout caught from Surf City Pier. The gray trout have been there for a while. It’s nice to see the specs finally move in. There are a lot of flounder in the water, but not many keepers. I talked to one angler, and he said he caught 9 with only two keepers. Surf fishing is still a pain because of the seaweed in the water. It's not unusally to pull in a 5 lb clump of the stuff on your bottom rig. I suspect that the seaweed settles in the holes just like shells do. All my favorite fishing holes are full of seaweed. You can search the beach and find a spot where there is no seaweed, or just put up with it. I haven't heard much about the backwater fishing near Surf City, but I have heard that some really nice trout are being caught around the high-rise bridge in Sneads Ferry.

My friend Yogi, owner of Yogi's Grill on Highway 17 in Holly Ridge is recovering from a broken leg. He hasn't been able to fish in a while. Stop by the Grill, have a nice lunch, and wish him well. Get well Yogi, see ya on the beach.

Till next time….
Tight Lines,
Johnny

SPOTS R HERE

If you have bloodworms, take them to the Surf City Ocean Fishing Pier. Anglers with these squirmy, more valuable than gold, critters are pulling the spots in two at a time on the north side of the pier. With the water temp still 80 degrees, it needs to cool off a little more for the spots to stay in. This is just the first good run, and I suspect the bite will only improve in the coming weeks.

Not much is biting on the south side of the pier. I saw two puppy drum, no bigger than 16 inches, but one went in the cooler. Hope he has the 125 bucks when the MAN catches him, and I hope he does. I am a strong believer in our conservation efforts. I have fished on Topsail Island for almost 30 years and until recently I haven't had much luck catching reds. So these efforts are working.

Flounder were caught today, although only a few were keepers. A large shark was landed this morning by a king angler off the end, and promptly cut into steaks. Delicious when served up with baked beans cole slaw and fries, or my personal favorite, baked potato.

I tried surf fishing near the pier this afternoon. There was so much seaweed and trash in the water that it only took one cast to change my plans. I sat in my chair with my wife Donna and watched the surfers, enjoyed the cool breeze, and the walked in the surf. The water seems to be getting cooler to the touch, but is still 80 degrees. As the water cools, i suspect the spot will move in, along with trout and most other cooler water fish. The bite will only get better. Get ready! Till next time.....

Tight Lines!
Johnny

High Flyin' Grandpaw

Congratulations to Scott and Jennifer on the birth of a baby girl, their first baby, at 4:15pm today. Mom and baby are doing just fine. She is our fifth grandchild, 4 girls and 1 boy.

Again, sorry for no fishin reports lately. I will resume when I can get another computer.

Thanks for your understanding. Till next time...

Tight Lines!
Johnny

Computer Crash

Hi, Sorry I haven't been posting. My computer took a major nose dive, maybe a belly buster or cannon ball would be a better term. Anyway it's dead for now. I am using my son Scott's computer while on a visit to his Charlotte home. He and wife Jennifer are expecting their first baby, a girl, in the morning. I'll let you know the next time I can post. Anyway back to my computer. It's busted and I won't be posting until I can get a new one. Not that there is anything much to report. The regular catches of small croakers and mullets, with the sharks and skates here and there. I have seen a few, very few, spots starting to show up. It's about time for them to start. So, until next time......
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Good News, Bad News

Which do you want first? Good or Bad? You don't get to decide. The Good News is....the seaweed isn't as bad. Grey trout bite is good. There was a lot of greys caught last night. Most were caught on cut shrimp, but I saw one caught on a Got-cha plug. Lots and lots of small croakers and small sea mullets. An occasional spot, usually a nice one, and a few puppy drum, mostly under the slot. Now for the Bad News. The wind is blowing so hard (35 mph gusts)that standing on the pier is uncomfortable. I hope that Surf City Pier is well built, cause it's rockin tonight! Huge waves are slamming it from the northeast. I fished this morning about 2 hours, caught small mullets and a pompano. There was a surfing tournament this morning and there was no shrotage of good 6 to 10 foot waves. The wind is out of the NorthEast at 30 to 45 knots and gusty. The high temp today was 83 with partly cloudy skies, and the water temp is 80 degrees. Hurricane Ophilia headed our way? I will check the weather first thing in the morning to see if I have to start packing. We rode out hurricane Charley last year. Won't do that again. Till next time.....
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Seaweed Carpet

As I walked out on the pier last evening, I was walking on a carpet of seaweed. The ocean is still really rough. Waves are breaking almost at the end of the pier. Ken tells me that it actually splashed up on the pier, getting him wet. The surfers are loving it. Anglers are catching puppy drum, not many keepers, and trout. Grey trout are showing up in good numbers now. I saw several caught last night on cut shrimp. Most are around 15 inches in length. Seems the water is full of small croakers, about 4 or 5 inches long. Surf fishing is almost impossible with the undertow, the rip currents, and the seaweed. After hurricane ophilia passes through, I'm sure the surf will calm down. I am looking for the large fall mullets and spots to move in any time. The air is cooler, high was 83 today, but the water is still warm, 80 degrees. It needs to cool down a little more for the good fishing to start. If this NE wind continues, it shouldn't be too long. There are plenty of flounder being caught in the backwaters, especially in Banks Channel. Near the south end of the island, around Lee Island, anglers are catching lots of drum. Some are in the slot and can be kept. I found a good recipe for drum, and tried it last night. I marinated the drum in Texas Pete, then put a little oil on it and grilled it with onions. MMMM really good. Not hot at all like I thought it would be.

BIG FISH....125 LB TARPON CAUGHT AT JOHNNY MERCERS WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH PIER BY A WILMINGTON MAN. WOW

Till next time, tight lines!
Johnny

Fishin' is TOUGH!

Noreaster... a word that sends chills up the back of most anglers. It seems that not much bites. The surf is churning and spitting up seaweed. A five ounces of lead will not hold the bait down. It bounces down the beach like a rubber ball. However...an angler at the Surf City Ocean Pier pulled a 3 1/2 pound puppy drum our of the foaming white sea. So, my conclusion? If you are willing to put up with five pound bunches of seaweed on your hook, the wind blowing sand and salt spray in your face, and the occasional sprinkle of rain, there are fish out there to be caught.

Flounder

I decided to take my own advice. I set the clock early, took my casting net out to the bay, and caught about 3 doz assorted sized finger mullets. I was on the pier by 7am. Fishing was SLOW. I had nothing, zero, until about 10:15am. I caught my first flounder of the day. A nice 18 incher. Beautiful fish, but it turned out to be my last one of the morning. I saw one other flounder which was about 12 or 13 inches. The angler didn't measure, but I could tell it was too small. I also saw one small blue. NOTHING ELSE! I couldn't believe it, the water was nice, a little dingy, with just a little chop, and full of bait fish. School after school of finger mullets came cruising by. I guess the water is just too warm, 85 degrees. But it is summer, right? I left the pier about 12:45. I got hung up under the pier and broke my carolina rig off. I figured that was a good time to call it a morning. It is clear and about 81 degrees today, with NE wind about 10 mph. A little cooler than last few days. Till next time........
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Slow, but they are out there.

Fishing from a pier or surf fishing is slow this time of year. But, if you are dedicated, and have the time, there are fish to be caught. Flounder are in the water. There was a beautiful 10 pound 10 ounce door mat caught this week in Banks Channel beside a dock. You don't really think the angler will say which dock, do you? I saw a nice flounder, about 18 inches, leaving Surf City Pier as Donna and I walked onto the pier Friday evening. Anglers were catching a few pompano and blues, along with small croakers. Side note, I wish we could catch big croakers here like they are catching in the Chesapeak Bay and James River in Virginia. I hear it's nothing to catch a cooler of 2 and 3 pounders there. Could it be the netting laws there that makes the fishing so good? That's something to research when I have time. Now back to my fishing report. I heard that there was a 26 inch puppy drum caught this afternoon on the pier. I also hear that there are spanish in the water early in the morning. Thursday morning anglers were catching plenty of them, but not many were over the 12 inch size limit. Friday morning there were some spanish caught. My friend and pier employee, and custom fishing rod builder Bill caught a couple of really nice ones. So, my point is, if you get up early, if you spend the time casting your Got-Cha plug, you can catch spanish and blues. If you get up really early, catch live shrimp, mud minnows, or finger mullets, and spend the time dragging your bait up and down the pier, you can catch flounder, if you can keep the blues from biting off your bait. So, don't despair, there are fish in the water. Set that alarm early, get out to the bay and catch that bait, and get to your favorite fishing hole. There is no better way to spend your time, than fishing. Until next time......Tight Lines.
Johnny

Sea Mullets and Spots

Spots and sea mullets are showing up more each day. I use "Sea Mullets" to include several species including whiting and va mullets. There is not much difference, but some prefer one to the other. It seems that blood worms are the best bait right now for spots. The worms are really out producing shrimp. So if you are a spot lover, get your bloodworms and head to the pier or your favorite fisbin hole.

If you recall me talking about the new pinball type game at Surf City Pier, it's still there. My fishin bud Ken has won 3 more rod and reel outfits. He knows how to play the game! Take a roll of quarters down there and try your luck.

Till next time, tight lines!
Johnny

Re: Shrimp harvest

This message was posted on my blog by Anonymous....

Anonymous said...
I read where the shrimp harvest in NC waters was down 80% this year from the five year average. Seems no one is catching many. In fact some shrimpers have told me they aren't even going out right now cause the catches are down and gas prices are up.

4:16 PM, August 30, 2005


I haven't heard about the shrimp shortage. I don't doubt that what you said is true. Shrimp are still pretty cheap, although the quality is off. You can buy a pound of shrimp for $2.99 but they are really small. I admit that I am not an expert, but I must believe that the otter trawls, which have been used for many years, should not be used. The trawl is dragged across the bottom. This intrusion stirs up bacteria and destroys the shrimp breeding ground. The other options, one of which is a floating frame net, do not disturb the bottom. Seems to me like a better option for the environment and the shrimp. You shrimpers, if I am wrong, let me know. Like I said I am no expert.

Till next time, Tight Lines!
Johnny

Flounder Anyone?

Thanks to our friends Ben and Doris for a couple of excellent days on the water. We were back in the Intracoastal again this afternoon. We had our fill of small sharks. There were several big hits that we were unable to get to the boat. Most just came unhooked, but a couple were line breakers. Ben had something really large that took out lots of line, which eventually broke. Judging by the bite, a gentle tap, tap. I am guessing flounder. Blues and sharks usually bite and run, so I don't think that's what Ben was hooked up with. Speaking of flounder, Donna caught the only keeper of the trip. A nicely colored 15 incher. Since Donna doesn't eat fish, the chore of disposing of the flounder fell to me. It was good! We carried the catch to Seahorse restaurant and they cooked it up nice and crispy. The fish was served up with a big baked potato and some delicious cole slaw. We also ate our fill of Sea Horse's dilicious hush puppies.
There wasn't much action on Surf City pier tonight. Although several anglers had some nice spot in their coolers. If you stay out on the pier all day or all night, you can get about half a cooler of spots and small croakers, with an ocassional blue or pompano. I am still hearing about large, really large red fish in a few of the creeks around Lee Island across the inlet at the extreme south end of Topsail Beach. When I find them, I will let you know.
Till next time, Tight Lines!
Johnny

Drifting the Intracoastal Waterway

Went surf fishing this morning. Didn't get started until 8 am. Real fishermen get up early to go fishing. Anyway, the surf was so nasty that 5 oz weights wouldn't hold the bottom. It bounced down the beach like a rubber ball. I walked along with it for about a quarter mile, but it never stopped. I thought if I could find a hole, it wouldn't wash so bad. That stragedy didn't work this time. After about an hour of realling in my rig every 3 or 4 minutes, I decided it was too much like work, and packed it in. When we arrived home, our friends Ben and Doris ask us if we would like to go out in the boat. We went out to the ICW and drifted with the current. We floated from Marker 76 down past the BC marker. We were catching small blues and small sharks. Doris caught one really nice blue, probably about 2 lbs. It is a couple of nice fillets now. Going to be a good dinner tomorrow night when added to the mullet and one spade fish I have in the fridge. Drifting down the Intracoastal Waterway is one of my favorite activities. It's so peaceful, especially at dusk, that catching fish is really not that important. WO, WHAT AM I SAYING. Ok, I'm back now. Back from whatever place I was in when I said catching fish wasn't important. We tried several different approaches. We dragged flounder rigs along the bottom. We fished finger mullets under a bobber. And we tried a new rig I bought recently. It is a wire attached to a float and a leader. The wire goes in the finger mullet's mouth and out, ummm, let's say where the sun don't shine. Then the double hook is attached to the wire. The small cork is at the minnow's head, and keeps it off the bottom. The rig is weighted with a 1 oz round bottom sinker. When rigged this way, it is extremely difficult for sharks or blues to bite off half the minnow without getting hooked. I think I like this rig, and I'll try it again.

Question......where is all the shrimp? I haven't netted any shrimp in a couple of weeks. All my "honey holes" are not producing any longer. Ponder this and post a reply if you have any ideas. Better sign off now, got to get up early in the morning to go fishing. As they say "The early bird gets the worm uh er I mean the fish. Until next time,
Tight Lines,
Johnny

Flounder and Trout at Surf City Pier

Congratulations to my 10 year old fishing bud Cody. Cody caught a nice speckled trout last night from the Surf City Ocean Fishing Pier. Cody snagged the monster with a live pogie (menhaden). The spec weighed in at 3 lbs. Go Cody!
There were several other smaller specs caught on live shrimp the last couple of days. Also some nice flounder were brought up this morning. Most bit a live minnow or live shrimp. I saw a large spot tail pin fish caught about noon. I think these usually are found offshore. There were several coolers about half full of larger than average spots and some sea mullets, most caught on blood worms. About noon the water was full of small blues, which were biting off the flounder angler's finger mullets. Lot of angry flounder anglers. There were some spanish caught early, but still no kings. Several tarpon were seen jumping off the end of the pier, but were out of reach of the king baits. This evening Donna and I walked out on the pier and saw an angler cleaning a huge shark which was caught at the end of the pier. The 125 lb shark hit a live blue on a king rig. The bat rays could be seen in the water cruising the pier in groups of 10 or 12. Aldofo was walking the pier chanting "Here fishy fishy fishy." Maybe thats why the bite has improved the past couple of days. Andreas and Karen, Hurry back down. The spots are starting to bite! I am hearing that the flounder are starting to show up in the waterway, especially near the New Topsail Inlet. Try 3 or 4 inch finger mullets or live shrimp. Mud minnows should produce also. Also getting some reports of large red drum in the surf south of Jolly Rodger Pier to the inlet. Fish with finger mullets, small spots or spot heads, and sand fleas. Leave your bait clickers on, or loosen up the drag on your spinning reels, or you may be chasing your rod and reel through the surf if a big red hits your bait. Let them run and don't try to horse them in. They can break your line with the flip of their tail. I use a 30 lb test shock leader, about 10 to 12 feet long tied to my casting line, which is 15 to 17 lb test. I tie on a slider rig, with about 6 inches of line tied to a 3/0 circle hook baited with a spot head if I can get one. Then HOLD ON!

There's a new game in the game room at the Surf City Pier. It's like a pinball setup. Drop in a quarter, and a little ball rolls out on the play board. If you flip the ball to a certain spot, you get a free ball. The good part is, there are special plastic balls in the game, and if one drops out, you win a prize. NOT JUST A PRIZE, BUT A NICE FISHING ROD AND REEL! Today I won an 8 ft rod and a Penn spinning reel! Already spooled with line! A really nice one! Go by and check it out. Maybe you will get lucky too!
Till next time, Tight Lines!
Johnny

Spanish at Surf City Pier

Got a report that several spanish were caught at Surf City pier this morning. The sheephead are all around the pier, but not biting. Maybe because the water is so clear. Lots of rigs have been lost or bitten off by large fish. Could be skates, sharks or maybe black drum. Reports of several large black drum caught in the surf near the pier. Spot, mullet, and pompano's are biting here and there. Some large popano around two pounds. Sand fleas are hard to find, could be the heat. I am hearing about some large trout and nice flounder being caught in the New River, near the bridge. Untill next time, Tight Lines!

1st Annual Mike Martin Fishing Tournament a SMASHING SUCCESS!

The First Annual Mike Martin Fishing Tournament held Saturday and Sunday was a BLAZING SUCCESS! With almost a hundred and fifty entrants, the Surf City Ocean Fishing Pier was a hot bed of activity. Anglers of all ages were pulling out all the stops to catch the biggest fish in seven categories, trout, spanish, flounder, virginia mullet, pompano, and puppy drum. The leader boards changed constantly, as a steady stream of fish were carried to the weigh in station set up on the pier near the breakers. A registration package consisting of a Surf City Pier mug, and a bumper sticker was furnished to each entrant. The 32 oz mug included FREE ICE COLD SOFT DRINKS from 6 am Saturday, tournament starting time, until midnight Saturday night. With temps reaching the upper 90's, the cold drinks were appreciated by everyone. Every 30 minutes, at the top and the bottom of the hour, the loudspeaker rang out with another entrant's winning ticket number and the lucky angler claimed the prize. These really nice door prizes included a Dale Earnhardt Jr. grill set, rods and reels, lamps, knife sets, and "Gotcha" and "Seastriker" T-shirts, hats, and plugs. When the tournament ended at noon Sunday, the winners were determined, and prizes were awarded. First place, biggest fish in each of six categories was awarded $100 CASH, and second place was awarded $50 cash. Cash was also awarded to Junior Angler winners. First, second, and third biggest fish won cash for excited young anglers.
The biggest trout won the Grand Prize of $500. The trout category was very exciting, in that no trout was weighed in until about 10 am Sunday morning. Then within 30 minutes, two more large trout had been weighed in, with several more being hooked and not landed.
Grand Prizewinner Eddie Perry was awarded $500 for the biggest trout, a little over 3 lb. Other winners were; Trevor Hooks, spanish; Jimmy Grubb, flounder; Jimmy Grubb, puppy drum; Johnny Horner, that's me, virginia mullet; Edward Wright, spot; and Anne Jones, pompano.
Thanks to Ed, Terri, Neena, Charles, Becky, Bill and all the other SCP employees for an excellent tournament.
A special thanks to Mike Martin's son Darren and his wife Jeannie who came in from Virginia for the tournament. I know they realize how much we loved Mike and I hope they visit often.

Pictures will be posted if I get my software in order.

Fishing Tournament

The First Anual Mike Martin Memorial Fishing Tournament is being held Saturday and Sunday August 13 and 14. Turn out was good, and there were a lot of fish being caught. I led the flounder division for about two hours. I still lead the va. mullet division as of 10:30 Saturday night, with a catch of 1.21 lbs. I'm not sure it will hold. I will post Sunday evening after the finish with the final results and some details. Late to bed and early to rise. That's fishin!

ICW Action, Hello Doug

A first for me. Monday, I drifted the ICW in my boat. I caught at least 30 sharks, a couple almost three feet long. Also caught a nice blue, about 2 pounds. But what really supprised me, I caught a 3.61 lb spanish, 23 1/2 inches long. Besides being in the waterway, about halfway between New River Inlet and New Topsail Inlet, the unsual thing was I caught the spanish on a flounder bottom rig, and a finger mullet. I have never caught a spanish any way but plugging. Learn something new every trip.
Heard of a huge red caught on Surf City Pier, 44 lbs.
Not much going on at the pier for the spot and mullet anglers. A few here and there. There was a 10 lb sheephead and a 3 1/2 lb sheephead caught last week on two consecutive days. Both on sand fleas. The 10 pounder was caught on a flea "borrowed" from Tim. Tim says he won't loan any more fleas! He was just kidding. The story is that the angler was going to leave because he was out of bait. Tim says to try one more and handed him a flea. The rest is history.

Hello to my new friend Doug, who I met at Lanier's Campground Pier. Seems Doug reads this fishing blog. It's nice talk to someone who reads my scribbles. Thanks Doug, and good luck with your fishing trip. I would love to hear from anyone else reading my blog. Just drop me an email.

Later, Tight Lines!

Back in Action

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Major hard drive failure. PC is trash. I am using a laptop given to me by my brother. Thanks Jesse.

Not much to report. A 100 lb tarpon was caught from Surf City Pier. A couple of kings caught at the end. Some spanish and lots of small blues caught by the pluggers, using got-cha and diamond jigs. Some nice angel fish are being caught on bottom rigs. Sheephead can be caught if you have the time and technique. There are a few spot and mullet for the night anglers along with the usual sharks and rays.

Slow

Fishing has been slow the past few days. I have fish in the surf, and on Surf City pier. Small mullet, spot, and lots of very small croakers. Heard of a huge trout and an 8 lb flounder caught at turning bridge on live shrimp. I caught a four foot shark from the end of Surf City pier Thursday night. Ken caught a bigger one, but we didn't get it on the pier. The water is very calm and a bit muddy. High today was 92. Humidity is 94%. SouthWest winds. Water temp 82.

Huge pompano

Caught a really nice pompano this morning in the surf at Topsail Beach south of Jolly Roger pier. 15 inches long and 7 inches top to bottom. Bait was sand flea (my favorite bait for the surf). I catch fewer fish using fleas, but what I do catch is bigger. Ken had an even bigger pompano, but it got loose in the suds. Also caught 2 nice mullet on fleas. Weather was overcast. No breeze at all. We thought it would rain any minute. The ocean was very calm. A passerby walking down the beach told us we wouldn't catch anything because the surf was so calm. I opened the cooler, and he just left. I started using commercail rig, but was not catching anything but seaweed. I tied a single drop rig, with a number 4 hook, baited up with sand fleas. I started catching fish. Today they liked the "naked" rig, with no silver hardware.

There was only a few anglers on Jolly Roger Pier this morning. Action was very slow. No king fishermen.

Big Reds in Surf at Topsail Beach

Went fishing this morning at 6 am with my friends Ken and A.C. Had a good morning. Weather was nice, overcast, about 85 degrees. Fished the incoming tide, high was about 11:05 am acording to muy tide table. About 6:30 or so I caught a gray trout, 15 inches long on shrimp. Soon after Ken started catching mullet. He had caught 8 nice ones by noon. A.C. caught a nice sheephead about 11 am. The fish weighed a touch over 3 lbs. The bait was a sand flea. I finally landed a red drum. I have lost several big ones the past week due to broken lines. I landed this one at 10 am. He bit a big sand flea. The surf was rough and loaded with seaweed. I finally changed my weight to a 2 ounce round bottom rig because the pyramid was bringing in so much seaweed. The 2 ounce bounced and moved up and down the beach, but I was tired of dragging in 10 lbs of trash every cast, so I tollerated the movement. The red hit a flea on a bottom rig with a number 4 long shank hook. He immediatly started stripping line. Ken walked with me up the beach as I fought the fish. He was telling me he would kick my a#% if I touched the drag! We saw the tail with the spot one time and then Big Red decided he was too close to the beach and made another long run. Finally the red was landed, weighed a little over 8 lbs, and was 26 inches long.

Black Drum

I may have figured out what has been breaking my line on the Surf City pier. Was told today that someone caught a 44 lb black drum in the surf just south of Surf City Pier. I think a 44 pound anything could break my 15 lb test I have been fishing with.

There were several flounder caught today, along with some mullet, a few spots and croakers. A very large fish was hooked by a king angler at the end of the pier. After a good 10 minute battle, the fish was lost without being seen.

The blazer is loaded, shrimp is in the fridge, and Ken, AC, and myself will be pulling out at 6 am. We are going fish south of Jolly Rodger Pier toward the inlet.

Stay tuned.

Surf City pier report

Mixed bag caught from the pier. A few kings and spanish. Lots of sheephead. Several nice flounder. Patient anglers can get a nice creel of spots, croakers (larger than normal for this area), mullet, blues, some nice trout (grey and specs), and a few smallish flounder. These species can be taken on regular bottom rigs and shrimp or blood worms. My friend Ken is still catching "Angel" fish, or spadefish. He caught 4 more last night. Spanish and larger blues can be caught on gotcha plugs and diamond jigs. Larger flounder can be caught on flounder rigs and live shrimp or minnows (mud minnows or finger mullet). I have caught small puppy drum and hooked some large reds, although I have been having some trouble landing them. I have upgraded from a penn peerless 9 to my Penn Peer 209 with 30 lb test line. Maybe this will help. The reds (or whatever they were) hit spot heads at night. My brother is coming in two weeks, maybe he can teach me how to land the big ones. Hurry Jess!

BIG KING

An angler caught a 33 lb king yesterday from Surf City Pier. Our friend Karen caught a 1.75 lb spade fish from S.C. pier. She caught it straight down between the pilings. Way to go Karen! A few spanish, and several blues were taken with gotchas. White with red head still the most productive. A couple of spanish were caught with diamond jigs.Three fishermen fishing at one bench about 3/4 out the pier caught big mullet all morning. They also caught several keeper trout. They were out producing everyone else about 10 to 1. I caught spots, small mullet, and a grey trout, 11.99 inches, and a flounder, 13.99 inches. HaHa. Almost keepers. There were several nice sheephead caught with sand fleas as bait. Sheephead fishing takes patience, patience, and patience. These anglers spend their morning bent over the rail looking at the water. But if you got the patience, the reward is great. Really big sheephead. There were also some nice spots caught off and on today. Night time is still producing mullet and spot, along with a few trout and puppy drum. The anglers that are spending the time on the pier, are catching their fill.

Big sheephead still coming from the pilings around the Surf City turning bridge. Sand fleas or fidler crabs the most productive bait.

Humidity is high, and night is producing best.

HOT LUNCH

Had lunch at Yogi's grill on Hwy 17 in Holly Ridge. Open faced prime rib sandwich, two veggies and homemade banana puddin'. $5.50 Can't beat it. Give Yogi's a try. If you don't know Yogi, he was the chef at Poliotti's in North Topsail Beach. Great food, reasonable price. If you want to get your cleaned and dressed catch cooked for you, try One Stop Restaurant just before the turning bridge in Surf City. They will cook your catch, and furnish two veggies and tea for about $5.00. The best shrimp lunch is at Batt's Grill in Surf City. Medium sized fried shrimp, falling off the plate, with fries and slaw, or any two veggies, and tea for $4.99. You can't even buy fresh shrimp for that much. Give Kenny Batt's place a try and you never have to leave the beach.

Fishing report from East Coast

Here is the weekly fishing report from Chris at East Coast Sports

Piers
Surf City Pier = Spots and Spots a few spanish and a few blues
Jolly Roger = Spots and a Few Mullet , Flounder and a few Blues
Sea View Pier = A few spot and Mullets. Couple of Flounder and afew Sheepshead.
Reisley (camp Lejune) . Big Chopper Blues and big Pompano , a few Sea Mullet , and a few small Trout.

Surf
Sand Fleas are now readily avalible
New River Inlet to Surf City A few god sized Mullet
Surf City to Topsail Beach lLots of Lady fish and a few Blues
Topsail Beach To New Topsail Inlet A few Pompano and some big Reds
Lee island North end Lots of Reds and tons of lady fish

Waterway / inlet
Big sheepshead at the draw bridge and ton of Ladyfish at night
Inshore 0-20 miles
Tons and Tons of schoolie kings around X-mass rock and afew
Cobias just off the beach some biguns too.

Conclusion
A few Dolphin have moved inshore but no great numbers yet

Offshore 20 mile- 200 fathoms
A few Sails are starting to show up scattered so it wont be long and they will be inshore

Weekend Marine Forecast Inshore
TonightS winds 15 to 20 kt becoming SW 10 to 15 kt after midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Showers and tstms likely this evening... then scattered showers and tstms after midnight.

ThuSW winds 5 to 10 kt becoming S in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft subsiding to 2 to 4 ft. A chance of showers and tstms.
Thu NightSW winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of showers and tstms.

FriSW winds 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of showers and tstms.
Fri NightSW winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of showers and tstms.

SatSW winds 10 to 15 kt becoming NW 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of showers and tstms.
Sat NightNE winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 4 ft. A chance of showers and tstms.

SunNE winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 4 ft.

MonE winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 4 ft.

Water temp on the beach
80 degrees F

Conclusion
All weekend looking good No NO really it is

Offshore Marine Forecast
TONIGHT...S WINDS 15 TO 25 KT...EXCEPT 10 TO 15 KT E OF 74W. WINDS BECOMING S 15 TO 25 KT E OF 75W AND SW 10 TO 15 KT W OF 75W LATE. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS.
THU...S WINDS 15 TO 25 KT...EXCEPT SW 10 TO 15 KT W OF 74W. SEAS 4 TO 8 FT...HIGHEST E OF 74W. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS. .
THU NIGHT...WINDS BECOMING SW 10 TO 20 KT THROUGHOUT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. WINDS AND SEAS HIGHEST E. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS MAINLY E PORTION. .
FRI...S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...EXCEPT 15 TO 20 KT E PORTION EARLY. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 3 TO 5 FT. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND TSTMS. .
FRI NIGHT...SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. .
SAT...NW PORTION...WINDS SHIFTING TO NE 10 TO 20 KT LATE. SE PORTION...SW WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT THROUGHOUT. .
SUN...WINDS BECOMING NE 10 TO 15 KT THROUGHOUT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT. .
MON...E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS BUILDING TO 4 TO 7 FT.

Conclusion
Not horrible but not great
Weekend General Forecast
Wednesday= High of 80 Low of 73 Thunder Storms
Thursday= High 86 Lows of 75Chance of Thunderstorms
Friday = High of 91 Lows of 74 Chance of Thunderstorms
Saturday = High of 88 Lows of 74 Chance of Thunderstorms
Sunday = High of 81 Lows of 69 Partly Cloudy
Monday = High of 81 Lows of 68 Partly Cloudy

Capt. Chris Medlin
East Coast Sports
409 Roland Ave
Po Box 2689
Surf City NC 28445
(910) 328-1887
www.eastcoastsports.com
ecsports@earthlink.net

Didn't fish over the weekend

I heard spots were biting on Surf City Pier over the weekend, along with the regular bag of mullet, spanish, croakers, and of course sharks. Oh yea, BIG sheephead at the turning bridge.

No Luck in the Surf

Caught enough seaweed to have a meal. If I were a vegeterian, I'd have it made. I used sand fleas for bait. Didn't get a bite. Ok, heres the thing. I didn't go out until after 12 noon. Donna wanted to get some sun and I tagged along, but I'm not one to just sit on the beach. So,,,,,I carried my surf rod and hand dug some fleas. As I keep saying, early morning is the time to catch fish. Heard blues, mullet and a few spanish were caught on the Surf City pier today, but I didn't see them. Will probably finish glassin' the floor in my boat tomorrow, then just paint and it will be done. Measured for the transom support brace, and when I get it, I will raise the motor, and I'm done.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSE!!

Hope to see you soon! Prayin for Matt.
Tight Lines!

East Coast Tackle Fishing Report

Didn't fish today. Worked on my boat. Here is the fishing report that I get from Chris at East Coast Sports. Thanks Chris
www.eastcoastsports.com
ecsports@earthlink.net
Surf City Pier = Reports Chopper Blues and 2 kings , 2 Cudas , Spanish. A few Spots and Mullet
Jolly Roger = Spanish lots of blues a few spots and mullet , 1 Tarpon jumped. Big cobia. Lots of Cudas.
Sea View Pier = 3 king a few blues and a couple trout and a mixed bag
Reisley (camp Lejune) . Big Chopper Blues and big Pompano , a few Sea Mullet , and a few small Trout.
Conclusion
Kings at Sea view

Surf
Sand Fleas are now readily avalible
New River Inlet to Surf City Mullet and reds
Surf City to Topsail Beach lots of blues and a few big mullet and some big pompano
Topsail Beach To New Topsail Inlet big Pompano and some big Mullet
Lee island North end Lots of Reds
Conclusion
Mixed Bag
Waterway / inlet
Big sheepshead at the draw bridge
Conclusion
Sheepshead yummm
Inshore 0-20 miles
Tons and Tons of schoolie kings around AR-362 and 7-11and ar-355.
Cobias just off the beach some biguns too.

Conclusion
Try Cobia with live Blues just off the beach AR-360 would be good
The kings love the Manns stretch 25's and the Deep diving Yo-Zuris

Offshore 20 mile- 200 fathoms
Dolphin Dolphin everywhere but not a tuna to be found

BIG RED on Surf City Pier

Hooked a big red from Surf City Pier last night about 1am. Using a 5' boat rod, Penn Peerless 9 bait caster, 15 lb stren, 10', 30lb shock leader, 4/0 circle hook, and a spot head. I have been loosing the big ones, two last night, so I changed my stradegy. When the clicker started, I picked up the rig, but just let it go until the clicker stopped. Then after a second, the fish started it's second run, still with the clicker on. Pulled out probably about 50 yards of line and stopped again. This time I clicked the drive lever and slowly cranked in. As soon as the fish felt pressure, he took off for deep water. My drag was set tight, but he spooled me as if it were nothing. After probabaly a hundred yards, he stopped and I was able to retrieve some line. The fish made three more runs, shorter each time, before I had him at the side of the pier. The fish looked to be over 3 ft long and fat. I had no one to man the net, so I tried to walk him to the beach, hoping to get a mesurement before releasing the big fish. Rough surf and wind made it hard to control him from my perch on the pier. After about 50 ft, he got around a piling and that was that. BUT WHAT FUN!!!

I caught two other puppy drum, under the 18 inch limit and released both unharmed. The two smaller ones hit shrimp and a bottom rig I was using for mullet in the suds near the surf line.

By the way, I caught a dozen nice mullet and croakers, but now that seems not so important.

Most of the anglers were catching a few mullet if they were persistant. There were also a few spanish, and lots of blues. The spanish were caught before dark. And of course, the sharks and the rays are ever present.

Learning to speak Spanish

Spanish are plentiful from the piers. A 16 inch spanish was caught only a third of the way out the pier. They are in really close. I saw a school tearing up bait fish just behind the breakers, but out of reach of my gotcha. At the same time, there were two other schools boiling the surface farther out. I am pretty sure they were spanish, because occasionaly one would break the surface and come completely out of the water. Still, most are being caught early morning or late evening. Blues are still in the water, and are biting most of the day, but better early and late. There are a lot of blues being caught on bottom rigs.

Most anglers are catching their share of mullet in the surf as well as on the pier. The mullets are biting shrimp and sand fleas equally well. There have been some big mullet mixed in with the medium to smaller ones.

I bought my shrimp at One Stop Bait just before the bridge on the right. Really good looking shrimp. Fat and white. Their shrimp is caught daily and really fresh. After you catch your limit, take the cleaned fish to One Stop Restaurant, where you can get it cooked, along with two veggies, for only about $4.00.

If you are hungry for shrimp, check out Batt's Grill. one of the oldest restaurants on the beach. Their shrimp plate is only $4.99 with two veggies and the shrimp are falling off the plate! MMMMMM Good!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Another Day, Another Shark

Man, If I could sell those sharks, I could buy me a new penn. Went fishing on the Surf City pier today with my friend Ken. I almost got skunked. I was fishing right beside Ken. I caught one shark. Ken caught 5 mullet, a spot, a hog fish, and 12 sharks. Ain't it funny how that happens?

When you catch those mullet, clean them and take them to One Stop Restaurant. They will cook your catch, furnish two veggies, (I always get French Fries and slaw..good slaw) for 3.99 plus tax. http://www.onestoprestaurant.com/

Got a fishing report today from Capt. Chris Medlin at East Coast Sports. I copied it here for everyone. Go by and see Capt. Chris. He can help you with any thing you need. Tell him FishinTopsail sent you.

Capt Chris says.........Piers

Surf City Pier Reports Chopper Blues and 2 kings and 2 Cobias

Jolly Roger = a few kings lots of blues a few spots and mullet , Tarpon Big cobia.

Sea View Pier = 1 king and a mixed bag

Reisley (camp Lejune) . Big Chopper Blues and big Pompano , a few Sea Mullet , and a few small Trout.

Conclusion

Kings at Sea view



Surf

Sand Fleas are now readily avalible

New River Inlet to Surf City Mullet

Surf City to Topsail Beach lots of blues and a few big mullet

Topsail Beach To New Topsail Inlet big Pompano and some big Mullet

Lee island North end A few Reds

Conclusion

Mixed Bag

Waterway / inlet

A few Sheepshead showing up at the Draw bridge and a few Black drum and a fe Croakers

Conclusion

Sheepshead yummm

Inshore 0-20 miles

Tons and Tons of schoolie kings around AR-362 and 7-11.

Cobias just off the beach some biguns too.



Conclusion

Try Cobia with live Blues just off the beach AR-360 would be good

The kings love the Manns stretch 25's and the Deep diving Yo-Zuris



Offshore 20 mile- 200 fathoms

Wahoo bite has been on at WR-2

East Coast Sports
409 Roland Ave
Po Box 2689
Surf City NC 28445
(910) 328-1887

ecsports@earthlink.net

www.eastcoastsports.com

Maintained By Capt. Chris Medlin

Capt. Chris Medlin
East Coast Sports
409 Roland Ave
Po Box 2689
Surf City NC 28445
(910) 328-1887
www.eastcoastsports.com
ecsports@earthlink.net

Blues, Spanish, Kings, Tarpon

Big fish are biting on surf city pier. An 8 lb and an 11 lb blue. A 17 lb king and a 30 lb king. Another tarpon, 35 lbs. Lots of 1 to 2 lb blues are being caught early morning and about an hour before dark. These blues are hitting gotcha plugs.

Note: I got some gotcha plugs from a friend, and they have red hooks. My friend takes old gotcha's and rebuilds them. The red hooks are really hot, seem to produce more than just regular trebbles. You might give the red hooks a try. Let me know if they work for you.

If you are looking for mullet, they are kinda scarce. But on a good note, the ones being caught are really nice. Up to two pounds! There are a few flounder being caught, but most are too small. Usually by about a half inch. Ain't that the way it goes? Hog fish are plentiful, but not really preferred by most anglers.

So if you want to catch fish from the pier, then go early, fish often, stay late, and fish for the really big ones!


Some nice flounder are being caught in the backwaters off the Intracoastal Waterway. Most biting finger mullet or mud minnows while drifting. I have heard of a few that bit a live shrimp. A young boy fishing near Becky's Creek with a finger mullet missed what I think was a nice blue. His bait was bitten cleanly in half, leaving just the head.

All in all, not so bad for 94 degree days.

Haven't fished in a couple of days

Sorry I haven't posted, but I haven't fished lately. Had some chores to do. Blues are biting on the piers along with a few spanish early, early morning, and about sunset. My friend K caught a nice stringer of mullet Thursday night on the Surf City Pier. Friday night was a bust.

Note: Got to fish early to get'em.

Huge Mullet in Surf

Fishermen are landing huge mullet, 17 to 20 inches long in the surf with sand fleas (mole crabs). You have to find the deep holes and fish the high tide to low. Peel the sides of the sand fleas for the best results, but keep in mind that they don't stay on the hook long if peeled, so check bait often. Early morning fishermen are still landing blues and a few spanish. Mullet along with a mix of blues, hog fish, small croakers, and a few small black drum are showing up at night.

Fish the deep holes in the surf early morning with sand fleas for best results.

55 lb Cobia

A 15 year old fisherman landed a 55 lb cobia on Surf City pier yesterday. The fish was longer than the young man who caught it. There were a couple of spanish caught from the end of the pier, along with several one to two pound blues. Spanish were caught early, just after first light. Blues bit off and on all day, mostly with gotcha plugs, but also on bottom rigs. I caught a few blues, a couple of croakers and a bunch of hog fish. My fishin bud Ken caught blues croakers and hog fish. Everything was on the small side. Weather was sunny and warm. Sea was calm. Winds out of south west.

The One That Got Away...Episode II, Attack of the Unseen Sea Monster.



It happened again. Reel screaming and bent double! Broken line. Didn't see the culprit. I was using a flounder setup with an ounce and a half egg sinker, baited with a spot head. I have added a 10 ft 30 lb shock leader to my penn bait caster. Maybe I'll get him next time.

Grandma is slow..........

But not as slow as the action was tonight on Surf City Pier. Folks were catching a few very small mullet and croaker. I got cut off once, lost my favorite gotcha plug. Cut through my 30 lb leader like it was warm butter. A kid caught a small spanish, too small to keep. "THROW IT BACK"!!!!! I saw one 6 inch black drum, and lots of small sharks. Oh, almost forgot the skates. Wish I could forget them. Rain today, very high humidity. Light wind out of the south-east.

Surf City Pier Fishing Report

SHEEPHEAD

Water is really muddy and full of seaweed following the storm. I saw several big sheephead landed, and 4 more that never made it into the net. There were some small blues, but not many and no spanish or kings. I only saw a couple of small mullet, about 6 to 8 inches long, and one giant pompano. It seems the only thing biting much was hogfish, about hand size.

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY.....



I was using a 6 inch long live bait fish rigged with a slider rig, on my penn baitcasting reel and short, 5 foot, boat rod. The bait clicker on the reel screemed, and I flipped the switch to set the hook. The fish(?) took about 30 yards of line with the drag set strong, then the line snapped. Never saw it, don't know what it was, but must have been big to swallow a 6 inch live fish!

I may go out tonight, high tide is about 6 pm. Check in later.

Blues? Mullets? Not here!

Fished on Surf City pier tonight. Four hours and nothing, not even a nibble. I did see a few, very few crokers, and one blue. But I didn't catchem! Might have been the storm that came through last evening. Water was muddy, and seaweed was everywhere. I guess I can make seaweed salad!

Big "CHOPPER" Blues Everywhere

Lots of blues and lots of Spanish in the morning, mullets off and on. Heard of 1 Cobia and a King. If you want to catch fish, fish early morning. Same on Jolly Rodger pier in Topsail Beach. If you are looking for kings, go to Sea View in North Topsail Beach. They caught 5 this week along with a cobia. There are some big "CHOPPER" blues being caught in the surf on cut bait. Also a few mullets and some big pompano on sand fleas (mole crabs). Heard unconfirmed rumors of trout being caught in the New River and some creeks along the ICW. Everywhere, morning is the most productive time.

Huge Blues on Surf City Pier

Up to 8 lbs. Also a few spanish. Keeper flounder are biting mud minnows. One fisherman caught 5 keepers along with some throw backs. A few mullet at night, but not the numbers one would expect for this time of year. Water temp is 72, today was clear and warm, mid 80's. Wind South at 10-12 knots.

I got the Blues

Everyone is catching early morning blues on got-cha plugs. My friend Bill got cut off four times this morning. Blues are going up to about two pounds. Today is the first time this year I have seen finger mullet schooling near the shore in Becky's Creek. Would have been easy to get with cast net. Some mullets at night. Let's go fishing!

Office Depot Coupon Codes

Back in Action

I haven't posted recently due to the illness and passing of my beloved sister, Cindy. God Bless you Cindy, Rest in Peace.

Blues are everywhere on the beach. Surf City pier fishermen are catching tons of them early in the morning. I heard a king was caught yesterday. Spanish are being caught in good numbers early morning. Mullets are in most every day, but they are streaky. Is "streaky" a real word? Jolly Rodger fishermen are catching lots of blues and spanish, also in the morning. Mid day and afternoon fishermen are catching some mullets. And of course, sharks and skates are everywhere. Haven't seen much from the surf, but I haven't fished the surf a lot. I have heard of some large mullet and a few huge pompano in the surf.

Spring has Sprung

MULLETS ARE EVERYWHERE! BLUES ARE IN! FIRST SPANISH OF THE YEAR CAUGHT AT JOLLY RODGER!

New Restaurant

Be on the lookout for a new eating establishment scheduled to open in May. It will be owned and operated by my good friend Yogi. You may know Yogi from Paliottis in North Topsail Beach. Believe me, there is no better steak than one cooked by Yogi. Yogi's new restaurant will be located in Holly Ridge on Highway 17. Check it out, you won't be sorry!

Monday night fishing

The mullets were biting really good on the Surf City Pier tonight. They started about dark. My friend K and I fished until after 11pm. We caught half a five gallon bucket of nice mullet. Most were about a pound I think. Don't have a count. I will have one tomorrow when I clean them. I have them on ice. They were biting shrimp about half way out the pier. One light pole past the drink machine to be exact. There were several fishermen and fisherladies and all were catching their share.

where did they go

Been fishin several times since I caught the mullets. Nothin but sharks and skates. I did see a few blues, small, but at least they are coming back. Water temp still 60 with winds out of the north and north east. High was about 70 today. Water was cloudy, not muddy or clear, just cloudy. Too dirty for blues, not dirty enough for mullet. Till next time......

They're here! Mullets are back.

After a week of fishing, catching nothing but sharks and skates, finally there is dinner on the table. I caught 10 mullet today from Surf City Pier. Six were real nice, about a pound each. I cleaned 'em and put 'em in the freezer. I gave the rest to another fisherman who wanted the smaller mullets. I used shrimp for bait, and had to throw way out. Didn't bite for me in close. I fished on the north side about half way out. The tide was almost full high when I started fishing. Not sure about the temp, but it was chilly. I wore a sweat shirt to keep warm. Water temp acording to WECT was 59 degrees today. Barometer was 30.24. A kid on the pier had a bucket full of sand fleas. The first I have seen this spring. Next time I fish, I will have a few for bait. There were sharks, and a lot of skates caught.

Tuesday Night

Fished about a half day today. Caught plenty of skates, a couple of stingray, slicks, (I believe they may be cod) and a half dozen sharks (dog fish). Didn't see any fish except the above. Beautiful day, wore t-shirt until about 6:45, then put on sweatshirt. Supposed to be sunny tomorrow.

Tuesday

No fishing last few days. Storms, wind, and rain. Much rain. Today is nice and sunny, no wind. GOIN' FISHIN'
Johnny

Saturday

Water temp 50 degrees. The first mullet of the year on Surf City Pier was caught yesterday by a 15 year old boy. Reports are he caught 6 more! Fishin is coming, but water is still too cold for good numbers. Beautiful day today. High in 70s and clear. Calling for rain tonight and early Easter Sunday. Worked on my fishing rods today. I have many that need work.

TGI Friday

Didn't get to fish today. To busy with honey-do's. Will post report when I get one. Temp today was 72 with clear to partly cloudy skys. Weather for Saturday from WECT-TV Chanel 6. "Hi all from George Elliott at WECT-TV. Here's my weekend outlook... Mostly to partly cloudy tonight; low 53. Wind becoming N-NE 6-12 mph. Mostly cloudy Sat., slim shower chance late; high mid to upper 60's. NE wind 6-12 mph. Cloudy, chance of rain developing Sat. night (esp. late); low 54. Rain with a possible thunderstorm Sunday; high mid to upper 60's."

Found a used tiller handle for my boat in excellent condition. Installed it this morning. Works great. The boat is about ready to go. Just need to hook up the lights.

Thursday at Surf City Pier

Did not fish or post Wed. as I had a bad migraine. I fished Thursday morning at Surf City Pier, caught a huge skate. No other bites. Some folks were catching sharks and skates near the end of the pier, We were fishing in the suds. Thought maybe the water was a touch warmer. Last report I got was 56 degree water. Looking for Sun and South wind to warm the water. Left the pier about 12:30, first mullet still has not been reported from pier.

Tuesday

Didn't fish today, got reports of skates and small sharks taken from Surf City Pier. No reports from surf.

Monday, Monday

Didn't fish today. Reports of small sharks and skates. Nothing in the surf. Small puppy drum in the creeks.

Lost Sunday

Did not fish today. Had a migrane. Maybe tomorrow

Saturday's gone with the wind

Didn't fish today. Helped my neighbor work on his camper. I heard that as of noon the first mullet had not been caught on the pier. I did hear that a couple of skates had been landed. Wind was much better today, at least off the beach.

First Mullet? Not today

Surf City Pier opened today. Went out about 10 am and stayed until 1 pm. There were about 20 fisher-persons out there, all looking for the season's first mullet. The first one wins a season pass! I had intended to stay all day, but the wind and the cold won out. I found myself thinking, "I wish someone would catch that mullet, so I can leave." Man it was cold, with a few sprinkles. Not enough to get wet. May try again later this afternoon.

Rain, Rain

Raining today at Surf City. Normally I would don my rain gear and hit the beach. But it is also cold and windy. No one is at the Surf City Pier or on the beach. Temp is in the low 40's. Water temp is 47, still rather low. Come on SOUTH WIND! Wind out of the south will warm the water, and that is what we need. This will be a good day to go to East Coast and talk to Capt Chris and browse their new fishing lures for this season. Capt. Chris says we now have money to dredge ou least twce. Check out Frying Pan Towers for thier report. http://www.fryingpantower.com/modules.php?name=Save_The_Inlets
East Coast Sports http://www.eastcoastsports.com/index2.ivnu

Be patient. Spring is coming!

Plugging the day away

Went fishing on the Surf City pier today. Plugged with a red head gotcha for about an hour. Also had a bottom rig with shrimp in the water. Nothing on eigher. Met another fisherman, Hal from Stuart VA. and he had the same luck, nothing. Winds out of the east were cold and gusty. But it felt good to have a line in the water again.

New Carolina Skiff

Went boating with my friend K today. Maiden voyage for his new boat, a 19 ft Carolina Skiff DLX. Plenty of room and the Suzuki 80 hp pushed her at a nice clip. Handles like a dream, really well for a flat bottom skif. Weather was clear and winds were calm when we launched her at the Surf City Park ramp. By the time we made it back to the ramp the winds had picked up and the ICW was quite choppy.

Stay tuned for more.

M index 3 am and 6 pm

March Winds

So far this March has been so windy that launching the boat is next to impossible. Don't even think about fishing. Maybe the winds will die down before I forget HOW to fish!

Office Depot Coupon Codes