Didn't fish today, had migraine and company. Never a good combination. Just a note, It's just about sundown, which is always beautiful here, and the baitfish are plentiful in the canal behind our apartment.
Until next time........
Tight Lines,
Johnny

Word for the day is SPANISH

I am hearing that the spanish are everywhere. They are biting really well, and in between the spanigh, an anglers time is spent haulin up big blues (about 2 pounders). Bottom fishing at night is producing small mullets, croakers, splots, speckled trout, flounder, and hog fish. But the word is small. Once in a while there is a nice one brought up, but overall, everything on the bottom is on the small side. There has been some big mullets and whiting reported from the surf, although I haven't personally caught any, nor have I seen any. I am also hearing about some respectable puppy drum and trout in the surf.
Until next time.........
Tight Lines!
Johnny

East Coast Sports Fishing Report

Here is the weekly fishing report from Capt. Chriss Medlin at East Coast Sports.

_{East Coast Sports Fishing Report for}

_{May 29, 2006}

Check Out my Online Boating Store

At www.eastcoastsports.com

If you wish to receive this fishing report

Via e-mail just reply VIA E_MAIL and say add me to the list.

Do not reply on the message Board.

Dredge Report

To check the most up to date Dredge Schedule go here

http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/nav//info/DRSCH0521.pdf

All waypoints are listed from 1-8 or 1-2. #1 waypoint will

Be the closest to the ocean. East Coast Sports, its affiliates or

Employees cannot be held responsible for damages occurred

While using the information contained in this document. This Document

Is for informative use only and dose not indicate safe passage in or

Out of any inlet. These coordinates are supplied by the USACE and can

Be found at http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/nav//.

New River Report

Wpt #1 34.21.4780765 N X 77.19.7706180 W

Wpt #2 34.31.6289183 N X 77.20.4584857 W

Wpt#3 34.31.9193781 N X 77.20.6762300 W

Wpt#4 34.32.0634524 N X 77.20.6459498 W

Wpt#5 34.32.3860163 N X 77.20.4102957 W

Wpt#6 34.32.6239742 N X 77.20.5328027 W

Wpt#7 34.33.2053190 N X 77.22.0824203 W

New Topsail Report

Wpt #1 34.20.0949014 N X 77.39.2831813 W

Wpt #2 34.20.2801249 N X 77.39.5666339 W

Wpt #3 34.20.3922875 N X 77.40.1008268 W

Wpt #4 34.20.5738885 N X 77.40.1812363 W

Wpt #5 34.20.7706658 N X 77.40.1303687 W

Piers

Surf City Pier = A few Spanish and Blues / 1 Cobia

Jolly Roger Pier = 2 Cobia 53 and a 21 / A few Chopper blues lots of tailors and a few Specks.

Sea View Pier = 3 Kings Today 23+ / A few Spots and Mullets

Conclusion

First few Cobia and Kings are here

Surf

New River Inlet to Surf City = some nice Reds

Surf City to Topsail Beach = Some Nice Mullets and a few Pompano

Topsail Beach To New Topsail Inlet = A few Mullets

Lee island North end = Lots of Reds still there

Conclusion

Catch them Reds at the north end of lees with gold Kastmasters (yes it is spelled with a K) and Berkley Gulp shrimp

Waterway / Inlet

Big Ole Black Drum in Becky’s Creek. Specks at the end of Trout street (no irony there)

Conclusion

Lots of reds still around as well

Inshore 0-20 miles

Kings everywhere looks like the making of a banner year. X-mass rock and the 200/200

200-200

34.06.39 N X 77.21.67 W

X-Mass

34.06.39 N X 77.21.67 W

Offshore 20 mile- 200 fathoms

Dolphin has moved in around 30 miles. They are getting closer Boys and Girls.

Water temp on the beach

73 degrees F

Conclusion

Lookin GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Offshore Marine Forecast

HATTERAS CANYON TO CAPE FEAR OUT TO 34N 71W TO 32N 73W.400 PM EDT MON MAY 29 2006

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...EXCEPT SE 10 KT OVER THE E PORTION. WINDS BECOMING E TO NE 10 TO 15 KT THROUGHOUT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT. 

.TUE THROUGH WED NIGHT...E TO SE 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND TSTMS. 

.THU...SE TO S WINDS INCREASING TO 10 TO 15 KT...EXCEPT VARIABLE 10 KT OR LESS OVER THE FAR SE PORTION. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT. 

.FRI...S TO SW WINDS INCREASING TO 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS BUILDING TO 3 TO 5 FT. 

.SAT...WINDS SHIFTING TO N 15 TO 20 KT EARLY...THEN DECREASING TO 10 KT OR LESS OVER THE W PORTION LATE. SEAS 2 TO 5 FT. 

Conclusion

Weekend lookin Good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Weekend General Forecast

Remember this time of year when it gets warm there is always a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon but they do not last long.

Grandkids have a grand time fishing!

My daughter Emiley, her husband Ryan and our four grandchildren are here for a long weekend. While Donna and Emiley took the two youngest girls, Erin and Brianna, to visit great grandmother Bernice, Ryan and I slipped off to the pier with Zack and Christina. We had a grand time. The fish were biting just fast enough to keep the kids interested. Ryan had a great time also, saying this is the first time he had been fishing since his last visit with us two years ago. Although nothing we caught was braggin' size, we caught a nice variety of ocean fish. Sharks and stingrays were in the water to no ones supprise, and we caught mullet, croaker, and hogfish. I don't know how many of each we caught, but it was a good number. We kept a few so the kids could brag a bit to Mom and MawMaw.

Earlier in the day the spanish were hitting really well, as they have been all week. I talked to some folks that have been catching them in good numbers, and not just barely keepers, but nice size. I didn't actually see these large spanish, but I heard about them from more than one source. They are still hitting gotcha plugs, any color, early in the morning. Of course any one who wants a few blues can catch their limit in just a few hours if one gets their early enough.

The pier patrons are still abuzz about the young man that caught a 30 inch king mackeral on a gotcha plug while fishing for blues from the end of the pier. Too bad it wasn't a couple inches longer so he could have kept it. He can still brag about it for a while, and it can grow a bit every time he tells the story!

I don't know where the big whiting are. Last year and the year before, I had caught 20 whiting that weight over two pounds by this time. This year I haven't even hit the one pound mark. I don't know what it could be. I think the water is warm enough, but the fish just aren't here.....not where I am fishing anyway.

Until next time......
Tight Lines!
Johnny
10652

Same old song and dance

Small blues on got-cha plugs. Small mullets and croakers on bottom rigs. There was a nice speckled trout caught on a flounder rig baited with a mud minnow, weighed 3.8 lb. if I am remembering correctly. I have a migraine and it's kind of fuzzy today.
Till next time.......
Tight Lines!
Johnny

The spanish are biting really well from Surf City Pier. Most are keepers with a few bigger ones mixed in. There was a big king caught yesterday, I think it was about 44 lb. A young kid plugging from the end of the pier caught a king, yea, I said king, that I heard weighed about 30 lb. I'll check it out and make a correction if this isn't correct. The mullets and whiting still aren't biting as well as they were at this time last year. Bluefish are giving anglers lots of fun and sore muscles. There are lots of them in the water. Ken caught one with his got-cha plug just hanging right at the top of the water. Brother in law Dave Osborne caught one 18 1/2 inches jigging a got-cha straight down from the south side of the end of the pier. I am still hearing of a few drum, and a few trought, and a spot here and there. Weather is nice and water is warming fast. Last report I got was 69 degrees.
Till next time........
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Spanish on Surf City Pier

Boat has been sold. Thanks for your inquiries.

There were several spanish caught on Surf City Pier today. Also caught were some small blues, and of course skates, stingrays and sharks. The mullet being caught are still small. By this time last year we had caught larger ones, up to two pounds. Maybe they will be here soon.
Till next time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Inshore fishing charter a bust

I went with Dan and David on an inshore fishing charter targeting red drum. Charter was scheduled from 7:30 am until 2 pm. After catching bait, which consisted of pogies, we headed for ICW channel marker 98, which is near Lea Island at the southernmost part of Topsail Beach. We moved to 5 or 6 different locations throughout the morning and afternoon, ending up at the Surf City swing bridge about 1:30 pm. The skies were a bit overcast and it was warm but not hot. It was a beautiful day weatherwise and was nice being on the water, but the only thing we brought to the boat was a large stingray. We were hooked up three more times, only once could be confirmed as a redfish. . We were skunked, never landing a fish all day. I know this happens from time to time even with the most experienced guides, but still it's no fun paying over $300 dollars for a fishing trip and not catching a single fish. Oh well.......
Till next time.....
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Must Sell This Boat !!!!

For Sale or Trade...16 ft KenCraft flat bottom skiff well boat, 1984 model 25 hp evinrude (30 hp johnson powerhead) ELECTRIC START or rope start motor runs good. Battery new last summer. Includes gas tank with good gas line, life jackets, seat cushions, anchor, oar, fishing cooler, 50 yard flounder net, and trailer. Trailer needs work (wheel bearings and springs) before moving. New lights, rollers and wench for trailer included but lights and rollers are not installed. Almost new tires. Boat is flat bottom skif type with shallow draft, perfect for shallow water bays and creeks, or for setting flounder or spot nets. Floor repaired and glassed last summer. No leaks. Nice boat, but I have moved and have no place to store it.

MUST SELL! $500.00. Boat is at Surf City, NC. MUST BE MOVED be moved BEFORE JULY 1st. Will trade for late model laptop computer.

Contact Johnny at email fishintopsail@gmail.com. or call 910-520-0351.

Sunny Day

Today was a really nice day. I didn't fish in the ocean today, but I did throw a lure a bit into the channel behind our apartment. Had no luck, even though I saw what I think was a puppy drum "tailing". If you don't know, red drum like to forage in shallow water. When the water is really shallow, the drum's tail will break the surface of the water as it looks for food on the bottom. We saw several of these tailing drum, but none ever came close enough to get a lure to them. I am going on a inshore charter tomorrow with brother in law Dave and nephew Dan who are visiting Topsail Beach for a two week vacation. We are going out with Headhunter Charters. I will post results. Have no news from the piers today.

Tight Lines!
Johnny

Trout

The buzz on the beach is that the speckled trout have made an apperance. It was reported that one angler on Surf City Pier caught his limit. The spanish are in the water most every morning, with a few really nice 4 and 5 pounders being caught. Blues are still biting gotchas as well as bottom rigs. The larger mullets are starting to show up. The wind has been out of the south to south west this week, with some really strong winds about dark. The water temp is at 69 degrees. Reds are being caught in the sounds and creeks in shallow water. There was a few trout caught around the turning bridge, but no bragging size fish.
Till next time....
Tight Lines!! Johnny

Windy, Windy, Windy

I haven't fish this week because of a migraine, but don't know if I would have fished anyway. It has been really windy this week. Haven't been out so I don't know if fish are biting. Hope to find out tomorrow.

Southwest winds will warm water

The water temp is 69 degrees according to my friend Chris Medlin at East Coast Sports. The southwest to west wind will help warm the water here at Topsail Island. Mullets are biting at night and some during the day when the water is dingy, some are really nice. When the water is clear, the blues and spanish are biting. A four and a half pound spanish was caught this week at Surf City Pier. I have heard of the first big pompano being caught in the surf between Surf City Pier and North Topsail Beach. I know that is a lot of beach, but that's all the info I have. The flounder are getting bigger as several keepers were caught from SCP and in the surf.
Till next time........
Tight Lines!
Johnny

Spanish R Here

The water temp is almost 70 degrees and with the warming water, comes the spanish mackeral and big blues. Glenn, an avid spanish angler caught a 2.58 lb spanish this week on Surf City Pier. The nice spanish hit a red head gotcha plug fished from the end of the pier. There were several smaller spanish landed this week also. If you like to throw the old faithful gotcha plugs, you need to be at the pier. Most everyone that throws a gotcha in the water, is catching blues. Most are smallish, although at times they are as big as two pounds. There have been two whoppers landed from the end of the pier. One weighed in at over twelve pounds, and the "small" one weighed a measley 7 pounds. Pretty respectable fish. There are a few black drum being landed as well as a few puppy drum. There was one large one fought to the pier, but the angler failed to get it into the drop net. I saw it thrashing about in the suds, and it looked to be about 3 feet long, definitely over the slot. Sea mullets are in the water, with a few nice ones weighing about a pound. The larger whiting hasn't made a showing in the surf yet, but they should be here soon. Sand fleas are plentiful at low tide, and can be found at higher tides, but it takes a little more effort to get the critters. Flounder are hitting live minnows, but most are small with a few keepers here and there. I saw one speckled trout landed this week, and it was a keeper, just a bit over 13 inches. There have been no kings or cobia caught from Surf City Pier, but there are a few die hards already fishing for them. Summing up, fishing is getting better and the forcast looks good as the water warms.
Till next time....
Tight Lines! Johnny

Fishin' is Getting Better!

Blues everywhere!

Although surf fishing is still a bit slow, Fishing from any of Topsail Island's three piers has really come alive this week. I fish Surf City Ocean Pier so I am more familiar with the fishing here. I am seeing lots of small blues being caught on GotCha plugs, and color doesn't seem to matter. Blues are hitting from the suds all the way to the end of the pier. Most are a little small, but there have been a few nice ones. A huge twelve pounder was caught off the end where it hit a king rig. A six pounder was also caught, but I haven't been able to get exactly where on Surf City Ocean Pier it was caught. At night the virginia mullet bite is picking up, and I have seen some coolers with more than a few nice mullet. The size of the mullets has really improved this week, with some about a pound. I have seen a few speckled and gray trout, as well as a few black drum. I had estimated that it would be another week before I started seeing puppy drum in the ocean, but they are already being caught from the pier, and at least one was past the "puppy" stage. Unfortunately the big fish was not landed, but it was fought to the pier and was lost while trying to get the monster into a landing net. The huge redfish looked to be at least 30 to 36 inches long. I have caught several baby flounder, under the 14 inch size limit, and I have heard of several from 14 to 17 inches long being caught on mud minnows and finger mullet. If you boat or fish the inland side of the island, you can be in for some really great action. Reds are plentiful although easily spooked. They can be seen "tailing" in shallow water while eating bait on the bottom. The fish get almost vertical and the end of their tails will be visible. The season's first spanish mackerel was caught this week at Jolly Rodger Pier. So, although the angling action hasn't yet reached a "feeding frenzy", fishing is good and I only expect it to get better. The water temp is at 64 degrees, according to Chris Medlin at East Coast Sports. As the water gets a few degrees warmer, the mullet, flounder, and drum (both red drum and black drum) fishing should get even better. Till next time......
Tight Lines, Johnny

No Luck in the Surf

Fished near the old Barnacle Bills fishing pier today. I was out there from about 4:30 until after 7:30 pm. fishing the last couple of hours until low tide, then a couple of hours on the incoming tide. Only had one bite on sand flea. I must have set the hook to fast, cause I didn't get the fish. On a good note, sand fleas were everywhere today. One scoop with my flea rake and had at least a hundred medium size crabs. I have them in a cooler with a sealed bag of ice. I am wondering how long they will last.
I got an email fishing report from Captain Rick Bennet of Rod Man Charteres. I have pasted the report in this post. Till next time.....
Tight Lines, Johnny

Rod-Man Charters Report May 3, 2006

Hi Folks,

Wow, has the wind been blowing??? Things have finally calmed down for a while and the fishing is turning on for sure. We are catching reds, blues and a complete mixed bag of fish. The bonito have not been what has been expected this year, but they may show in numbers yet.

Here's my report:

Inshore: Redfish have been doing very well. Live bait or cut bait fished on carolina rigs around the inlets, the creeks and the waterway are producing fish. Bluefish have been strong in the inlets on the rising tide. Look for flounder to start biting any day.

Near shore: Bonito have been slow to materialize this year. Of course it has blown so hard for the last several days they may have been frolicking around out there and nobody could get to them. We have done well on gray trout and a mixed bag of other fishes. Spanish mackerel are just around the corner; I can almost smell them and hear them jumping.

Offshore: I am getting some reports of kings moving in around 10 miles out to the 23 mile range. Look for those kings (the spring size) to show up close to the beach soon! Grouper and sea bass fishing in the 25 mile range has been good.

Gulfstream: Wahoo has been the main catch here. A few tuna, mahi and billfish have added to the mix. Again, weather has not cooperated on many days for the big boats to get out.

All and all we have had a pretty good spring thus far, but the action is really starting to heat up now. My custom rods and their Okuma reels are freshly spooled with Fireline and ready to catch fish. I know you hear almost every time,

but I have to say, GULP has saved a many a trip this spring...it's good stuff, as are all the Pure Fishing/Berkley products.

Don't miss the pic of the week: http://www.rodmancharters.com/photo3.htm

Let's Go Fishing!!!

Captain Rick Bennett

Rod-Man Charters

910-799-6120

Windy

We are still getting the strong north to northease winds along the beaches of Topsail Island. Currents are strong and five ounces of lead will not hold the bottom. There are a few small mullet being caught from the piers, but nothing in the surf. Winds are supposed to change over the next 24 hours, and maybe that will produce better fishing.

Still have a boat for sale. 16 foot Kencraft well boat. This is a flat bottom skiff, good for fishing in the sounds and Intracoastal Waterway behind the island. I need to sell this boat, so any decent offer will be considered. I am willing to trade for a nice laptop computer. Email me with your offer.

Until next time,
Tight Lines!
Johnny