Topsail Beach Fishing Report By Andy, August 8

Hello from Surf City! This report posted by Andy Wilkinson.

Johhny here is an early report, 8-7, great day spending quality time with my wife, we are about a half mile south of the JR pier. She caught several small fish from the surf and we decided to take a break and sit down. I had a carolina rig out with a dead finger mullet on a circle hook and set my rod in the holder next to our seats. After 15 min, bam it went off ripping line out. The hit was right in the surf. Great fight 10 to 15 minutes and a crowd gathered to watch. Several long runs and I saw in the waves it was a large drum. Finally got him close and my son netted him. He was big but just in the slot at 26.5 inches. Dinner tonight!!! I have some digital pics and if you tell me how I will send them to you when I get back from the beach. I'm a big advocate of circle hooks for preventing gut hooks and not hurting fish that need to be release. This drum set the hook himself and it was perfect in the corner of his mouth, very solid, needed pliers to remove it. But if he would have been over the slot he would have easily survived the hook set................. Yesterday was a different story, bad weather, wind and so much current I had a hard time with the boat. I fished the sound and marshes on the south of the island. Many of the spots I learned last year were shoaled up and I could not get access. I only caught one fish, a 16 inch grouper in 2 feet of water next to an oyster bar. Had no idea there were grouper in the creeks around the sound. Very frustrating day but the drum this morning made up for it. If the wind stays down we may try for some spanish and kings tomorrow, will keep you posted.
Andy

Re(1): Topsail Beach Fishing Report By Andy
Posted on August 7, 2007 at 01:01:39 PM by Johnny

Great post Andy, and congratulations on a nice red! Don't ya just love the sound of that reel screaming? Close to shore is the key to reds in the surf. I think lots of anglers overthrow the fish by heaving their rigs as far as they can. Yea, I love circle hooks. I haven't had to release a single injured drum since I started using them on a short leader. I am hearing that drum are hitting around the docks during low tides and near grass lines during high. Send the pics as an attachment to fishintopsail@gmail.com. I have dial up, so just send two per email, with multiple emails if you have more than two. Thanks again for the report and good luck!
Till next time....
Tight llnes!
Johnny







Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny "FishinTopsail"
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