Magnum-size bull redfish and lots of flounder are the main catches for anglers from Wrightsville Beach to Southport.
“Around the inlets we are seeing big bull reds from 25 to 42 inches moving inshore for the fall spawn,” said Captain Jot Owens. “Flounder also are being caught around the inlets.”
The big red drum are hitting fresh cut and live mullets or menhaden while smaller inshore fish are taking topwater lures in the mornings, including MirrOlure Top Pops and She Pups, said Owens (910.233.4139, Capt. Jot Owens Inshore And Near Shore Lite Tackle & Fly Fishing, www.captainjot.com).
“When the sun gets higher, we’re throwing 5-inch Jerk Shads and spinnerbaits,” Owens said.
Flounder are around the inlets and at nearshore artificial reefs, hard-bottom areas and ledges out to 10 miles offshore and are taking live finger mullets on Carolina rigs along with 6-inch Berkley Gulp! Jerk Shads.
“We caught 12 flounder the other day running from 2 to 4 pounds, had only one throwback, and we caught them all on artificials — the Berkley Jerk Shads,” Owens said. “And we were fishing a reef.”
Anglers also are catching nice Spanish mackerel at the inlets and bluefish during the last week. They’re hitting jigging spoons and Gotcha lures.
“We’re also starting to see quite a few false albacore and they’re hitting the same lures,” Owens said.
Smaller sizes seem to be working best, 2 to 4 inches, with blue-green and pink colors working best on Spanish and false albies.
“Anything that resembles a glass minnow is getting bites,” he said.
South of Wrightsville Beach in the Cape Fear River, anglers also are experiencing good catches of flounder, specks and red drum.
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