Wrightsville Beach fishing report for late July 2021

King mackerel on fire at Johnnie Mercers Pier

Zach Phelps caught what’s believed to be the biggest king mackerel ever taken on Johnnie Mercers Pier on Monday July 19, 2021. He caught the 51.2-pound king during an ongoing flurry of king mackerel catches over the past week.

Jacob Thompson caught two kings on that same day. Tyler Baker caught one, and brothers John Truong and Tuan Truong combined for another two. John’s weighed 39 pounds and Tuan’s tipped the scale at 22.

Chris Pierce brought a 29-pound king mackerel onto the concrete pier this past Saturday. On that same day, Daniel Jones reeled in two of these fish — a 14 pounder and a 28 pounder.

Jerimiah Jones pulled his own double play this past Friday, bringing in a 20 pounder and an 18 pounder. Laura Mathieu equaled that feat, catching an 8 pounder and a 21+pounder on the same day.

And yesterday, July 20, anglers at the pier caught another 10 king mackerels. If you’re wanting to catch a king, it’s definitely time to go!

Click here for tips on catching kind mackerel from piers.

Spanish mackerel, sheepshead also keeping anglers busy

Aside from king mackerels, anglers have also been catching some nice Spanish mackerel on plugs. Live bait has also caught a few Spanish lately. Sheepshead have also been active, biting fiddler crabs and other crustaceans fished close to the pier pilings.

The water temperatures at the pier have been hovering in the low 80s. The best bites, according to pier staff, have been coming early in the morning and later in the afternoons/evenings. The middle of the day has been a little slower, but anglers are still managing to catch enough during that time to keep things interesting.

Night anglers have been catching some croakers, spots, and blacktip sharks.

Johnnie Mercers Pier is the first concrete fishing pier built in North Carolina. The structure extends more than 1200 feet into the Atlantic Ocean, offering anglers the chance to catch a wide variety of fish species.

With a well-stocked bait/tackle shop and snack bar, it’s got everything you need for a full day (or night) of fishing. Their summer hours are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, and 24 hours a day Wednesday through Sunday. Click here to stay up to date on the fishing at Johnnie Mercers Pier.