Topsail Beach

Well I have to start off with October fishing because from August 30th til the end of September we had a very active tropical weather pattern, there was waves for over 20 days in September, surfing waves=no fishing.

September ended on a high note though and the trips I ran at the end of the month produced some solid spanish mackerel and king mackerel fishing.

October (and November) I look foward to with alot of anticipation and was well rewarded! We had some of the best king mackerel fishing we had all year! Hank Brown rigs with cigar minnows produced non-stop catching on every trip we made for them, we often could only get two lines out before being bit. The fish were from schoolies to teenagers and had the added benefit of being 5-10 miles offshore, quicker run, more fishing time. On some days we would think the bite was over because we had not had a bite for 10 miutes, we would reel up to find that we had all baits cleaned out and would rebait and go back to catching. Some days we actually switched to other fishing to mix it up a little.

We would find the spanish on top eager to take a maria jig, glass minnow jig, or even a fly. Some mornings found acres of feeding 5-8lb false albacore which would be a good warm-up for the king fishing. After our fill of the speedsters we would go looking for the grey trout and found those to the south pretty regularly, some days we scratched a few keepers, others we had nice fish to 20″ all on jigs.

Did little inshore fishing this month when we could not get out and that was also productive. There was a consistent bluefish at the Masonboro Jetty fish ranged from 10″ to 5-6lbs, the fish hit just about anything flashy. Had a few good mornings of topwater trout bites and then did well trolling mirrolures along the same banks. Funny thing was that while we could get the fish trolling the same spots would not prodce the same action when my clients would cast to them. Go back to trolling and they would bite again. Had some nice flounder and drum also mixed in but the trout seemed to be the more consistent action for me.

All in all October was a great month. The next couple of weeks I am running out of Harkers Island for albacore and trout, the bite has been excellent up there, stay tuned for details. We still have alot of great fishing to come in the next couple of months, kings are steady until at least Thanksgiving and the grouper fishing is some of the best all year at this time (get your grouper by Dec 31st, or else wait until May, closes to all fishing Dec 31st.) also giant tuna trips available.

Tight lines,
Captain Jim