Wrightsville Beach Fishing Report

Mid-Winter Fishing Hotter than the Weather

Capt. Rick Bennett — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:37:25 +0000

Hi Folks,

This is an unusual mid-winter fishing report. It’s mid-winter, but it feels like early spring and the fishing inshore is HOT! Here we go:

We’ll start in the Cape Fear River with nice catches of stripers in the 3 to 14 pound range. They are hitting DOA soft plastics rigged weedless and shallow running crankbaits. Trout are hitting as well in the river on ¼ oz. lead heads and pink or chartreuse grubs. Best bite is on the falling tide. In the lower river, the reds are biting well on the high tide. If you like to sight cast, now is the time. The water is clear and the fish are there.

In the New River the trout bite is great up in the creeks with fish in the 5-7 pound range. MR-17 and DOA are doing the catching. The reds are in the lower river flats and banks in big numbers in the shallows staying warm and feeding.

Along the beaches the reds are in the surf with schools numbering in the 2-4 hundred fish and most of the fish are in the 6 to 12 pound range. As long as the wind is offshore to knock down the swell it will be happening. You can see the schools rolling right on the beach. Try to time the front passage to get the blue bird skies and offshore winds to get the perfect conditions.

If you can, get out on the water. If you do not have a boat, I have some of the best guides in Southeastern NC waiting to put you on the fish. Give me a call and I will “hook you up’. Please visit my website at www.rodmancharters.com for more info.

Let’s Go Fishing!!!

Capt. Rick Bennett
Rod-Man On Your Boat Guided Trips
Rod-Man Custom Fishing Rods

Rod-Man Charter Booking Service

407 Fox Wood Lane
Wilmington, NC 28409
rodman@rodmancharters.com

http://www.rodmancharters.com
http://www.custom-fishingrods.com
910.520.7661

Speckled Trout Fishing at Wrightsville Beach is HOT

Capt. Rick Bennett — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:55:24 +0000

Hi Folks,

Speckled trout fishing is very good right now and many feel it hasn’t hit its peak yet! High double digit catches of nice fish are common. Other inshore action is very good as well. Offshore the king mackerel bite is on fire. Now here’s my report:

Inshore: Specks galore! Live shrimp and Gulp are about equal in trout landings. In many cases the best bite is on falling water, but don’t hesitate to fish the rising water as well. The important thing with trout is moving water. Red drum action in the river has been pretty awesome as well. Capt Seth from Double Haul Guide Service has had some terrific catches on fly rods in the river. Some sheepshead and ring tail porgies are biting around the jetties.

Near Shore: Some nice red drum and black drum are right behind the breakers. Fresh cut bait and shrimp will get the job done.

Offshore: The king mackerel bite has been awesome in the 20 to 40 mile areas.

Gulfstream: Boats traveling to the stream have been doing well on wahoo and blackfin tuna.

Upcoming: Inshore trout fishing should continue to get better and better as long as it doesn’t get too cold.

On a personal note, the Rod-Man has made a change in his business pursuits. I am no longer going to be active in day to day chartering. Basically my business will still remain very active in the fishing business. I will be offering “ON YOUR BOAT GUIDED TRIPS”; I will be offering a Charter Booking Service, representing the best captains in the area for: flats boat fly-fishing, inshore fishing, river fishing, near shore fishing, offshore fishing and gulfstream fishing. Rod-Man Charter Booking Service covers from Topsail to Southport, from the shallows to the Gulfstream. Visit www.rodmancharters.com for details or inquire at 910-520-7661. We look forward to serving you in our new capacity. Finally, I will continue to offer my custom made fishing rods. With over 25 years experience in building fishing rods I can make your custom rod a special fish catching instrument. Check us out at www.custom-fishingrods.com

Capt. Rick Bennett
Rod-Man On Your Boat Guided Trips
Rod-Man Custom Fishing Rods
Rod-Man Charter Booking Service
407 Fox Wood Lane
Wilmington, NC 28409
rodman@rodmancharters.com
http://www.rodmancharters.com
http://www.custom-fishingrods.com
910.520.7661

10/28/2011

Capt. Rick Bennett — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:11:42 +0000

Hi Folks,

It has been a bit breezy and sometimes quite windy, but fall fishing has been superb.

INSHORE the flounder and trout bite have been very good and red drum are around. The trout are biting in the creeks and can be caught on ¼ ounce lead heads with you favorite Gulp bait. Flounder are biting both live bait and Gulp. Reds are primarily biting fresh cut bait or live bait. With all the bluefish around there is no shortage of fresh bait.

NEAR SHORE Plenty of bluefish are biting at the inlets. Red drum in big sizes are biting near the inlet mouths and the near shore reefs. King mackerel have been making a nice showing near the beach. False albacore are sticking their heads up for the fly fishermen and the jig casters.

OFFSHORE plenty of king mackerel have been biting from 7 to 25 miles out. In the GULFSTREAM for those boats able to make the trip, some very nice wahoo are biting along with blackfin tuna and mahi. BOTTOM FISHING for grouper had been very good.

It’s time to get out and fish. Catch a big one…

Capt. Rick Bennett
Rod-Man Charters (light tackle and fly-fishing, inshore and near shore)
Rod-Man Custom Fishing Rods (from ultra-lite, to fly, to marlin)
407 Fox Wood Lane
Wilmington, NC 28409
rodman@rodmancharters.com

http://www.rodmancharters.com
http://www.custom-fishingrods.com
910.520.7661

Fall Fishing in Full Swing at Wrightsville Beach Area

Capt. Rick Bennett — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:53:47 +0000

Hi Folks,

Boat Update: I have sold my boat. Now I am working on obtaining a new one. It was a good time to sell the old, but I am missing some great fishing waiting on the new. You do not have to wait. Get out on the water with your boat or let me know and I will hook you up with a very good captain. Now here’s my report:

INSHORE: Fall fishing is on fire. Red drum, flounder, and trout: they are all biting. All the usual spots are providing fish. Fish the inlets, the waterway, the creeks and the river. Fish live bait, dead bait and artificials. It’s all happening. My favorite artificial is a ¼ oz. led head combined with a Gulp 4” Baitfish or a 5” Jerk Bait.

NEAR SHORE: Exciting times are just off the beach too. The Spanish bite is still on and producing some very nice fish. Also, there are some very good bluefish biting. King mackerel are cruising the beach and False Albacore are bending some rods as well.

OFFSHORE: Some more kings and false albacore are biting and Frying Pan is producing a smorgasbord of fishes.

GULFSTREAM: The stream is providing good action on wahoo, blackfin and a few yellowfin tuna.

UPCOMING: More and more of the same in the way of fall fishing will continue until it gets too cold, which doesn’t seem a threat in the near future. But, when it does turn cold it will be boat show season and I will be there. I will be posting my schedule for Raleigh, Greensboro, Richmond and Wilmington soon. I am building a lot of my show special custom rods for the boat shows. I hope to provide you with one…or two!

Until next time…

Let’s Go Fishing!!!

http://www.rodmancharters.com
http://www.custom-fishingrods.com
910.520.7661

Post Irene Fishing Wrightsville Beach Area

Capt. Rick Bennett — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:46:27 +0000

Hi Folks,

Fishing since Irene has been surprisingly good. Even though I am not currently fishing, I am staying in touch with the other fishermen. Redfish continue to be biting strong in the inlets and the river. Flounder fishing has been pretty strong as well. We are starting to get cooler nights with temps in the mid 60’s, so real fall fishing is almost upon us. While I am trying to sell my boat and looking for a new one, I will have to call in a few favors and get a ride with a buddy. Now here is my report:

INSHORE: Live bait is plentiful and that means reds and flounder. They are both around and biting in good numbers, both in the inlets and the river. It will not be long before some trout start biting.

NEAR SHORE: Spanish mackerel are still around and some tarpon are roaming the beaches. Even a few kings have been caught close to shore. There is a lot of bait along the beach and that is attracting the fish.

OFFSHORE: Most of the fishing is in the 20-25 areas. Look for kings mostly. While not always a good thing, there are a lot of sharks in the area as well.

GULFSTREAM: The Gulfstream is producing wahoo, some mahi and blackfin tuna.

UPCOMING: With my “pending” boat sale I will be on the shopping market, hopefully soon. By the time I sell my rig, buy and outfit a new one, most of my season will be over. While I’ll be looking, I may wait until the boat shows to get the best deal! Back to fishing: October is not far away and in my opinion it is the best month of the year to fish. Almost everything bites in October. So make plans to get in on the action. If you need a charter, give me a call and I will hook you up with one of several first rate captains.

Until Next Time…..

CATCH SOME FISH!!!

http://www.rodmancharters.com
http://www.custom-fishingrods.com
910.520.7661

Post Irene Report

Capt. Rick Bennett — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:37:38 +0000

Hi Folks,

I am sure everyone knows Irene messed things up pretty badly all along the east coast. Fortunately the southeast coast received relatively little damage. Unfortunately, the local waters are a murky mess. The fish will regroup, but it may take a little while. Given the storm’s results and the fact that I have been talking about it all year, I have finally made a bold decision. I am going to sell my boat! The past few days I have had the boat out of the water and been cleaning and such. I feel that it is hard to run charters and sell a boat at the same time. I am going to cease the charter end of my business until I sell my boat and buy a new one. Hopefully that won’t be too long, but I am prepared to sit out the rest of this season if necessary. I will be back with a new ride, the sooner the better. If anyone is looking for an excellent boat, shoot me an email and I will send you a flyer.

I will still be doing the custom rod end of my business and will be at the shows this winter. And, of course I will still post reports from time to time.

Until next time….

http://www.rodmancharters.com
http://www.custom-fishingrods.com
910.520.7661

Bracing for Irene at Wrightsville Beach

Capt. Rick Bennett — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:08:20 +0000

Hi Folks,

Well we have been lucky for a while, but it appears that may change by the weekend. Irene, some models say, is headed our way. Time will tell. Better to be prepared than waiting until it’s too late. Meanwhile the fish continue to have their on the bite one day and cannot be found the next. Wonder where they go? We have had some excellent catches of reds and some nice flounder and Spanish days.

Now here is my report:

Inshore: Reds are biting in the creeks and the inlets, mostly on live bait and the falling tide. Flounder are biting in the inlets, Snow’s Cut and the river, also on live bait.

Near Shore: The Spanish bite has been good to excellent, depending on the wind and the fish. As stated, on one day off the next. Some tarpon have been in the area.

Offshore: Small mahi and plenty of sailfish have been the main attraction from 15-25 miles out. Multiple hookups on sails have been common.

Gulfstream: Some billfish, mahi and blackfin have been caught. A little slow in the stream right now.

Upcoming: After the storm passes if it is not too bad look for fall fishing to pick up. It may take a week or two for things to settle down, but the fish will be hungry. Cooler temps should be moving in during the next few weeks and that means more fall fish.

Until next time….stay safe and

LET’S GO FISHING

http://www.rodmancharters.com
http://www.custom-fishingrods.com
910.520.7661

Inshore Bite Better Some Days Than Others

Capt. Rick Bennett — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:56:49 +0000

Hi Folks,

The heat is taking its toll on the fish and the fishermen. There have some really good fishing days and some that were not up to my expectations. In general, inshore fishing has been pretty good considering water temps in the 86-87 range. Early morning if the tides are right is best for sure and after about 11 AM it’s time to head for the hill.

Now here’s my report:

Inshore: The redfish and flounder bites have been poor to great. Now that may seem hard to believe. It all depends on the weather, barometer and wind direction, time of day (early is best), and where you fish. In the past week we have had days where we caught 9 reds and days we caught 6 flounder. Not huge numbers but good for this heat. Then there have been days we caught nothing. Folks that is fishing. Finger mullet are plentiful and the best bait right now.

Near Shore: Spanish mackerel appear to be the most consistent fish right now. Again, early morning is best and fishing deep with clarkspoons is a proven way to fill the cooler.

Offshore: Wow, what and unusual year the offshore fishing is providing. King macs are virtually non-existent. Mahi, even 25 miles out are hard to find and small. Not much of anything happening in the 8-12 mile range, unless you count AJ’s and barracuda. Sailfish seem to be the most abundant fish out there and they are very finicky.

Gulfstream: Winds have been less than favorable for gulfstream trips lately. I have heard reports of billfish and some wahoo being caught.

Upcoming: Cooler weather and I hope it will be soon. Realistically, we are looking at a good month of more hot weather. When the weather cools the fish will feed like crazy. They know when to eat. Until then we just keep trying and some days will be great and some not so great. But it is always great to be on the water.

Until next time…LETS GO FISHING!!!

http://www.rodmancharters.com
http://www.custom-fishingrods.com
910.520.7661

A Little Rain Can Set Things Right at Wrightsville/Carolina Beaches

cjam96 — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:29:13 +0000

Hi Folks,

Oh yes, a little rain is just what the doctor ordered for the sultry summer fishing days. Very hot weather cooled with the rain and the rain reduced the probably too high salinity of the water. Regardless the reason, the fish have really turned on!

Now here’s my report:

Inshore: With the change in the weather, rain and cooler, the finger mullet have started running and the reds and flounder have picked up their activity as well. Use the finger mullet at your favorite fishing hole and see if you don’t catch a few “nice’uns.”

Near Shore: The spanish mackerel bite has been hot. Usually predictable, during the brutal heat we had, they were a bit shy one day and on the next. Now they are chomping steadily. When the winds are a bit calmer, the flounder have been doing well on the near shore reefs. You can catch them jigging Gulp or with live bait.

Offshore: It’s not unusual this time of year to have a lull, but we seem to have had a rather prolonged lull. Somewhat surprising is the sailfish bite with some boats hooking into 3 a day. With persistent southwest winds this should continue.

Gulfstream: I have heard few reports from the stream, but most of what I hear is billfish, mahi and some wahoo. The winds have not been helpful in allowing boats to get to the fish.

Upcoming: It’s hard to believe, but fall fishing is but a few weeks away. In the meantime, take advantage of the hot fishing going on right now. What a time to have my boat on the hill for a couple of days (just 2) when I would love to be out there catching. I’ll be there soon. Be sure to check out the website for new pics and such: www.rodmancharters.com/photos

Until Next Time…LET’S GO FISHING!!!

http://www.rodmancharters.com
http://www.custom-fishingrods.com
910.520.7661

Inshore, Near Shore and Offshore Hot, Wrightsville and Carolina Beaches

Capt. Rick Bennett — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:44:47 +0000

Hi Folks,

The summer routine is well entrenched and the fish have finally accepted the routine as well. Just about wherever you fish, something is biting. Try to take advantage and get on the water.

Now here’s my report:

Inshore: Reds and flounder are the fish of the hour right now. Reds are biting in the inlets, the ICW and the marsh areas. High tide falling seems to be best. Live bait, chuck bait and artificials are all working. Flounder are biting in the inlets, Snow’s Cut and the river. Live bait on a moving tide works best.

Near Shore: The Spanish bite is very good and some of the fish are very nice in size. Best times seem to be early morning and late evening. Clarkspoons on planers will do the trick. Nice flounder are biting at the near shore reefs on jigs. Drifting seems to work best.

Offshore: The kings, mahi and sailfish have shown up all at the same time. The 10 to 20 mile areas seem to be doing best. Slow troll with live bait of fast troll with ballyhoo. Catch-em up.

Gulfstream: Billfish are biting along with some wahoo and mahi.

Upcoming: With hot weather and hot water, fish early and fish late; take a siesta in between. Cooler temps are still a ways away, but something to look forward to. At the same time we don’t want to wish the good summer fishing away. Please be sure to check out the new pics in my Photo Gallery at www.rodmancharters.com/photos.

Until Next Time…LET’S GO FISHING!!!

http://www.rodmancharters.com
http://www.custom-fishingrods.com
910.520.7661