September 2020 is here and it has been a bit rainy. The temps are starting to cool down, however, the water on the island is still hovering around 82 degrees. There are multiple disturbances in the Atlantic and there are currents, big waves and occasional rip tides.
Fishing just isn’t going to be great until the water temperatures drop.
That said, there are a ton of people on the island due to COVID19. It seems like everyone is working from home and homeschooling their kids and the beach rentals are booked solid. It’s like it is still summer here – I’ve never seen anything like it.
I have spent much of the first half of September in North Topsail Beach. There is a ton of bait fish in the water up here. You can catch pinfish or mullet with every cast. I’ve caught nothing else though. I did see some black drum caught at the north end of North Topsail. So, they’re there. I believe the fish was caught on a live minnow. To get a live minnow just throw a cast net into the surf and you’ll have about 20 to choose from.
At the piers they’re catching Kingfish and the occasional Spanish Mackerel, Bluefish and Black Drum.
If you simply want to take the kids fishing, grab a pole with the tiniest hooks you can buy and throw a tiny piece of shrimp onto the hook. Sound Side Park or even fishing in the surf should keep them busy and they’ll catch fish with every cast! I stood in the surf today and caught about 30 pin fish myself and I only cast my line out about 25 times. They were coming in 2 at a time on some casts.
Spots are beginning to show up, but, they seem to be taking their time.
Recap:
Spots are starting to show up
There’s a lot of finger mullet minnows in the surf
There are occasional pinfish, mullet, black drum, bluefish, mackeral being caught
Kingfisherman are catching Kingfish
Founder are being caught by giggers at night and by people w/ kayaks and boats. Season just opened mid-August.
Spanish are nearshore if you have a boat
Redfish – I heard Red Drum are hitting topwater lures in the streams
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