Carolina Beach April 14, 2011
Stan Bassinger, of Salisbury, NC, with a 10 lb., 13 oz. black drum he hooked on shrimp in the surf at the north end of Carolina Beach. Weighed in at Island Tackle and Hardware.
Wes, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are catching solid numbers of red drum in the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River. The fish are feeding in the creeks and on the flats, and most anglers are hooking up while casting soft plastics or fishing fresh shrimp on the bottom.
Reds and black drum are also feeding along ICW docks near Carolina Beach. Fresh shrimp fished under the docks will fool both drum species.
Sea mullet are schooling up in deep water near the mouth of the river, and anglers can catch plenty on two-hook bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Flounder are becoming more active and numerous with each passing week, and though few anglers are targeting them yet, some are falling for the lures that anglers are working for reds, particularly in the lower river.
Big bluefish (some to 10+ lbs.) are feeding in the creeks and channels off the lower river as well, and they will fall for a variety of baits (including topwaters).
Surf and pier fishermen are finding action with some black drum and whiting while baiting up with shrimp.
Off the beaches, some false albacore and Atlantic bonito have been reported in the 5-10 mile range over the past week. Anglers can locate the fish by trolling diving lures, then work metal jigs or other small lures to hook up.
Gulf Stream trollers are still finding action with wahoo and blackfin tuna when the weather calms down enough for the long run to blue water. Skirted ballyhoo are doing most of the damage.
Ryan, of Carolina Beach Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are starting to pick up decent numbers of whiting (some around 1 lb.) while bottom fishing in the island’s surf. Some black drum are mixed in, and anglers are also hooking up with a few puppy drum in the suds of Fort Fisher. Shrimp are the best baits for all the surf bottom feeders in the early spring, but sand fleas will soon be showing up and are excellent baits as well.
The water is hovering around 61 degrees, and as soon as it warms into the mid-60’s, surf casters can look forward to some large bluefish showing up.
Inshore, anglers are scoring action with puppy drum, flounder, and black drum in the backwaters around Fort Fisher. The flounder and reds are feeding in the creeks and on the flats, and they will fall for live mud minnows or a variety of artificial lures.
The black drum (and a few pups) are feeding near rocks, docks, and other hard structure in the area, and fresh shrimp will fool both.
Dean and Jeff Smith, of Wilmington, with blackfin tuna caught while vertical jigging the break out of Carolina Beach. They were fishing with Carlton Clark and David Tedder on the "Zebra."
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that there’s been a solid red and black drum bite on the docks, rocks, and other structure in the ICW near Carolina Beach. Gulp baits will fool the reds, and anglers are hooking up with both types of drum on fresh shrimp pinned to bottom rigs. The fish are quick to make use of the structure to part a line once hooked, so heavy gear and heavy braided line are in order if anglers expect to land a significant portion of the fish that bite.
It’s been too windy recently to sight-fish the schools of reds in the bays off the lower river, but anglers are hooking some while blind-casting Gulps and other soft baits in the adjacent creeks. Increasing numbers of flounder (and increasing numbers of keepers) are mixed in with the reds and falling for the same baits.
Sea mullet are feeding in the deep water near the mouth of the river, and anglers can connect with them on two-hook bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer Charters, reports that red drum are still working the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear. The large winter schools are breaking up, though, and anglers need to be able to cover some ground to find fish. Gulp Alive shrimp and minnow imitations have been the most effective baits lately, and they are also fooling a few black drum, particularly near the oyster rocks in the area.
Some sea mullet are feeding in the holes near the mouth of the river, but they’ve been running on the small side and lots of dog sharks are making the fishing difficult. Anglers are connecting with some larger sea mullet and gray trout while working shrimp-tipped Stingsilvers in the ocean just outside the breakers.
Hunter Raynor, of Fayetteville, NC, with an early season 2.5 lb. flounder he hooked on a Gulp Alive shrimp in the backwaters behind Bald Head Island. He was fishing with Capt. Jeff Wolfe of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters.
Robin, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are catching some sea mullet while bottom fishing with shrimp.
Jacob, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching some sea mullet and a few nice (to 5 lbs.) black drum while baiting up with shrimp.
Some smaller flounder are falling for live mud minnows on the bottom.
