Carolina Beach April 23, 2009
Dan Russ landed this 53.3 lb. wahoo while trolling the Gulf Stream off Carolina Beach with Capt. Don Pierce and mate Tommy Lorenzen aboard the "Blue Marlin." Weighed in at Island Tackle and Hardware.
Lewis, of Island Tackle, reports that inshore the flounder, red drum, and speckled trout bite has been good lately, with most of the action coming from the Cape Fear River. Grass islands, oyster rocks, and other structure are the spots to target, and live baits, Gulps, and other lures will produce action with all three species. Surprisingly, a decent number of these early flounder have actually been keepers.
Black drum are feeding around docks in the ICW, the boat basin, and the surf. Some flounder and whiting are mixed along with the drum in the surf. Bottom rigs baited with fresh shrimp are attracting attention from all three species.
Spanish and Atlantic bonito have shown up at nearshore structure like the Marriott Rocks and Sheepshead Rock, but the early season bite has been a little hit or miss. Trolling Yo-Zuri Deep Divers and Clarkspoons, especially around working birds, will help anglers locate the fish. Anglers can also cast and jig for them with Stingsilvers and other metal lures.
There have been plenty of gray trout at the Marriott lately, too, but most are on the small side. Vertical jigging with metal lures has been producing the trout.
King mackerel are moving slowly but surely toward the beaches, and some good catches came from the 25-30 mile areas last week. Trolling with Drone spoons or cigar minnows will produce action with the kings when anglers find them.
The grouper bite has been a bit slow over the past week, but anglers were catching decent numbers in the 40-45 mile range several weeks ago. When the seas lay down, the fish should have moved a bit closer to the beach. Anglers can target the grouper and other bottomfish with bottom rigs baited with cigar minnows, squid, or cut baits, or hook up on vertical jigs.
Boats trolling the Gulf Stream recently haven’t had a lot of action, but there have been some huge wahoo caught recently at spots to the south like the Blackjack Hole. Ballyhoo trolled beneath skirted lures in dark colors are one of the best baits to troll to target the wahoo.
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Constance Holohan, from Wilmington, with a pair of black drum weighing 6 and 3 lbs. she caught on squid heads while fishing with her husband John aboard the "Pop A Top."
Brad, of Fish Spanker Charters, reports that the grouper should be making their way even closer to the beaches along with warmer water. Spots in the 30-40 mile range are good areas to target now for anglers looking to hook up with red, gag, and scamp grouper along with other bottomfish (like beeliners and triggerfish). Bottom rigs baited with squid, cigar minnows, or cut and live baits are top choices for the grouper.
The king mackerel are moving on in, and they should be in the 20-30 mile areas as long as there’s decent upper 60’s water around. Look for the kings to make their way to the beaches over the next month.
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Will Schneider and his father Rob, from Wilmington, with a cornetfish that struck a bucktail Will was jigging on the bottom. They were fishing in 170' of water south of Wrightsville Beach with Capt. Mike Jackson of Live Line Charters.
Nick, of Alford’s Seafood, reports that anglers are finding a few grouper and plenty of other bottom feeders like triggerfish, black sea bass, beeliners, and others at spots 30-40 miles off the beaches. Squid, cigar minnows, and cut or live baits will produce action with all the bottomfish, and anglers are also hooking up on lighter gear while working vertical jigs over the offshore structure.
Some king mackerel are feeding in the same areas, and they will respond to trolled or light-lined cigar minnows and vertical jigs.
Spanish mackerel have moved in towards the beaches, with good catches reported from the Liberty Ship and other nearshore structure over the past few weeks. Trolled Clarkspoons will fool the spanish, and anglers can also cast metal lures to any breaking schools of fish.
Inshore, red and black drum are feeding around the docks in the ICW and Carolina Beach boat basin. Gulp baits and fresh shrimp will produce action with both drum species.
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Jeff, of Seahawk Charters, reports that black drum are feeding at docks in the ICW near Carolina Beach. A bottom rig baited with fresh shrimp will draw attention from the drum. The fish will feed on one side of the dock on a falling tide, and the other on rising. They’re not on every dock, so anglers should fish a lot of docks until they can find the fish.
Red drum are feeding around oyster rocks, shell beds, and other structure in the river. Some are undersized, but most are slot fish, with a few over the 27″ slot limit. Live shrimp are excellent baits for the reds, but they’re tough to find now. Dead whole shrimp fished on Carolina rigs or beneath floats will get their attention as well.
A few trout are feeding in the river alongside the reds, and they’re falling for the dead shrimp as well.
Whiting are still schooled up in the Cape Fear River mouth, and have a hard time resisting a bottom rig baited with shrimp.
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Anthony, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are picking up whiting and black drum while bottom fishing with shrimp. A few small flounder and croakers are in the mix as well.
Bluefish (1-2 lbs.) are beginning to show up, and anglers have been hooking them on Gotcha plugs and cut baits.
