Carolina Beach April 29, 2010
Chris Stellaccio, from Kure Beach, NC, with a sea bass he hooked near Frying Pan Tower on a bottom rig baited with cut bait.
Lewis, of Island Tackle, reports that anglers are finally starting to see some speckled trout in the Cape Fear River and off the ICW. The best action has been in the river around the rock and grass islands and creeks. Most of the fish are still on the small side, but anglers are starting to see some better quality specks in the mix. A few fish are starting to fall for topwater plugs in the mornings and evenings, and soft plastic shrimp like D.O.A and Halo models are fooling the fish all day.
Flounder are becoming more prevalent inshore, though, like the trout, most are still on the small side. Live mud minnows or peanut pogies are the best baits.
Surf anglers are also getting into the flatfish (mostly on live mud minnows). They’re also finding some action with whiting, black drum, and sheepshead on live sand fleas. Bluefish are feeding in the surf and inshore, and they’re biting almost anything.
Spanish mackerel have arrived nearshore, and anglers put together decent catches down south around the Peterhoff and High Rock last week. Anglers are catching the fish trolling and casting. Trolling with Yo-Zuri Deep Divers and/or Clarkspoons is producing most of the action. Casters are hooking up on Maria and diamond jigs, Gotcha plugs, and heavy sabiki rigs weighted with Stingsilvers.
False albacore are a bit further offshore than the spanish (in the 4-5 mile range), but they’ll fall for the same casting and trolling tactics.
Anglers finally found some king mackerel last week, although the fish were still around 40 miles off the beach. Trolled spoons and cigar minnows are both deadly on the spring kings.
Gulf Stream trollers found good action with wahoo around the Same Ol’ Hole last week while pulling dark-skirted ballyhoo. Big numbers of blackfin tuna were also found a bit further off the beach and caught by trollers and jiggers.
Aside from the tuna, vertical jiggers working the blue water also found action with African pompano, cobia, snowy grouper, tilefish, and plenty of amberjacks. Eastern Tackle and Blue Water Candy Roscoe jigs have been the most effective lately.
Capt. Ron Fowler, of Capt. Ron Charters, with a 6.2 lb. citation spanish mackerel that was part of a limit he landed just south of Carolina Beach Inlet while trolling silver and gold Clarkspoons.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that red drum are still feeding in the bays and creeks off the lower Cape Fear River, but an influx of cownose rays has made the fishing tougher over the past week. The drum don’t seem to like the cownoses, so anglers should look for a new spot if they find an area overrun with the rays. Soft plastic baits have been producing the lion’s share of the reds, and Wade Worms have been the most effective lately.
The speckled trout bite is turning on in the river, with the best action around the grass islands. Soft plastic shrimp imitations are top trout producers.
Whiting are still feeding around the channel drop-offs in the lower river, and anglers are catching them along with a few gray trout on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Docks in the ICW are holding black drum, and anglers can hook up with them on fresh shrimp.
Sheepshead are feeding around rocky structure around Carolina Beach and in the river. Anglers are catching good numbers (to 7+ lbs.) on live fiddler crabs.
Kevin, of Speck-Tackler Charters, reports that there’s been a decent flounder bite near Carolina Beach Inlet lately (with most fish around 2 lbs.). The largest mud minnows that anglers can get their hands on are the way to go for the flatties.
Whiting are still feeding around deeper water in the Cape Fear River, although the best action has moved upriver to around Sunny Point. Bottom rigs baited with shrimp will fool the whiting.
Whiting are also feeding around the Marriot Reef. Switching over from fresh shrimp to Gulp baits at the Marriott has been producing fast action with gray and a few speckled trout.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer Charters, reports that anglers are still hooking up with some red drum in the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River. Soft plastic grubs and live mud minnows have been the most productive baits.
The whiting bite is still solid around the river mouth, where anglers are catching the fish on fresh shrimp.
Black drum are feeding beneath ICW docks, and anglers are catching them on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Bluefish have shown up in the inlet and are moving inshore.
Jimmy Prince, Rich Beaverton, and Brian Puskas with 35, 41, and 65 lb. wahoo they hooked at the Same Ol' Hole on ballyhoo Blue Water Candy Jags and Witches. They were fishing with Capt. John McDow on the "Midnight Wind."
Owen, of Cape Fear Coastal Charters, reports that the Gulf Stream bite is getting better as the weather and water warm up. Anglers caught wahoo and big numbers of blackfin tuna while trolling ballyhoo and other lures in the Stream last week.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish have begun to feed along the beaches, and anglers are hooking them while trolling Clarkspoons and casting small lures to breaking schools of fish.
Some Atlantic bonito are in the nearshore mix as well, though not as common as the spanish and blues.
Brad, of Fish Spanker Charters, reports that the grouper season opens May 1, and the fish are ready and waiting for anglers. Bottom structure in the 30-40 mile range will offer anglers opportunities to deck gag, red, and scamp grouper, along with numerous other bottomfish like sea bass, grunts, triggerfish, porgies, and more.
Bottom rigs baited with squid and cut baits will appeal to all the bottom feeders, while anglers can target the grouper with larger cut baits and cigar minnows.
Robin, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are hooking up with some whiting, black drum, and a few keeper flounder on fresh shrimp pinned to bottom rigs.
Jacob, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are decking some whiting, croaker, and small bluefish and flounder. Shrimp are fooling all the fish.
