Carolina Beach August 4, 2005
Barry, at Cape Fear Marine and Tackle, reports anglers seem to be happy with the fishing thanks to the king mackerel and flounder bites that are going on. Kings are everywhere from the sea buoys out to 30 mile areas (and the reefs in between).
Lots of flounder in the 4 to 5 lb. range with a few pushing 8 lbs. have been caught this week from Carolina Beach Inlet to Snow’s Cut and into the river. The areas in the river south of Fort Fisher have been good for red drum and speckled trout. Surf fishing hasn’t produced much, but sharks are thick from the beach out to the 5-mile areas.
A 35 lb. yellowfin tuna was weighed in from the 30/30 area, so there are a few of them along with dolphin creeping inshore. Gulf stream hasn’t been busy, but there are good reports of billfish with an occasional tuna or dolphin.
Robbie, at Seagull Bait and Tackle, reports that this past week saw a flounder run both inside and on the surf. The Carolina Beach Pier had a 6 lb. and a 9 lb. class flounder this week. There were several in the 5-8 lb. range weighed in that came from the river and waterway. It seems that the flounder are finally starting to move a little.
Other than flounder, the surf has had a few Virginia mullet.
Spanish and kings are right on the beach and in the inlet. However, the barracudas have moved in. Some guys were reporting that they’d lose 1 out of every 3 kings they hooked to the barracudas.
A few gray trout were also reported in the inlet area.
The baitfish has picked up. There’s been plenty of 3-6″ mullet minnows from the mouth of the river, down the length of the river, and in the waterway.
Dave Tilley, of FryingPanTower.com, reports that offshore the dolphin and big kings are chewing. Kings are from the Schoolhouse to around WR-4, and small dolphin are just about everywhere. For bigger dolphin, go to the 30 mile range along one of the several weed lines.
Inshore, the spanish continue to bite strong.
Bottom fishermen are finding grouper. Gags start close to shore in the 10-mile range, and then the 20 to 25 mile area is loaded with them. Reds are from 25 miles on out, and scamps are coming from 30+ miles.
Sea bass, blue runners, and flounder continue to come from the area ledges, wrecks, and live bottom.
