Carolina Beach July 14, 2011
Josh Brown, of Carolina Beach, with a 12 lb., 6 oz. flounder that attacked a live menhaden in Snows Cut. Weighed in at Island Tackle and Hardware.
Dennis, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that a decent king mackerel bite finally materialized last week, but the fish are scattered about at spots on both sides of Cape Fear, without especially hot action in any one area. Live menhaden are the way to go for the kings. Large spanish mackerel (to 6+ lbs.) are mixed in with the kings.
Some dolphin have been feeding alongside the mackerel at spots in the 30 mile range, and live baits or rigged ballyhoo will fool the dolphin.
Bottom fishermen have reported some solid action with red grouper at spots in 100’ and deeper. Live, dead, and cut baits and vertical jigs are all good choices for the grouper.
The spanish mackerel bite is still decent just outside the inlet and along the beaches, with the best bite lately pretty tight to the shoreline. Trolled Clarkspoons are tough to beat for the spaniards.
Inshore, the flounder bite is improving (with fish to 12 lbs. weighed in last week). The action’s been good in the Cape Fear River, Snows Cut, Carolina Beach Inlet, and at nearshore structure lately. Live menhaden, finger mullet, and mud minnows or scented soft plastics like Gulp baits will tempt bites from the flatfish.
Sheepshead fishing is hot right now, and the fish are searching for meals around bridge and dock pilings, rocks, oyster beds, and other hard structure inshore. Fiddler crabs are excellent baits for the sheeps.
Ryan, of Carolina Beach Bait and Tackle, reports that the flounder bite in the Cape Fear River and elsewhere inshore has been excellent lately (though anglers must weed through a few short fish to get to the keepers). Live finger mullet have been the ticket for the flounder lately, and there are plenty of them around right now. Most of the mullet are small, however, so a small-mesh cast net is a useful tool until they grow a bit bigger.
Red drum are feeding behind Fort Fisher and around inshore structure throughout the area. Live finger mullet, menhaden, or fiddler crabs will get their attention.
Black drum and sheepshead are holding around bridge and dock pilings and other hard structure. Fiddler crabs, sand fleas, or sea urchins will tempt them to bite.
Surf anglers are seeing good numbers of pompano and sea mullet. Some black drum are also feeding around oceanside structure like the pipe and the Fort Fisher rocks. Sand fleas are all over the beach right now (with plenty of soft-shells), and they are the best baits going for surf anglers.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that the red drum bite is still excellent inshore, where anglers are encountering the fish around oyster rocks and other structure off the lower Cape Fear River. Live mud minnows and Gulp baits are fooling the lion’s share of the reds.
Anglers are picking up some decent numbers of flounder while drum fishing, and they’ve had good luck while targeting the flatfish in the inlet and ICW as well. Live finger mullet and mud minnows are getting their attention.
The flounder bite has also been decent at structure just off the beaches, where bucktails tipped with Gulp baits and live finger mullet will produce action.
Spanish mackerel are feeding just off the inlet and beaches, and trolled Clarkspoons will put them in the boat.
Large sharks are following shrimp boats just offshore in search of meals, and anglers who fish large cut baits near the shrimpers should have little trouble hooking up.
Tom Wiecek, of Winston-Salem, NC, with a sailfish he caught and released at the Swansboro Hole after it struck a ballyhoo under a blue/white Mylar skirt. He was fishing with Chris Lacy on the "Laseas."
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Charters, reports that the red drum bite is excellent in the lower Cape Fear River and in Masonboro Sound. Some larger schools of fish are working the flats in the bays off both bodies of water, and it’s making for exciting sight fishing. Live baits and soft plastics have been producing most of the red action lately, but anglers are also scoring plenty of bites while working topwater plugs.
Big numbers of flounder (many 2-4 lbs.) are feeding in the same areas as the reds, and they’re taking an interest in the soft plastics.
The sheepshead bite remains strong, with even larger fish lately (several in the 7-10+ lb. range). Fiddler crabs are tempting the bites from the sheeps.
Cathy, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that some sea mullet and pompano are falling for shrimp and sand fleas on bottom rigs.
Some sheepshead are feeding along the pilings and will also take an interest in sand fleas.
A few bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs worked from the pier.
Ronnie, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are catching some sheepshead on barnacles next to the pier’s pilings.
Some bluefish are falling for metal lures that anglers are working.
Flounder (including a 7-pounder last week) are taking an interest in live baits fished on the bottom.
Some croaker and spot are biting bottom rigs baited with shrimp and sand fleas.
