Carolina Beach July 9, 2009
Christian Wolfe with a 34" red drum he hooked along a grass bank in the lower Cape Fear River on a Redfish Magic glass minnow soft plastic.
Dennis, of Island Tackle, reports that dolphin are still feeding along side king mackerel starting at 7 miles off the beach on out to spots well offshore. The typical kings have been schoolies, but fish to 35 lbs. have been reported from this side of the cape over the past week. Most of the dolphin are still gaffers, with more peanuts starting to be mixed in. Both live baits and dead cigar minnows are fooling the kings and dolphin.
High relief bottom structure like the Schoolhouse is playing host to plenty of amberjacks right now, and they’ll take an interest in live baits or jigs.
Not many reports have come in about bottom fishing or the Gulf Stream, since most anglers heading offshore seem to be focused on the king and dolphin action right now.
The spanish mackerel bite is still good along the beaches, and anglers are hooking most of the little macks on trolled Clarkspoons. The bite has been a little better between 1/2-1 mile offshore than right on the beach, where the spoons seem to be attracting more bluefish than spaniards.
Inshore, anglers are finding a decent flounder bite in the surf, but the action’s become a little more sporadic inside.
In the river, bluefish and speckled trout are feeding around grass islands and rocky structure, and anglers should be able to hook them on live shrimp fished under floats or a variety of lures.
There’s been a good croaker and whiting bite just inside the river mouth lately, and pieces of shrimp on a bottom rig should attract their attention.
Upriver, anglers are still hooking some striped bass, and trolling diving plugs seems to be the best formula for the stripers.
Sheepshead are feeding around the bridges and other hard structure in the area, and anglers should be able to hook them by fishing fiddler crabs or other crustaceans tight to the structure.
Hunter Rivenbark (age 7) with a 17" flounder he hooked in Carolina Beach Inlet on a live pogy while fishing with Capt. Kevin Smith of Speck Tackler Sport Fishing.
Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports that the hot king mackerel and dolphin fishing continues in the 10 mile area. Most of the dolphin are gaffers, and anglers landed kings up to 30 lbs. last week. Live pogies are producing most of the action, and there have been plenty of big ones in the boat basin lately.
Inshore, the flounder bite’s been a little hit-or-miss, but anglers are catching some decent flatfish in the inlet and Snow’s Cut. Live pogies or finger mullet on Carolina rigs will fool the flatfish.
Like the flounder bite, speckled trout fishing’s been a little sporadic lately, but anglers who can find the fish are catching good numbers in the river during the first few hours of daylight. Live and D.O.A. shrimp are both producing action with the specks when anglers can find them, and topwater plugs have fooled a few as well.
Anglers are catching some stout sheepshead (6-8 lbs.) around docks in the ICW at night. Fiddler crabs are attracting the sheepsheads’ attention.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing, reports that there have been some small schools of very large (30-36”) inshore red drum feeding in the shallows of the lower Cape Fear recently. They’ve been striking topwater plugs willingly, and anglers are also hooking them on soft plastics like the Redfish Magic Glass Minnow. Live mud minnows fished on float rigs will also fool the reds for anglers who’d rather fish bait.
Some speckled trout and flounder are in the same areas as the reds, and anglers are picking up a few while fishing for the drum.
Sheepshead are still feeding around docks, bridges, and rocky structure in the area, and a fiddler crab fished on a Carolina rig or a drop shot rig will get attention from these crustacean lovers.
Summer Feimster, from Wilmington, with her first king mackerel. The king took a live pogy in 35' of water just offshore of Carolina Beach Inlet.
Brad, of Fish Spanker Charters, reports that king mackerel and some dolphin are still feeding around 10 miles off the beaches, but the bite isn’t quite as red hot as it was a few weeks ago. Most of the larger dolphin seem to have pushed offshore, but a few gaffers are still in the mix. Live pogies and dead cigar minnows will both fool the dolphin and kings.
The grouper and bottomfish bite is still excellent 30-40 miles offshore, where anglers are hooking gags, reds, and scamps around ledges, live bottoms, and other structure. Cigar minnows, cut baits, and live baits will all fool the grouper.
Squid will prove tempting to the smaller bottomfish, like sea bass, triggerfish, and beeliners that are feeding in the same areas.
Nick, of Alford’s Seafood, reports that anglers have been picking up some solid flounder around the inlets and bridges in the area lately.
Sheepshead have also been feeding around the bridges.
Surf anglers are finding some good fishing for red and black drum, pompano, spot, and whiting. Cut baits and shrimp will produce action in the surf.
Offshore, the king mackerel bite is still good in the 10 mile area (and anglers weighed in a number of kings in the 30 lb. range this week).
Dolphin seem to have pushed north and offshore a bit over the past week.
Bottom fishermen reported solid grouper action at structure from 18-35 miles off the inlet last week.
Josh, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers live-baiting from the end of the pier hooked a few king mackerel last week.
Plug casters are catching some bluefish, but not many spanish mackerel.
Bottom fishermen are hooking some flounder and spot.
