Carolina Beach September 17, 2009
Barb Smith with a 7.8 lb. flounder she hooked in Carolina Beach Inlet on a live finger mullet while fishing with Harry Gierzewski.
Dennis, of Island Tackle, reports that the flounder bite has been excellent lately, and anglers are finding the fish all over the area (and many 6-7+ lbs. have been weighed in recently). The bite’s been solid in the inlet, Snow’s Cut, the river, and at nearshore structure like the Marriott and Yaupon reefs. Live finger mullet on Carolina rigs are fooling most of the flounder.
Good numbers of gray trout are holding on the nearshore structure as well, and finger mullet or jigging lures like Stingsilvers will attract attention from the grays.
Some larger bluefish (up to 4+ lbs.) are showing up in the area, both inshore and nearshore, and anglers are hooking plenty while flounder fishing (often until they become bothersome).
Red drum are on the feed inshore around structure and in the marshes, and anglers are fooling them with live baits, Gulps, and other lures.
Surf anglers have had good luck with whiting and some pompano lately, primarily on shrimp.
The spanish mackerel bite has been excellent just off the inlet lately (with many larger, 20+” fish). Anglers are hooking them on trolled Clarkspoons and small live baits.
The kings have shown back up around Yaupon Reef and other nearshore structure, and most anglers are hooking them while slow-trolling live baits like pogies.
Offshore, the Gulf Stream is firing back up just in time for fall. Boats trolling the blue water last week reported good action with wahoo around local spots like the Steeples and Same Ol’ Hole. Ballyhoo rigged under skirted lures, and meatless lures like Black Barts, will both attract attention from the wahoo and other Gulf Stream predators.
Marvin, from Sanford, NC, with a tripletial he hooked sight-casting a live shrimp near a crab trap float in the Cape Fear River. He was fishing with Capt. Jeff Wolfe of Seahawk Inshore Charters.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the cooler weather has led to some improved fishing in the lower Cape Fear River. Red drum are tailing and feeding along shallow grass flats in the river, and anglers are sight-casting soft plastics like weightless Gulp baits to draw them to strike.
Good numbers of reds are feeding in slightly deeper water around marsh points, creekmouths, and other areas that concentrate the bait and fish, and anglers are hooking them early in the day on topwater plugs and on soft plastics and live baits later in the day.
Some flounder (a few 4+ lbs.) are mixed in with the reds and falling for live baits and soft plastics.
The cooler weather has improved the speckled trout bite considerably, and anglers are starting to catch solid numbers of specks around the grass islands, oyster rocks, and other structure in the river from Southport to north of Snows Cut. Live shrimp and Billy Bay and D.O.A. shrimp imitations fished under floats are fooling the lion’s share of the specks.
Some sheepshead are still feeding around oyster rocks, pilings, and other inshore structure in the area, and they’ll fall for live fiddler crabs.
Same Mcdoland, Tim Bullard, Bruce Martin, and Gabe Heinisch with a 61 lb. wahoo that Gabe caught while high-speed trolling a 15" Mike's Big Bite lure near the Same Ol' Hole.
Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports that the flounder bite has been excellent in Snow’s Cut, the Cape Fear River, and on the nearshore wrecks and reefs. Live finger mullet on Carolina rigs are the best baits for the flatfish.
The trout bite has improved considerably, and anglers are finding the specks around grass islands, docks, and other structure in the ICW and the Cape Fear River.
Spanish and king mackerel are on the feed along the beaches. The spanish should take an interest in trolled Clarkspoons, and anglers can hook the kings on live baits like pogies.
Brad, of Fish Spanker Charters, reports that the nearshore spanish mackerel bite has been on fire lately, and anglers are hooking the fish while trolling Clarkspoons. Some false albacore are mixed in with the spanish, and they’ll also take an interest in the spoons.
Offshore, the grouper bite’s been decent at bottom structure 30-40 miles out of the inlet. Red grouper are making up most of the catch, and anglers are hooking them on cut baits and cigar minnows.
Smaller bottom feeders like beeliners, grunts, and others are holding on the same structure as the grouper, and anglers can hook them on squid or cut baits.
Mike, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that there’s been a solid flounder bite lately, with anglers landing flatfish (2-4+ lbs.) on live finger mullet and other baits.
Plug casters are catching bluefish and spanish mackerel on Gotchas.
The blues are also falling for bottom rigs, and anglers are hooking up with some spot and pompano on the bottom as well.
