Carolina Beach August 28, 2008
Austin Eubank, John Theodorakis, and Margaret Pennstrom with 5.5, 5, and 4.8 lb flounder caught on live baits near Southport aboard the "Clearly Hooked." Photo courtesy of Island Tackle and Hardware.
Seth, of Reel Bait and Tackle, reports that flounder are still feeding on the nearshore reefs, although the east winds made it difficult for small boats to get to them last week. Flounder fishing remains steady in Carolina Beach Inlet, too, but the big news of the week is that the Snow’s Cut and Cape Fear River flatfish bite has really turned on. A number of fish in the 5-8 lb. class were weighed in over the past week. The best fishing has been around rock piles and other structure, as well as along grass banks and islands in the river.
Live finger mullet and peanut pogies fished on Carolina rigs are drawing the flatfish bites.
Anglers are still catching some red drum in the bays off the Cape Fear and around creeks and docks off the ICW. Anglers can hook up with the reds on topwater plugs, Gulp baits, or live baits on Carolina rigs. Some larger, citation-class reds (40+”) are feeding on the nearshore reefs, and they will fall for live baits that anglers are fishing for flounder.
Some sheepshead are feeding around the area’s bridge and dock pilings and other hard structures. Fiddler crabs are top baits for the sheeps.
Spadefish should be schooling on the nearshore reefs when boats can get to them. Some jelly balls dangled from a rope over the structure will attract the spades’ attention, and anglers are baiting with small pieces of the jellies to hook up with the fish.
Though last week’s winds dirtied the water, when it clears the spanish mackerel should return to the beaches. Boats trolling Clarkspoons around diving birds and breaking schools of fish should be able to hook up with the spanish with little difficulty.
The winds likely slowed the nearshore king mackerel fishing, too, but when anglers can find clean water and bait concentrations, they should be able to find feeding kings as well. Bottom structure five miles and further offshore is a good place to begin looking.
Anglers may well find some sailfish and dolphin feeding alongside the kings at spots 10 miles and further offshore.
The winds also kept most boats from grouper fishing last week, but anglers have been finding some gags at spots in 80′ and deeper, and red grouper and scamps further offshore. Cigar minnows, cut baits, and live baits are all good choices for the grouper.
Stuart Barry, Jeff Masten, and Billy and Amy Lane, from Greensboro, with a 30 lb. amberjack caught at the dredge wreck off Carolina Beach. Weighed in at Carolina's One Stop Bait and Tackle.
Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports that anglers are beginning to catch some nice gray trout off of nearshore structure like Sheepshead Rock, the Marriott Rocks, and Johns Creek. Other ledges and live bottoms in the 1-5 mile range should produce action as well. Vertical jigging with a Stingsilver or other metal lure will produce results, and anglers will also score some bites on live baits meant for flounder.
The flounder bite has been good at the nearshore reefs, too, but the inshore flounder fishing has been a little slower lately. Carolina-rigged live baits like finger mullet are top choices for the flatfish.
The river bays are holding some schools of red drum, and anglers can hook them on live baits or fish lures like X-Raps and topwater plugs.
Speckled trout are feeding around structure in the lower river, too. Live shrimp fished beneath slip floats are far and away the best baits for the trout.
Some black drum are also feeding around structure in the river, and fresh shrimp fished on bottom rigs will attract attention from them.
Chris Beard, of Wilmington, with a 21", 4 lb. flounder caught on the rocks at Masonboro using a live finger mullet on a Carolina rig.
Brad, of Fish Spanker Charters, reports that the winds have been too strong to get offshore over the past week, but the grouper and bottomfish bite should still be strong when boats can make it out.
The action has been best recently 35 miles and further offshore around ledges and other structure, where anglers can hook up with red and scamp groupers, beeliners, sea bass, triggerfish, and other bottom dwellers.
Dead cigar minnows, live baits, and large cut baits are top choices for the groupers, and squid and smaller cut baits will fool the smaller bottomfish.
Susie, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that before the winds kicked up, anglers were landing bluefish and spanish mackerel on Gotcha plugs. The bite should pick back up when the weather and water calm down.
Anglers are catching some croaker at night on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Some flounder are falling for small live baits, but most have been undersized lately.
Live baiters landed two king mackerel last week, with the largest 26 lbs. Some tarpon strikes have also been keeping the anglers busy.
