Carolina Beach May 24, 2007
Seth, of Reel Bait and Tackle, reports that the flounder bite is exceptional inshore. The flatfish haven’t started feeding hard on the nearshore reefs yet, but the internal waters are making up for that. All over the Cape Fear River, and along ICW and boat basin docks, anglers are scoring with flounder up to 5 lbs.
Currently, the best flounder tactic is fishing a Carolina-rigged peanut pogie close to structure. With plenty of pogies in the Dredge Pond and ICW, fishermen won’t have to look too hard for bait.
Red drum are biting throughout area waters. The creeks up north and the waterway docks have been particularly good places to find the drum, which will hit Gulp baits or Carolina-rigged live baits.
The trout bite in the river has slowed down, but most of the remaining fish are big ones (from 4-6+ lbs.). Billy Bay Halo Shrimp are one of the best baits for the trout, but these big fish will also hit topwater lures.
The spanish mackerel bite is finally getting good at structure out to 5 miles offshore. Trolling spreads of Clark spoons and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers will fool the spanish, which are running 2-5 lbs.
Snake kings are feeding strong at the 5 Mile Boxcars, and they’re ready to strike cigar minnows or live baits. Bigger kings are holding 30-35 miles offshore.
Cobia are biting very well to our north. They have begun to show up in area waters as well, but aren’t feeding heavily yet. Expect the cobia bite to get hot in the coming weeks, with big fish cruising the Masonboro Jetties looking for a meal.
The grouper bite has been centered 30+ miles offshore, and most of the catch has been made up of reds, with a few gags thrown in. Spanish sardines and cigar minnows will get the grouper’s attention.
In the Gulf Stream, dolphin are becoming the dominant catch, although 40-60 lb. tunas and smaller wahoo are still around. Billfish are showing up too, with several blue and white marlin released last week. A trolling spread of ballyhoo will tempt all these offshore gamefish, and boats should keep a horse ballyhoo under a white Ilander in the water in case the big blue shows up.
Lately, most of the blue water action has been between the Same Ol’ Hole and the Steeples, but the fish could be anywhere the water temperature is right.
Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports that inshore flounder fishing is picking up nicely. Though there are lots of fish around, most are still running from 14-18”. Peanut pogies are easy to find now in the waterway and Dredge Pond, and they make excellent flounder baits. Most of the fish are coming out of the river and from waterway structure. The bite is still slow in Snow’s Cut.
Speckled trout are hitting well in Buzzard’s Bay, Snow’s Marsh, and along grass islands in the river. Unlike the flounder, the trout are chunky fish (from 2-4 lbs.). The prime trout bait is a live shrimp fished beneath a float, but a popping cork above a DOA shrimp is a good substitute.
In the waterway and Carolina Beach Inlet, anglers are catching chopper bluefish from 8-12 lbs.
Red drum fishing is still a bit slow for this time of year.
Fisher, of Capt. Fisher’s Guide Service, reports that speckled trout are providing plenty of action throughout local waters. Small “spike” trout are thick in the bays, and larger fish (from 3-5 lbs.) are holding in Hewlett’s Creek and in the river between the Dredge Pond and Wilmington. A rattling DOA shrimp beneath a float fished along 5’ and deeper banks with current eddies is the way to score strikes from the larger river trout.
Red drum are feeding in the marsh grass, but the really large schools haven’t shown up yet. Gold spoons, spinner baits, and topwater plugs will draw strikes.
At the Masonboro Jetties, anglers are catching chopper bluefish up to and over 10 lbs. It won’t be long before cobia show up at the jetties, too.
Spanish mackerel in the 2-4 lb. class are showing up all over the beaches and nearshore structure. The fish can be caught by trolling Clark spoons, but anglers can also cast Gotcha plugs and Maria Jigs on lighter tackle to take fish from breaking schools.
Lynn, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are having success with croaker and whiting by fishing shrimp.
Before last week’s storm, the spanish mackerel bit well, so they should be back and hungry as soon as the weather warms up.
Gotcha plugs are producing strikes from bluefish in a variety of sizes from snappers up to choppers around 10 lbs. The choppers are also hitting cut baits on bottom rigs, but anglers looming for light tackle thrills should stick to casting Gotchas.
Flounder are biting mud minnows on Carolina rigs well, but most are still a bit small.
