Carolina Beach July 5, 2007
Seth, of Reel Bait and Tackle, reports that red drum are feeding in the river bays and around ICW docks to the north. Both Carolina-rigged live baits and Gulps fished on jigheads will tempt these drum to strike.
There are still a few trout feeding in the river, but most of the fish are getting smaller as the water heats up.
Flounder fishing has been good around docks and piers in the ICW. The flatfish have a hard time resisting Carolina-rigged mud minnows and pogies.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been hit-or-miss on the beach, but kings are feeding well close to shore. The kings will hit live pogies, dead cigar minnows, and trolled spoons and plugs.
Tarpon are finally beginning to show up, and one was released at John’s Creek early in the week.
Dolphin are feeding 5+ miles from the beach, and large fish (up to 35 lbs.) have been reported recently. Live pogies or dead cigar minnows and ballyhoo will all get plenty of attention from the dolphin.
Many boats are reporting sailfish releases 5-20 miles offshore. Anglers should troll live baits or rigged ballyhoo for the best chances of a sailfish encounter.
Grouper fishing has been red hot. Gags are holding on bottom structure 20+ miles off the beach, while boats are finding more reds and scamps in the 30-45 mile areas. Cigar minnows, Boston mackerel, and squid are all excellent grouper baits.
Gulf Stream fishing is slowing down, but boats are still finding big dolphin, a few wahoo, and some straggler blue and white marlin in the blue water. Trolling spreads made up of skirted ballyhoo are the ticket to strikes from these fish.
Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports excellent red drum fishing in the Cape Fear River. The drum are feeding in the second bay behind Fort Fisher and further up the river around boat docks north of Snow’s Cut. Some of the fish fall in the 18-27” slot limit, but most are larger over-slot fish.
Anglers can hook up with the reds on Rapala X-Raps or by fishing fresh cut mullet on float rigs. The best drum fishing has been from halfway through the rising tide up to the high tide.
Sheepshead are holding tight to the pilings of docks in the river and Snow’s Cut Bridge. They’ll eagerly strike one armed bandits (fiddler crabs) which anglers can gather in the marshes at low tide.
Anglers are catching big bluefish (up to 15 lbs.) in Snow’s Cut. Live baits on flounder rigs seem to be getting plenty of attention from the blues, but they’ll hit almost anything.
Flounder fishing has slowed down a bit, but there are still some flounder feeding in the river and in the inlets.
Spanish mackerel are chasing bait between Wrightsville and Carolina Beaches up to 1.5 miles offshore. The spanish have been somewhat reluctant to bite, but boats should be able to hook up with a few by trolling spoons and casting small lures to breaking schools of fish. Some kings are feeding in the same area.
Fisher, of Capt. Fisher’s Guide Service, reports that red drum are feeding on flats in the Cape Fear River, but they’re not in the usual spots. Anglers searching for the drum should begin in the early mornings on days with little to no wind to figure out where they’re holding.
Trout fishing is falling off, but anglers are still catching a few.
Docks, oyster bars, and rocks are holding sheepshead and black drum, and both will fall for small crabs or other crustaceans.
Ladyfish are feeding from the mouth of the river all the way up to Wilmington. They’re most concentrated between Muddy Slough and the river mouth, and feeding well at night around the Pfizer Dock.
Sharks are biting well in the river and behind shrimp boats. Bonnet head sharks are feeding on the flats. They show little interest in lures, but they’ll pounce on a variety of natural baits.
Mike, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching croaker, spot, and whiting on cut shrimp.
Flounder fishing has been steady, but there are a lot of undersize fish around. One angler caught a 5.5 lb. flatfish last week, however.
Sheepshead fishing has been good for those anglers targeting the striped “convict fish.” An 8.5 lb. sheepshead was caught last week on a barnacle.
Plug casters are catching some bluefish.
King mackerel fishing has slowed slightly, but several were landed over the week. The largest weighed 22 lbs. The kings have taken an interest in both bluefish and pogy baits
