Carolina Beach – October 23, 2014
Vick Radford with a 30″ red drum he caught and released in the surf at Fort Fisher after it inhaled a piece of salted mullet.
Ron, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are connecting with sea mullet, pompano, black and red drum, bluefish, flounder, and gray trout while surf fishing from Pleasure Island’s beaches. Shrimp, cut baits, and live finger mullet are getting attention from the fish in the breakers.
Pier anglers have seen some decent spot runs recently, particularly on northeast winds.
The spanish mackerel bite off Carolina Beach seems to have slowed a bit from a month ago, but anglers are still connecting with some spaniards while trolling Clarkspoons and other flashy lures from the beachfront out to the 50’ depths.
Dropping finger mullet and other baits to nearshore structure in the same range is producing plenty of action with gray trout, flounder, and some large red drum.
King mackerel haven’t been making a great showing of late, but anglers did report a few in the 10 mile range last week.
Anglers bottom fishing around structure in 70-100’ of water are connecting with black sea bass, gag grouper, and many other fish. Cigar minnows and squid are producing much of the action.
Gulf Stream trollers are still finding plenty of wahoo action and seeing big numbers of blackfin tuna (though hooking far less than they’re seeing). Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures are fooling the blue water predators.
Inshore, there’s still some excellent red drum action in the lower Cape Fear River. The fish are feeding on the flats and in the creeks off the lower river, and they’re pouncing on topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits.
Speckled trout fishing has been good in the Cape Fear as well, although fresh water from last week’s rains slowed it down a bit. It’s hard to beat live shrimp for the specks, but anglers can tempt them to bite a variety of soft plastics and hard baits like MirrOlures as well.
John Daniel Griffin with a 17″ speckled trout he hooked in Carolina Beach Inlet while fishing with family.
More speckled trout have been feeding in Carolina Beach Inlet in the early morning hours, and anglers are hooking them on live shrimp and artificials.
The flounder bite has also been solid in the inlet lately, with most of the fish falling for live finger mullet.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that anglers are connecting with a mixed bag of red drum, speckled trout, and a few flounder while fishing the shallows off the lower Cape Fear River recently. Live mud minnows and shrimp have been fooling all three fish, and anglers are also connecting while working paddletail soft plastics on jigheads in the same areas. Fly tackle has even been putting some reds and flounder in the boat lately.
In the ocean, gray trout and some over-slot red drum are feeding around nearshore rocks and reefs, and they’re taking an interest in live finger mullet and cut baits dropped to the structure.
Bluefish, spanish mackerel, and false albacore are chasing bait just off the beachfront and falling for trolled spoons and metal casting jigs that anglers are working around the surface activity.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are seeing plenty of red drum feeding on the flats of the lower Cape Fear River, and they’re hooking them on live baits, topwater plugs, and soft plastics.
Ted Heinzman with a near-4 lb. citation pompano that bit squid in the surf at the north end of Carolina Beach. Weighed in at Island Tackle and Hardware.
Black drum are looking for meals in deeper spots off oyster beds and points and biting fresh shrimp.
Some sheepshead are in the same areas and around bridge and dock pilings, where they’ll bite live fiddler crabs fished close to the structure.
The speckled trout bite has turned on as well, and grass islands, oyster points, and other current breaks are the places to go looking for the specks. Live baits and soft plastics are tough for the trout to turn down.
Brenda, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen have been hooking a solid mixed bag of spot, croaker, sea mullet, pompano, and other panfish. Shrimp and bloodworms are producing most of the action.
Those soaking small live baits under the pier are connecting with some solid flounder.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs and other lures that anglers are working from the pier.
Lauren, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with spanish mackerel and bluefish while working Gotcha plugs and other casting lures from the pier.
Sea mullet and some spot are falling for shrimp and bloodworms pinned to bottom rigs, and anglers saw some solid spot runs last week.
