Carolina Beach – June 18, 2015
Wes, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are connecting with some sheepshead around inshore structure like bridge and dock pilings. Barnacles and fiddler crabs fished tight to the pilings are fooling most of the fish.
Jared Beard, of Wilmington, with a citation cobia that engulfed a bucktail jig 10 miles off Carolina Beach while he was fishing with Drew Gregory on the “Wet Weezel.”
Flounder fishing is improving, and anglers are hooking the flatfish in the Cape Fear River and ICW. Most are falling for live baits like mud minnows and finger mullet or scented soft baits like Gulps.
Red drum are showing up in the river and biting topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live and cut baits. Most have been feeding in the shallow marshes and bays off the main river channel.
Surf and pier bottom fishermen are hooking some spot, croaker, small bluefish, and other panfish. Shrimp and cut baits are fooling the bottom feeders.
Scott Hampton with a red drum that struck a live menhaden in the Cape Fear River.
Out in the ocean, there’s been a good spanish mackerel bite for anglers trolling around the local inlets. Most are falling for Clarkspoons pulled behind planers and trolling weights.
King mackerel are feeding in the five mile range off Carolina Beach. Anglers can fool the kings with live baits like menhaden or dead cigar minnows.
Dolphin have moved inshore and are feeding 10-30 miles off the beachfront. Anglers can target the ‘phins while trolling live or dead baits.
Bottom fishermen are reporting some legal black sea bass around structure within a few miles of the beachfront, with more keepers in the mix the further they work offshore. The bass will bite a variety of baits on bottom rigs or small jigging lures.
Rod, of OnMyWay Charters, reports that anglers are seeing some excellent Gulf Stream action at present, with big numbers of blackfin tuna in the area right now. There are still decent numbers of dolphin feeding around local blue water spots as well, and anglers are encountering some sailfish and marlin, too. Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures will fool all the offshore gamefish.
More dolphin have pushed inshore of the Gulf Stream and are feeding from 15 miles on out to the break.
Bottom fishing has been excellent at structure from the 80-90’ depths on out. Grouper, black sea bass, beeliners, triggerfish, and more are feeding around the structure and biting squid, cut baits, and cigar minnows.
There’s been some good king mackerel action for boats fishing spots in the 10 mile range. The kings will bite live, dead, and strip baits or artificial lures like Drone Spoons.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that anglers are connecting with some flounder in Carolina Beach Inlet and the ICW. Drift-fishing with live menhaden is the best bet for those looking to connect with the flatfish at present.
Some flatfish are also feeding at nearshore bottom structure in the ocean, but most seem to be on the small side.
Anglers are hooking some slot and over-slot red drum around the same structure on live and cut baits.
The red drum bite inshore is improving, and anglers are finding fish spread out through the marshes and bays off the Cape Fear River. Live and cut baits have been the most effective offerings for the reds recently, but anglers can also fool them on topwater plugs, soft plastics, and a host of other artificials.
Spanish mackerel are feeding just off the inlets and beachfront. Trollers can fool the spaniards while pulling Clarkspoons and other flashy lures.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with red drum in the bays and backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River. The reds will bite live baits or artificials like topwater plugs and Gulps.
Some flounder are looking for meals in the same areas and pouncing on live and Gulp baits.
Speckled trout are feeding around oyster points, grass, islands, and rocky structure in the river. The specks will bite live baits or soft plastics.
Black drum are looking for meals around the rocks and oysters as well, along with other hard structure inshore. Anglers can tempt them to bite fresh shrimp fished on the bottom.
Brenda, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some flounder on small live baits under the pier.
Spanish mackerel are falling for Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the planks.
Live-baiters fishing the end of the pier have hooked several barracuda recently.
Bryan, of Kure Breach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are finding action with sea mullet and croaker while baiting up with shrimp. A few red drum have been mixed in.
Flounder are falling for live baits fished near the pilings.
