Carolina Beach – September 10, 2015
Ron, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are seeing some excellent red drum action in the lower Cape Fear River at present. Many of the fish are falling for topwater plugs, but anglers can also fool them with live and cut baits, soft plastics, or a variety of other artificial lures.
Speckled trout are also on the feed in the river, with the best action around grass islands, points, and other current breaks. Topwater plugs are fooling the trout as well, and MirrOLure MR17’s and other suspending lures are working when the fish don’t want to bite on the surface.
Flounder fishermen are reporting a good bite in Carolina Beach Inlet, the ICW, and the Cape Fear. Most of the flatfish are falling for live baits like finger mullet, but anglers can also hook up on Gulp and Z-Man soft baits.
Surf casters tossing baits from Pleasure Island’s shoreline are connecting with some flounder, red and black drum, and bluefish. Shrimp, cut baits, and finger mullet are fooling most of the fish in the suds.
Spanish mackerel are feeding just off the beaches, and anglers are hooking them from the ends of the piers and while trolling Clarkspoons from boats.
Some king mackerel have also been feeding nearshore and biting live baits like menhaden and bluefish.
Flounder and gray trout are looking for meals at rocks and wrecks within a few miles of land. Both will respond to live finger mullet or bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp baits.
Bottom fishing at structure further off the beaches (80’ and deeper) is producing fast action with grunts, sea bass, grouper, and more. Squid, cut baits, and live and dead baits are fooling most of the bottom feeders, and Barefoot Decoy jigs have been particularly effective at presenting the baits lately.
Anglers trolling the Gulf Stream are reporting solid numbers of wahoo, large king mackerel, dolphin, and some encounters with blue marlin and other billfish. Ballyhoo under pink and blue skirts have been the best bets for blue water trollers lately.
Marilyn and Johnny Buffum with 25 and 33″ red drum they landed after a double hookup in Snow’s Cut. Both fish fell for live finger mullet.
Rod, of OnMyWay Charters, reports that anglers have been finding some excellent spanish mackerel action along the beaches in 20-35’ of water this week. Most of the spaniards are biting Clarkspoons trolled behind #1 planers and 2 oz. inline weights, but anglers are also hooking some fish on lighter tackle while pulling Yo-Zuri diving plugs. Live finger mullet and peanut menhaden on light spinning gear can also fool some of the larger spaniards.
Increasing numbers of large king mackerel are showing up along the beaches and biting live baits like menhaden and bluefish. The fall king bite really should turn on from the beach to spots in the 10 mile range as the water temperature begins to drop.
Bottom fishermen are hooking plenty of grouper, snapper, sea bass, grunts, and more while targeting structure 20-40 miles off the beaches. Squid, cut baits, and cigar minnows are solid choices for all the bottom feeders.
Gulf Stream trollers are reporting plenty of wahoo, and they’ll begin to bite even better as the water cools as well. Some wahoo, dolphin, and billfish are mixed in, and all will bite skirted ballyhoo.
Caleb Hall, of Carolina Beach, with a 21″ flounder that bit a live finger mullet in the Cape Fear River.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that anglers are hooking some flounder in the creeks inshore. Both live baits and artificial lures like soft plastics are fooling the flatfish.
Red drum are looking for meals in the bays and backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River. Anglers are fooling the reds with topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits.
There are also flounder and drum feeding on nearshore reefs in the ocean. Gray trout are mixed in, and all three will fall for live finger mullet fished on the bottom.
Spanish mackerel are feeding just off the inlets and beaches. Anglers are hooking the spanish while trolling Clarkspoons and casting metal lures like Stingsilvers when they’re schooled up tightly.
Mark Miller, of Carolina Beach, with a healthy gag grouper that attacked a Blue Water Candy Roscoe Jig while fishing some bottom structure 29 miles off Carolina Beach Inlet.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are finding schools of red drum feeding on the flats off the lower Cape Fear River. The schools are eagerly biting topwater plugs, Gulps, and other soft baits.
A few more reds are feeding in the creeks and biting live finger mullet.
Speckled trout are looking for meals around current breaks and eddies in the river, where anglers can fool them on the same lures as the reds.
Schools of jack crevalle, bluefish, ladyfish, and spanish mackerel are chasing bait in the lower Cape Fear, and anglers can fool the pelagics while casting lures that imitate the mullet and glass minnows they’re feeding on.
Freddy, of Carolina Beach Fishing Pier, reports large amounts of keeper flounder are being caught using live finger mullet and shrimp. Flounder fishermen are also catching mid to over-slot red drum on the live baits as well.
Bottom fisherman are having great success with spots, black drum, and sea mullet on shrimp fished on bottom rigs. The spot are quickly getting larger in size as fall approaches.
King fishermen have had a good week with several caught off the end of the pier (to 36 lbs.) using live bluefish.
Spanish and bluefish are still being caught early in the morning by anglers working Gotcha plugs from the end of the pier.
Kevin, of Kure Beach Pier, reports good signs of spot starting to run in the surf. Bottom fishermen are catching the spots using bottom rigs tipped with shrimp and squid.
Spanish mackerel are being caught off the end of the pier using Gotcha plugs during early morning and late evening hours.
King mackerel are also being caught off the end of the pier using live blue fish on king rigs (with kings to 45 lbs. recently).
