Carolina Beach September 28, 2006
Jamie, at Reel Bait and Tackle, reports that the fall flounder action is heating up. Snow’s Cut and Southport are both hot, and flounder fishing in the river is finally picking up after the recent heavy rains. An 8.5 lb. flounder caught in Snow’s Cut was weighed last week.
Flounder are also coming from waterway docks and the Masonboro Inlet jetties. Per usual, a Carolina-rigged finger mullet or peanut pogy is hard to beat for flounder action.
Red drum fishing has been excellent lately. Drum up to 60 lbs. are biting finger mullet and Gulp baits at the Masonboro jetties. Surf casters are catching lots of smaller drum as well.
Fishing pearl/white Gulp baits around Southport should bring anglers good results with speckled trout.
Grouper fishing has been on fire over the past weeks. Gags are located 28+ miles from shore, and red and scamp groupers are in 40-45 mile range. Boston mackerel and spanish sardines are prime baits for all three grouper species.
Bruce, at Flat Dawg Charters, reports that the flounder are on the move and biting very well in the inlets and waterway. Big finger mullet are everywhere, and they are the preferred bait from here on out.
A few reds are being caught in the inlets and in the river, with the bigger fish in the inlets on live bait.
Speckled trout in the 2 to 4 pound range are beginning to show up in the creeks from Carolina Beach Inlet up to Masonboro Inlet.
Spot fishing is picking up in the waterway, primarily on cut shrimp or bloodworms.
Dave, at FryingPanTower.com, reports that the water temps are starting to drop inshore, so the gulf stream fishing has picked up. Dolphin are the main stay, with a few wahoo mixed in to keep it interesting. Pink/white skirted ballyhoos or rigged squid seem to do the best for the dolphin, and blue/white rigged ballyhoos down deep are best for the wahoos.
The offshore bite has been primarily king mackerel. The bite has been scattered around the temperature breaks, with 23 mile rock coming up over and over again in the reports. Dolphin have also been in good supply around all the weed lines in the offshore waters. Rigged squid on pitch baits will tear them up.
On the beach, the water has been real dirty thanks to the recent rains. There have been no reports of spanish at all, only a few blues and kings while trolling.
As for offshore bottom fishing, gag grouper are as close as 10 miles. Reds are from 25 miles out, and scamps are from 30 miles out. The gags this time of year are big and hungry. Squid, cigar minnows, and cut bait are the mainstay here.
Susan, at Kure Beach Pier, reports that black drum up to 2 lbs. are biting well at night. Shrimp are the bait of choice.
Finger mullet fished on the bottom are producing good numbers of flounder (up to 4 lbs.).
Sheepshead in the 3 to 6 lb. range are eating barnacles fished close to the pilings.
Plug casters are having fun with bluefish and spanish mackerel.
The water temperature is 77 degrees at the pier.
