Carolina Beach – June 23, 2016
Red, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that red drum have become more active in the lower Cape Fear River, and anglers are connecting with them using MirrOlures and plastics, such as Saltwater Assassins. Live bait on a Carolina rig will tempt flounder in the same areas. The fish can be found from Snow’s Cut to the lower parts of the river, and most that are being caught are keeper size. A few trout have been reported around grass beds in the lower Cape Fear, and they will hit MirrOlures, live shrimp, or soft plastics.
Surf anglers are connecting with many small flounder in the surf, but all are less than 14”. Live bait will tempt the fish, but Gulp and Spro jigs are also doing the trick. Whiting, croaker, and small black drum are mixed in, too, and anglers can hook up with them using cut shrimp or bait. Sharks should be more frequent in the surf as the waters get even warmer, and anglers looking to target them can use cut bait to connect.
Pier anglers have been hooking up with bluefish and spanish while jigging mackerel trees. Small flounder and panfish have also been pulled over the rails, and bottom rigs with cut bait have proven successful.
Nearshore, cobia are still hanging out in the waters around bait balls, and a few have been caught by fishermen targeting king mackerel in the 10 mile range.
Trolling between the beach and the Gulf Steam has proven successful for hooking up with mahi. Look for the fish around the 24 mile mark. Further out in the Gulf Stream, mahi and kings are the most common catch, with the wahoo and tuna bite slowing.
Bottom fishermen have connected with many grouper, as well as a variety of snapper and other bottomfish.
Hunter Gordon with a 27 redfish he caught using a white curly tail grub in the Fort Fisher basin.
Christian, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that there are reds back in the creeks, around deep water structure, and on the flats when the conditions are right. Fishing live bait, such as menhaden, on bottom will prove effective in tempting the fish, but dead shrimp will work as well. Throwing artificials (such as Gulp and other soft plastics) will also work when targeting the fish.
A few black drum have been mixed in with the reds, holding onto rock structures in deeper water, and they will fall for dead shrimp on bottom.
Speckled trout have been hitting live menhaden, as well as live shrimp under a popping cork. Shrimp imitations, such as Vudu and Billy Bay, are also working when targeting the fish.
Sheepshead are holding on pilings and structures with barnacles in deeper water. Any structure in water deeper than 4’ is a good place to look for these fish, and they can be tempted with clams and fiddler crabs.
There are still a few cobia in the area, and they can be spotted when the conditions are right. Bait balls are also yielding large spanish and a few jack crevelle, as well as quite a few sharks. There are also scattered red drum holding in the nearshore structure, and kings have been spotted a bit further out.
Derek Kelly, of Wilmington, with two flounder he caught in the Kure Beach surf on live mud minnows.
Luke, of TopWater Guide Co., reports that the reds are schooling up on the flats, and they can be found in 2-3’ of water. Connect with the reds using 1/4 oz. gold spoons and Down South plastic lures in red shad and true plum. Most of the redfish have been mid- to over-slot.
The flounder bite in the river has picked up, with fish falling for live menhaden on 3/4 oz. jigheads or Carolina rigs. Target 8-12’ of water for keeper-sized fish.
The speckled trout bite has been hit and miss, but a more regular bite has been in the morning. Target the fish from sunrise until an hour and a half after, using the same soft plastics that work for the reds, along with MirrOlure MR17’s. The fish can also be caught on topwater in the early morning hours in 4-8’ of water.
Kyle Peters, of Wilmington, with two flounder he caught on bucktails covered in Pro-Cure, tipped with 6″ pogeys, in Snow’s Cut.
Rod, of OnMyWay Charters, reports that nearshore the spanish mackerel bite has been increasing, especially around inlets during falling tide. Trolling Clarkspoons is working well to fool the fish. Bigger spanish can be caught at 5 and 10 miles out when trolling baits like menhaden. The cobia bite has slowed, although anglers may be able to find a few here and there.
The mahi bite continues to be good, with the 20-30 mile range being ideal. Fast trolling ballyhoo or slow trolling live and dead baits is working for connecting with the fish. A few wahoo have been scattered in with the mahi.
Bottom fishing has been good in the 20-30 mile range, with anglers connecting with large black sea bass, snapper, and grouper.
Nathan Zak with a sheepshead he caught on a fiddler crab while fishing with Capt. Derrik Cranmer of Salty Spearit Fishing Charters out of Carolina Beach.
Jesse, of Ocean Stinger Fishing Charters, reports that nearshore the spanish mackerel and bluefish bite in 40’ of water has been solid, and anglers should troll during the early morning hours until about 11:00 for the best bite. Troll 7-9 knots using #1 planers and Clarkspoons in silver/pink and silver/chartreuse for the best results.
King mackerel has been caught 10-14 miles off Carolina Beach. Look for the suspended bait marks, and then run Drone spoons off downriggers (of live cigar minnows). Slow trolling Hank Brown rigs has been producing kings as well.
Bottom fishing over structure in the 15-20 mile range, as well as at South Rock, has produced black sea bass, grouper, and snapper. Bait bottom rigs with cut bait or live cigar minnows and menhaden for best success.
Mahi have been consistently caught between 30-50 miles off Carolina Beach, in temperature breaks between 78-82 degrees. The fish are falling for Fathom Offshore’s Half Pint in purple/white/black. Trolling these same lures in pink/white has proven to hook blackfin tuna, which can also be cast to with topwater plugs (such as the Williamson Jet Pro) when they surface.
Chris Aydlett with a mahi he hooked up with while trolling 30 miles offshore. He was using Fathom Ballyhoo Enhancers.
Anthony, at Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are hooking up consistently with whiting, croaker, and a few small flounder. Fishbites or shrimp on bottom rigs have been providing the best results. A few small dogfish have also been caught when targeting these fish.
No cobia have been reported lately and the spanish bite has slowed, but anglers have connected here and there with bluefish on Gotcha plugs.
Madi and Tanner Berry with a 22″ flounder that was caught in the ICW near the Carolina Beach Inlet.
Brenda, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers have been catching several flounder over the past week. There have been a variety of fish caught, including blues, croaker, and Virginia mullet. Using a bottom rig tipped with shrimp has proven effective on the panfish.
The spanish bite has slowed at the pier.
Bill Coyle with a 9 lb. 4 oz. speckled trout caught in the Sound on a spec rig. The trout measured 32.5″ and had a 21″ girth. Weighed in at Pelican’s Roost.
