Carolina Beach – May 2023
Andrew, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that surf anglers are starting to see some bluefish moving in as the beachfront water temperatures warm up.
Whiting have been a bit hit or miss, but anglers are finding that the ones being caught are a larger class.
The rest of the daily mixed bag from the surf has included black drum, croakers, pompano, and the occasional sheepshead.
Nearshore fishing has been really good, with Atlantic bonito making an extended stay in our area.
Anglers out trolling and sight-casting at surface frenzies in that 1-3 mile range are also catching good-sized bluefish and spanish mackerel. This first wave of spanish mackerel have really varied in size from the smaller 1-2 lb. class right up to citation-sized fish.
King mackerel continue to hold further offshore in the 70-degree waters. Looking to areas to the south shows those fish pushing onto the beaches with the bait, and this has anglers anticipating a similar trend off Pleasure Island over the coming weeks.
Inshore anglers have really focused their efforts in the Cape Fear River, where red drum have broken up into smaller groups and are staging up around structure to ambush the incoming schools of bait.
Christian, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that red drum action is picking up now that these schools have started to spread out throughout the area. Anglers are finding plenty of smaller reds, with slot-sized fish mixed in. The best target areas have been the shell bottom banks, with lower tides being more productive for congregating these fish. Both dead shrimp and live mud minnows are enticing strikes.
A few black drum are also mixed in the action. This has mostly been a 15-17” class of fish, with some larger ones scattered in. The black drum are staged up in similar areas as the reds, with dead shrimp being the most productive bait. Targeting black drum has required a bit more patience with the croakers and pinfish now around to chip away at the bottom-rigged bait shrimp.
Christian Rutherford, of Wilmington, holds a gray trout caught on a Gold Leader bait in the Carolina Beach area. He was fishing with Capt. Jamie Rushing of Seagate Charters.
Luke, of Spot On Charters, reports that some speckled trout (to 24”) have been caught by anglers out on the Cape Fear River in the early mornings. This spring didn’t see great numbers of fish, but the quality of size has made up for it.
Red drum fishing downriver has been picking up a lot, especially now with pogies moving into the area. A Carolina-rigged menhaden is like candy for these hungry reds.
The nearshore bite has been really good with calm, clear conditions making it easier for anglers to spot action on the surface. A good number of Atlantic bonito made an extended stay this spring, and they are now being joined by good numbers of spanish mackerel. Running out to the 3-5 mile range has been the target area for anglers looking to cast Stingsilvers and similar jigs at these feeding frenzies.
Tommy, of Mungo Fishing Charters, reports that red drum fishing has remained hit or miss overall as we move closer to summer. These fish have just started moving into smaller groups, and as bait pours into the inlets, the reds will start to spread out more. Recent trips that experienced calmer conditions had a bunch of success sight-casting the flats with soft plastics rigged on Big Nic jig heads.
Anglers are seeing some speckled trout mixed in finally, which is a good sign this bite isn’t slowing down yet as the waters warm.
Black drum action has been really good back in the creeks for anglers fishing Carolina-rigged dead shrimp around oyster or dock structures.
Capt. Bill Kane (left) and Mate Seth Wright (right), of Hot Ticket Fishing Charters, landed this hogfish while fishing 35 miles out of the Carolina Beach Inlet. They were using cigar minnows for bait.
Mason, of Grand Slam Fishing Charters, reports that with water temperatures in the mid 60s, anglers are seeing good numbers of black drum. Shrimp has been the top producing bait, and live or dead shrimp hasn’t seemed to make a difference. Targeting hard bottoms such as rocks, oyster shells, and structure like docks has been best. The key is finding something that holds the barnacles or shellfish that these fish feed on. The black drum haven’t been in very deep water, with the majority of the action coming anywhere from 2’ to 12-14’ depths.
Sheepshead are holding in many of these same areas. Anglers will find mud or fiddler crabs rigged on bottom sweeper jigs to provide the best chance of hookups.
The red drum are being found in better numbers back on grass flats in the Cape Fear River. Anglers are having success fishing soft plastic paddle tails on 3/8 or 1/4 oz. jig heads. With menhaden also showing up in the river, anglers can catch the reds using pogies on lightly weighed Carolina rigs or under Billy Bay corks.
Speckled trout have been pretty scattered, with live shrimp or topwater plugs providing most strikes. Target areas with current eddies around rocky bottoms in the 2-8’ depths for the best chance of success.
Jeremiah, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers getting out for some bottom fishing have been catching some nice-sized whiting and croaker while using cut shrimp or artificial bait strips in a variety of flavors.
The casting action has been picking up with the arrival of spanish mackerel now joining the scattered bluefish. The action for both species should only improve as warmer water temperatures push onto the beach (and hopefully bring in some of the larger spanish with it).
