Added on Thursday, June 19, 2008  Gary Hurley

Carolina Beach June 19, 2008

Seth, of Reel Bait and Tackle, reports that the Gulf Stream fishing is still hot (along with the water, which seems to be 82-84 degrees with few temp breaks). Boats running to the blue water are hooking up with some nice dolphin (many 20-30+ lbs.), wahoo, and sailfish. Skirted ballyhoo will produce action with the Gulf Stream predators.

Good numbers of dolphin are already feeding inside the Stream, and some sailfish have begun to join them. Boats found action with both around WR4 this past week. Anglers targeting the sails should pull ballyhoo or live baits with teasers in the spread to attract the fish.

The dolphin are mixed in with kings closer to the beach, and cigar minnows and live pogies are producing action with both species at structure in the 20 mile range. Some boats have been seeing cobia in the same areas as well.

There have been plenty of pogies to the north in the river channel for anglers searching for live baits, and anglers are finding some on the beach near Kure, too.

Bottom fishing in the 30 mile areas has been fantastic recently, mostly for red groupers with a few gags and scamps mixed in. Bait fishermen will find action with cigar minnows or cut baits, and anglers are also landing the grouper while working butterfly jigs.

There are some kings feeding right along the beaches, and the spanish mackerel fishing just outside Carolina Beach Inlet has been incredible lately. Trolling Clarkspoons and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers should attract attention from the spanish and any kings in the area as well.

Inshore, flounder fishing is still excellent, with anglers landing good numbers of fish (some to 6 lbs. over the past week) in Carolina Beach Inlet and the Cape Fear. As the inshore water temperatures continue to rise, many of the flatfish will move out the inlets and begin feeding on the nearshore reefs. Live pogies, finger mullet, or mud minnows fished on Carolina rigs will attract strikes from the flounder inshore or off the beaches.

The Cape Fear speckled trout bite continues to be strong (with good numbers of 4+ lb. citation fish weighed in last week). Live shrimp are the ticket to success with the trout, and they should be fished under float rigs for best results.

Red drum are feeding in the river, at docks up and down the ICW, and at the Masonboro Jetties. Gulp baits and live or cut baits fished on Carolina rigs will appeal to the reds.

 

Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports that the speckled trout fishing in the Cape Fear has gotten good again after a brief lull. Many of the fish are 3-5 lbs., and live shrimp fished beneath floats are the tickets to hooking them. The action is best around grass islands, oyster rocks, and other structure. Some small reds are mixed in with the trout.

Flounder fishing is still excellent in Snow’s Cut, the ICW, and Carolina Beach Inlet. Drifting live pogies, finger mullet, or killie minnows on Carolina rigs will tempt bites from the flatfish. The flounder are also starting to move onto the nearshore reefs, but an abundance of sharks and other trash fish is making it a nuisance to fish for them.

Spanish mackerel fishing is on fire just outside the inlet and along the beach to either side.

 

Brad, of Fish Spanker Charters, reports that bottom fishing has been incredible recently at structure in the 30-40 mile range, with anglers putting together big catches of red grouper along with a few scamps and gags. Some big beeliners are also feeding in the same areas.

Cigar minnows and cut baits are the top choice for the grouper and other bottom fish.

Dolphin and king mackerel are feeding in the same areas that boats are bottom fishing, and light-lines baited with cigar minnows will produce fast action on the dolphin and kings.

Spanish mackerel are feeding wildly around Carolina Beach Inlet and along the beaches. Trolled Clarkspoons are producing double digit numbers of the spanish in short order.

 

Jay, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that plug casters are hooking up with plenty of bluefish.

Bottom fishermen are landing some croaker, spot, and whiting on cut shrimp.

A few flounder fell for live baits earlier in the week.

The water temperature is 81 degrees.