Carolina Beach March 11, 2010
Capt. Jeff Wolfe, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, with a winter red he hooked in a creek off the lower Cape Fear River on a Saltwater Assassin paddletail grub.
Lewis, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that blue water anglers have found some decent wahoo fishing over the past few weeks up and down the break. Most boats who’ve been able to make the run to the Gulf Stream have been getting one to three ‘hoos a trip (and many have been in the 50-70 lb. range), along with a few blackfin tuna and big numbers of false albacore. As the spring wears on over the next few weeks, anglers may see some yellowfin tuna show up as well.
Both trolling and jigging have been producing action on the blue water pelagics. Jiggers are hooking up on long slender jigs, and the trollers have been finding action while dragging skirted ballyhoo and lures like Black Barts, Green Machines, and cedar plugs.
Closer to the beaches, bottom fishermen have been finding excellent action with black sea bass at structure 15-30 miles off the beaches, with most of the larger fish coming from the deeper water. Jigging and dropping bottom rigs baited with squid or cut baits are both producing action with the bass.
Good numbers of gag grouper are feeding in the same areas, but the grouper season is closed until the first of May, so anglers must release them.
Inshore, anglers have been hooking some red drum in the surf near the inlet and around beachfront structure.
Schools of red drum are holding in Buzzard’s Bay, the Elizabeth River, and other shallow areas off the lower Cape Fear. Some are also staging under older docks in the ICW and the CB boat basin. While decent numbers of fish are around, it’s been tricky to get them to bite on many recent days. Live mud minnows, dead shrimp, and scented soft plastics in white, root beer, and chartreuse colors are most likely to tempt bites from the reds. As the water warms up, the drum will become both more numerous and aggressive.
The speckled trout bite has been slow of late, but anglers can expect it to improve with rising water temperatures as well.
Richard Raymond, of Wilmington, with a catch of speckled trout he hooked on a red/white MirrOlure in Carolina Beach Inlet.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Charters, reports that there are still plenty of drum in the shallow areas off the lower Cape Fear River for anglers who know where to look. Schools of fish have been feeding on the flats, and anglers are encountering smaller groups of fish in the creeks.
Both are taking an interest in soft plastic baits on light jigheads and weighted hooks, and D.O.A. and Saltwater Assassin soft plastics have been producing the best results.
Some drum are also schooling in the surf and around the inlet.
Warming water over the next few weeks should improve the drum bite in the shallows, and also turn on red and black drum holding around the docks in the ICW and river. Fresh shrimp will attract attention from the red and black drum.
Brad, of Fish Spanker Charters, reports that the sea bass bite is still solid at bottom structure 8-25 miles off the inlet. Better numbers of larger fish and smaller numbers of pesky dog sharks are coming from the areas further offshore.
Bottom rigs baited with squid or cut baits will attract plenty of attention from the sea bass when anglers are on top of the structure.
Plenty of grouper are feeding in the same areas as the bass, but anglers can’t keep any until the beginning of May.
Kevin, of Speck-Tackler Charters, reports that red drum are feeding in the bays and other shallow areas off the lower river. The reds should become more active as the water temperatures come up over the coming weeks. When they do, anglers may be able to coax them to bite topwater plugs in the early morning hours. Gulp baits and live baits like pogies will produce more action as the days wear on.
Jeffrey Byrd with a 31" striped bass he hooked in the Cape Fear River while fishing with his dad, Todd, and Duane Auman.
Owen, of Cape Fear Coastal Charters, reports that the wahoo bite has been on in the Gulf Stream lately. The bite should only improve over the next month. Anglers can find action with the wahoo by trolling lures or skirted ballyhoo around temperature breaks and structure out in the blue water.
Working vertical jigs around structure in the Stream is producing fast action with large amberjacks.
Closer to the beaches, black sea bass are holding on bottom structure between the beaches and the 30 mile range, with the larger fish toward the offshore end of that range. Bottom rigs baited with squid will attract plenty of attention from the bass.
