Carolina Beach Winter 2010-2011
Bill Spragg, from Wilmington, with a 6.7 lb. flounder he hooked on shrimp while bank fishing in Snow's Cut.
Wes, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that there are still plenty of speckled trout in the area, and anglers are hooking good numbers in the inlet and the Carolina Beach boat basin (most fish on the small side, but an occasional 5 pounder in the basin). Hard baits like Rapala X-Raps and MirrOlures are producing most of the fish, with the new heavy 18MR MirrOlure a good choice in the stronger current of the inlet. The trout bite should remain good for at least the next few weeks, longer if there’s a stretch of warmer weather.
The red drum bite remains good in the bays and along the rock wall in the lower Cape Fear River. Gulp baits, other soft plastics, and live mud minnows will get attention from the reds, which should also feed on into the winter.
Surf fishermen are still catching some whiting when they’re able to find sand fleas.
Off the beaches, anglers should be able to find some action with black sea bass for much of the winter within 20 miles of land. Squid and small vertical jigs will take a toll on the bass.
Gag grouper are feeding on similar structure, and they will likely be there until the grouper season closes January 1. Live, dead, and cut baits and larger vertical jigs should fool the grouper.
Boaters are reporting false albacore in the 18-20 mile range, where anglers can cast lures to breaking schools. The albacore will be pushing offshore as the water cools down.
Schoolie king mackerel are pushing offshore and currently thick around the 40 mile range. They’ll stay around temperature breaks with the mid to upper 60’s water they prefer all winter long, generally around or offshore of Frying Pan Tower. Live baits are scarce this time of year, but anglers should have little trouble hooking up with the kings on frozen cigar minnows or Drone spoons when they can find the schools.
Capt. Mike Pedersen, of No Excuses Charters, and Jake Young with an over-slot red drum that fell for a gold spoon in the lower Cape Fear River.
Anglers are already reporting some bluefin tuna off Frying Pan Shoals, so a decent bluefin bite this winter remains a possibility.
Gulf Stream anglers are releasing a few sailfish and hooking up with some wahoo while trolling skirted ballyhoo in the blue water. The bite should stay solid all winter, as long as warm water is within range of local boats.
Ryan, of Carolina Beach Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers are hooking up with some whiting, big pufferfish, gray and speckled trout, and small black drum. Some larger black drum have been hooked around Kure Beach and the pipe at Carolina Beach, and anglers are still catching a few red drum from the north end of the island. Fresh shrimp will fool all the surf bottom feeders.
The speckled trout bite is still solid in the Cape Fear River along the rock wall, and live mud minnows, soft plastics, and hard baits will fool the trout.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the red drum bite in the lower Cape Fear River and along ICW docks is still going strong, and it should be good all winter. Soft plastic baits on jigheads are fooling the reds, with Gulp baits particularly effective lately.
Speckled trout are still spread out through the river, but they aren’t as numerous as they were a month ago. MirrOlure 17 and 18MR’s are fooling the remaining trout quite effectively.
A few solid flounder are still feeding inshore and falling for baits that anglers are casting for the reds and specks.
The Cape Fear River striped bass bite is turning on, both up and downstream from downtown Wilmington. Anglers can hook the fish while trolling or casting a variety of subsurface lures, but they’ve also been willing to strike topwater plugs in recent days.
John Metzger, of Wilmington, with a 31", 10.6 lb.flounder that fell for a frozen finger mullet in the Cape Fear River near Sunny Point.
Brad, of Fish Spanker Charters, reports that bottom fishing remains strong at structure 30-40 miles off Carolina Beach Inlet. Anglers fishing with cigar minnows and cut baits are hooking good numbers of red, gag, and scamp grouper, and the fish should be there until the season closes January 1.
Large sea bass are also feeding in the same area and will provide bottom fishermen with action and tasty meals all winter long. Squid and smaller cut baits will take a toll on the bass.
