Carolina Beach June 7, 2012
Jake Stewart with 3 and 4.8 lb. flounder he hooked off his dock in the Carolina Beach yacht basin. Weighed in at Island Tackle and Hardware.
Wes, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has picked up a bit lately. Anglers have been finding the spaniards feeding just off Carolina Beach Inlet and along the beaches on both sides. Trolled Clarkspoons are fooling the spanish and plenty of bluefish in the same areas.
Bottom fishermen are reporting action with keeper sea bass at structure from five miles off the beaches on out. Cut baits, squid, and small metal jigs are getting attention from the bass.
Gag grouper are feeding at spots from 20-25 miles on out, and larger cut baits, live and dead baits, or vertical jigs will tempt them to bite. Red and scamp grouper are holding at structure from 30 miles on out.
Offshore, there’s still a good gaffer dolphin bite in the Gulf Stream, and some blackfin tuna are mixed in with the ‘phins. Sailfish and blue and white marlin are also prowling local spots looking for meals, so anglers trolling the blue water should be prepared for a billfish encounter.
Inshore, the flounder bite has turned on, and anglers are connecting with the flatfish around Carolina Beach Inlet, inshore docks, Snow’s Cut, and in the Cape Fear River. Live baits are fooling most of the flounder, but Gulp baits can prove effective as well.
Red drum action remains consistent in the bays and creeks off the lower Cape Fear River, where anglers are hooking the fish on Gulp baits, topwater plugs, live baits, and more.
Black drum and sheepshead are feeding in Snow’s Cut and at hard structure elsewhere in the area. Fiddler crabs and sand fleas are top baits for both of the striped fish.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that inshore fishing has been a bit tough since the heavy rain last week, but anglers are still eking out a few flounder, red drum, and an occasional speckled trout on most trips. Live baits like menhaden and finger mullet are producing better results than artificials with the slower bite.
The high tides have had some red drum tailing on flooded grass flats, where anglers can sight-cast Gulps or natural baits to hook up.
Cristina Beasley with a 27" red drum she caught on a live menhaden near Southport while fishing with her dad.
Fishing out in the ocean has been solid and a good alternative to inshore lately. Spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding off Carolina Beach Inlet and along the beachfront, where anglers can hook them while trolling Clarkspoons or casting small metal jigs to working birds or surface activity.
Gray trout, flounder, and black sea bass are looking for meals at bottom structure within a few miles of the beaches. Shrimp and cut mullet on bottom rigs and small vertical jigs will attract attention from the bass and some gray trout, while live pogies are better bets for the flounder and larger grays.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are catching some healthy flounder in the lower Cape Fear River, with the bays, creeks, and shelly areas producing most of the action. Live baits and Gulps will fool the flatfish into biting.
Schools of red drum are working the flats off the lower river, and some fish are feeding in the creeks as well. Topwater plugs are excellent search lures, and once anglers find the fish, they can slow down and cast soft plastic baits or live mud minnows or menhaden to hook up.
A few speckled trout are feeding in the same areas, so the possibility for an inshore slam is certainly around right now.
Sheepshead fishing gets better by the week (and the fish are getting bigger). The fish are holding near bridge and dock pilings and other structure, and live fiddler crabs fished close to their homes are the way to tempt them to bite.
Ryan Perez, of Wilmington, with a 26", 6.5 lb. flounder that bit a live menhaden in Snow's Cut.
Ray, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with some black drum, spadefish, sea mullet, and croaker while baiting up with shrimp.
Some flounder are taking an interest in live mud minnows under the pier.
Plug casters are hooking decent numbers of bluefish while working Gotchas from the planks, and larger chopper blues are taking an interest in live baits on king rigs.
Allie, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that bluefish and ladyfish have been biting Gotcha plugs that anglers are casting from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are finding some action with croaker and sea mullet on shrimp.
