Carolina Beach April 12, 2012
Ty Kennedy, of Deep Run, NC, with a gray trout that he caught on a mud minnow at Yaupon Reef.
Dennis, of Island Tackle, reports that anglers are finding some solid sea mullet action from the beaches and piers of Pleasure Island. Shrimp on double-hook bottom rigs are fooling most of the fish.
The mullet are also feeding in holes in the lower Cape Fear River, where some black drum are also mixed in.
The speckled trout bite has been a bit slow locally, but anglers are catching good numbers on the Southport side of the river. Live shrimp have just come into stock, so it’s probably time to try some trout prospecting closer to Carolina Beach.
Flounder fishing has also yet to kick off, but anglers are catching decent numbers to the north and south, so it may be due to a lack of effort.
Spanish mackerel have made their spring appearance off the beaches, with the best reports coming from around the Liberty Ship and High Rock thus far. Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and trolling weights or casting small, flashy metal jigs at fish feeding on the surface is the way to hook up with the spaniards. Plenty of bluefish are also in the same areas and vulnerable to the same tactics.
Offshore, the Gulf Stream trolling bite is still strong when boats make the long haul out to the blue water. Blackfin tuna and wahoo (with fish to 87 lbs. weighed in lately) have been the primary catches recently. Both high-speed trolling with baitless lures and dragging conventional lure/ballyhoo combos will produce results with the blackfins and wahoo.
Chris McMurry, of Wilmington, with a 28.5" red drum that bit a Gulp bait in a creek off the Cape Fear River near downtown Wilmington.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that the red drum, black drum, and flounder are feeding on the flats and in the creeks off the lower Cape Fear River. Anglers have been able to hook all three while casting soft plastic baits lately, but it’s been a little tricky. Live mud minnows and shrimp or cut shrimp and crabs have been producing much better results lately.
There are still some sea mullet feeding near the mouth of the river, but the bite has slowed and the fish seem to be on the move. Cut shrimp on bottom rigs will still produce good action as long as the mullet are still around.
Out in the ocean, plenty of bluefish are feeding just off the beaches and around nearshore structure. Gotcha plugs and other small, heavy metal lures are producing fast action with the blues.
Anglers are also seeing some spanish mackerel feeding alongside the blues, but it’s been tougher to get them to bite.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the lower Cape Fear red drum action has been best in the backwater creeks lately, with a few fish feeding on the flats. Topwater plugs, soft plastic paddletails and Gulp baits, and live baits like mud minnows will all tempt bites from the reds, and anglers should be equipped with a variety to match what the fish want on a particular day.
A few flounder are mixed in with the reds and taking an interest in the mud minnows and soft plastics.
Sea mullet are feeding in the deeper water around the river mouth, along with some black drum (most small, but an occasional big fish surprise). Shrimp on double-bottom rigs are producing fast action with the tasty panfish.
Quinton Tribbenow, of Atlanta, GA, with a 12 lb. black drum that bit fresh shrimp in the lower Cape Fear River while he was fishing with Capt. Robert Schoonmaker of Carolina Explorer.
Ray, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are catching pufferfish and a few sea mullet, sharks, and skates from the pier. Cut shrimp on bottom rigs are producing most of the action.
Allie, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are catching some sea mullet and a few pufferfish while bottom fishing with shrimp.
Some bluefish are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs worked from the pier, but they’ve been a bit slower in recent days.
