Carolina Beach – April 28, 2016
Red, of Island Tackle & Hardware, reports that there has been decent action with spanish mackerel, bonito, and false albacore as close in as 1/2 mile off the beach. Trolling Clarkspoons has been a good way to connect with all three types of fish.
A bit further out around the 20 mile range, there is solid black sea bass action. In the Gulf Stream, wahoo and mahi have been reported.
Inshore, anglers are connecting with trout, drum, and flounder in the lower river and the basin. Gulp shrimp have been working particularly well for all three species. Sheepshead are being caught around structure and rock piles in the Snow’s Cut area.
Surf anglers have reported whiting, black drum, and bluefish on cut baits, shrimp, and Fishbites.
Capt. Amanda King, of Second Wind Charters, with an Atlantic bonito she caught while trolling Clarkspoons behind planers off Carolina Beach Inlet.
Luke, of TopWater Guide Co., reports that the speckled trout bite has been solid in the lower Cape Fear River. Soft plastics in frozen smoke and true plum colors on 1/8 oz. jigheads have been the go-to baits for the fish.
The reds have begun to take interest in topwater baits along the flats from the early morning hours until around 9:00 or 10:00 am. Skitter Walks and Top Dogs have been effective on the red drum.
Flounder are starting to show up near the inlets and around the docks where the salinity of the water is higher. Find the schools of pogies, and the flounder will be nearby.
Off the beach a bit, the bluefish are abundant, with a couple of bonito in the mix as well.
Jonathan Byrd with a citation gray triggerfish he caught on a two hook bottom rig with cut squid. The fish was caught near the Steeples aboard the “Sarah’s Worry Too.”
Jesse, of Ocean Stinger Charters, reports that bonito and false albacore are being caught in the 5-10 mile range. Areas such as Dallas Rock, 10 Mile Rock, and 12 Mile Rock #3 have been producing solid numbers of fish. Trolling between 7-10 knots using #1 planers and Clarkspoons as well as diving plugs has been effective with the bonito. Sight casting with silver diamond jigs is effective when the fish are breaking the surface.
Out a bit further in the 15-20 mile range, bottom fishing has been solid around areas such as AR 376 and Fish Pot. Bottom rigs baited with squid or cut baits have been working well.
King mackerel have been providing action in areas 20-30 miles off the beach. The fish have been on the smaller side, but they are being caught in good numbers. Look for water temperatures between 68-72 degrees for the kings, and spoons off the downriggers is producing most of the fish.
Gulf Stream trips report wahoo, blackfin tuna, and a few mahi. The hot spots have been the Same Ole’ Hole and the Nipple.
Trolling Fathom Soft Heads rigged with ballyhoo as well as casting topwater plugs at surfacing fish has been effective with the blackfin.
Debby Aydlett, of Wilmington, with a black drum she caught on a Carolina rig with cut shrimp in the Cape Fear River.
Rod, of OnMyWay Charters, reports that over the past couple of weeks there has been a nice run of bonito in the 3-5 mile range. The best action has been near the artificial reefs around Carolina Beach. There have also been plenty of bluefish in the 1-3 lb. range around the same areas.
A bit further off the beach, there are king mackerel and some excellent black sea bass action. Start searching for the kings in the 20 mile range in water temperatures 67 degrees and above, and look for the sea bass on live bottom and ledges around the same areas.
In the Gulf Stream, the blackfin bite has been great with some wahoo and mahi mixed in. The best action has been in the 180-300’ range along the break.
Hunter Chadwick (age 7), of Chadwick and Sons Fishing Team, with a 19″ black drum. He caught the fish in the Cape Fear River on fresh shrimp.
Coleman, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers have been connecting with some bluefish and small flounder. The bluefish are hitting plugs, and the flounder are taking interest in cut shrimp and other cut baits on the bottom.
Cathy, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that people casting plugs are connecting with bluefish, and anglers fishing the bottom are catching Virginia mullet on cut shrimp.
The water temperature is currently 65 degrees.
