Carolina Beach August 19, 2010
Mark Benson, from Wilmington, with a pair of citation flounder weighing 5.5 and 5.25 lbs. he hooked on live pogies in the Cape Fear River while fishing aboard the "Bluefish Bandit."
Wes, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are seeing the flounder bite improve in the area. Snow’s Cut and the area to the north in the Cape Fear River seem to be producing the most action. Live finger mullet are attracting the majority of the fish.
Some red drum are mixed in with the flatties and falling for the same baits.
Sheepshead are feeding around the docks and bridges in the area (many 6-8 lbs.), and they will take an interest in fiddler crabs, sand fleas, and other baits.
Speckled trout are feeding around the rock wall down south in the river. Live shrimp are top choices for them, but anglers can also hook up on a variety of lures.
The spanish mackerel bite is still on in and around Carolina Beach Inlet, and anglers are catching most of their fish on trolled Clark and Drone spoons.
Some king mackerel are still feeding along the beaches, but the bite has been scattered. Live-baiting with pogies is the best way to tempt bites from the kings.
Bottom fishermen had solid gag grouper action around 25 miles off the inlet last week. Live, dead, and cut baits are the way to go for the gags. Red grouper are feeding in deeper water 30+ miles offshore.
Not many anglers have been to the Gulf Stream lately, but boats are catching white marlin to the north and south of the area, so there should be some around local spots like the Same Ol’ and Steeples.
Ryan, of Carolina Beach Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are finding schools of red drum in the lower Cape Fear River. Live finger mullet on Carolina rigs are excellent baits for the reds.
Some speckled trout are feeding in the lower river as well and will take an interest in live shrimp.
Sheepshead (many 5-8 lbs. with some over 10 lbs.) are feeding around hard structure like docks, bridges, and rocks in the river and ICW. Anglers can tempt them to bite live fiddler crabs or sand fleas.
Surf fishermen are hooking up with some big whiting (to 22”) and a handful of pompano down south. To the north, some flounder and red drum have been feeding in the breakers. There are plenty of sand fleas around for anglers looking for surf baits.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Charters, reports that the red drum bite remains consistent in the lower Cape Fear River. Anglers are seeing some schools of fish on the shallow flats, which will bite topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits under popping floats.
More reds are feeding in slightly deeper water in the area and will take an interest in soft plastics or live baits on jigheads.
Good numbers of flounder are mixed in with the reds and falling for the same baits.
Brad, of Fish Spanker Charters, reports the spanish mackerel bite around Carolina Beach Inlet is improving. Anglers are hooking most of the fish while trolling Clarkspoons.
Large sharks are feeding along the beaches and around shrimp boats in the area, and anglers can hook them on big cut and dead baits.
Red, gag, and scamp grouper are holding on bottom structure 30-40 miles offshore. Anglers can tempt them to bite live and dead baits.
Evan Kauffman, of Wilmington, with a 26" red drum he hooked in the lower Cape Fear River on a Redfish Magic soft plastic while fishing with Christian Wolfe.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer Charters, reports that anglers are catching plenty of red drum in the lower Cape Fear River on live mud minnows, finger mullet, and soft plastic paddletail grubs.
Flounder are also feeding in the river and falling for live finger mullet and pogies.
The flounder bite is hot on nearshore structure like the Marriott Reef as well.
Spanish mackerel are on the feed along the beaches and will take an interest in trolled spoons or small metal lures cast into the feeding schools.
Large sharks are cruising nearshore looking for meals, and anglers can find them feeding behind shrimp boats just offshore. Boats should keep a respectful distance of at least 100 yards between themselves and shrimp boats when targeting the sharks in order to avoid disrupting the shrimpers’ work.
Benny, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are catching a few flounder on small live baits.
Some whiting are falling for shrimp on the bottom.
Plug casters are finding action with some bluefish.
Live-baiters had several king mackerel strikes last week.
Nathan, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are picking up a few spanish mackerel and bluefish while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
Flounder (many 3-4 lbs. with some citations mixed in) are taking an interest in small live baits fished on the bottom.
Spot, croaker, and whiting are biting shrimp-baited bottom rigs.
