Carolina Beach – August 21, 2014
Kim Fela, of Carolina Beach, with a 31″ red drum that bit a live finger mullet in Snows Cut.
Ron, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers have been seeing some excellent wahoo action in the Gulf Stream recently. Most are falling for ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures, but baitless high-speed lures can be very effective as well.
Dolphin remain fairly scattered, but anglers are hooking a few from the 20 mile areas to the break. The action should only get better as summer fades into fall.
King mackerel are feeding around Frying Pan Tower and other offshore spots, and anglers are also hooking some undersized kings along the beachfront while trolling for spanish mackerel. The larger fish are falling for live baits like menhaden.
The spanish mackerel bite remains solid within a few miles of shore, and anglers are hooking solid numbers while trolling Clarkspoons.
Bottom fishing around wrecks and ledges 20-30 miles offshore is producing some gag grouper and plenty of smaller bottom feeders like sea bass and grunts. Live, dead, and cut baits will all attract attention from the reef fish.
Kevin Hall (age 13) with his first citation flounder, a 5.25 lb. fish that bit a live finger mullet at some nearshore structure off Fort Fisher.
Flounder fishing remains good at nearshore structure in the ocean, in Carolina Beach Inlet, the ICW, and the Cape Fear River. Anglers are fooling the flatfish (some to 5+ lbs.) on live menhaden, finger mullet, and mud minnows, along with Gulps and other soft baits.
Speckled trout action has also been solid in the river lately, and anglers are hooking the specks from Snows Cut to Southport. The best bite’s been early in the morning, and topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits are all getting attention from the fish.
Red drum are feeding in the bays and creeks off the lower river and taking an interest in a variety of artificials and natural baits.
Sheepshead are looking for meals around bridges, docks, and rocks in the ICW and river, and anglers are fooling good numbers with live fiddler crabs and sand fleas.
Surf casters have been seeing some spot, sea mullet, and other panfish. Bloodworms have been the most productive baits lately.
Some upper and over-slot puppy drum are also feeding along the beachfront, and surf casters should begin seeing more as the temperatures start to drop a bit.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are still seeing solid red drum action in the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River. Some are schooling on the flats, with smaller pods of fish feeding around oyster bars and potholes in the creeks. Topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits will all get attention from the reds.
Anglers can find speckled trout in many of the same areas, with the best odds of success coming on high falling tides. The same baits and lures will fool the specks.
Dallas Vestal, of Siler City, NC, with a 17.5″ flounder that struck a spinnerbait in Carolina Beach Inlet.
Flounder are also feeding in the backwaters off the river and taking an interest in soft plastics and live baits.
Large schools of ladyfish and jack crevalle have moved into the lower river, and the hard fighters will bite nearly anything they can fit in their mouths.
Sheepshead are looking for meals around pilings, rocks, and other inshore structure, where they’ll bite live fiddler crabs.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that red drum are feeding in the creeks and bays off the lower Cape Fear River. Some speckled trout and flounder are mixed in with the reds, and all are taking an interest in live mud minnows, shrimp, and Gulp baits.
There’s also been good action with upper and over-slot reds in Carolina Beach Inlet recently.
More flounder and some gray trout are feeding around nearshore structure in the ocean, and both predators have a tough time turning down a live finger mullet on a Carolina rig. Some large red drum are looking for meals around the ocean structure as well.
Preston Fisher (age 10), of Greensboro, NC, with a pair of gray trout that struck live finger mullet at the Marriott Reef.
The spanish mackerel action in the ocean is still going steady. Most anglers are hooking up with the spaniards on Clarkspoons trolled behind planers and cigar sinkers.
Brenda, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are hooking spot, bluefish, and some small flounder on bottom rigs baited with shrimp, cut baits, and bloodworms.
A few bluefish are also biting Gotcha plugs and other casting lures.
Alice, of Kure Pier, reports that sea mullet and croaker are taking an interest in bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
Some flounder are falling for small live baits fished under the pier.
