Carolina Beach August 23, 2007
Trey, of Reel Bait and Tackle, reports that the nearshore reefs are holding good numbers of flounder, along with some schools of spadefish and gray trout.
Anglers can target the flounder by fishing live finger mullet or peanut pogies on Carolina rigs.
The gray trout will also fall for the live baits, but anglers who want to target them specifically can vertically jig Stingsilvers or other spoons. Tipping the lure with a piece of shrimp will make it even more attractive.
Anglers looking for spadefish action should fish with strips of jelly ball (cannonball jelly). The fish can be chummed away from the structure with a few of the jellies attached to a line.
Tarpon are still searching for meals around the shoals at the mouth of the river. Live pogies and dead or cut baits will all attract attention from the tarpon.
Spanish mackerel are still running near the beaches, but the schools are on the move and are sometimes difficult for boats to locate.
The best king mackerel action has been a bit further off the beach, seven or more miles offshore. Live pogies are the top king mackerel baits, but boats unable to find pogies should also be able to score some strikes by trolling cigar minnows.
Some sailfish are still mixed in with the kings, and they should attack the same live baits. Boats wanting to specifically target the sails can troll rigged ballyhoo.
Some wahoo have moved inshore of the Gulf Stream, and they are feeding along with the kings and sails at about 15-20 miles offshore.
Boats running to the Gulf Stream are bringing back wahoo, dolphin, and some big kings.
Bottom fishing is still hot. Some gag groupers have moved inshore and are holding at ledges and other structure around 20 miles off the beach. Red and scamp groupers are feeding 30+ miles offshore.
Inshore, flounder fishing remains good in the ICW, Snow’s Cut, and Carolina Beach Inlet. Carolina-rigged live baits or Gulp Alives will fool the inshore flounder.
Red drum are feeding in the creeks, the ICW, and the inlet, and they will fall for the same baits that the flounder will.
Sheepshead are holding tight to boat docks and bridge pilings, and they will fall for fiddler crab baits dangled next to the structure.
Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports that anglers are landing solid catches of 2-6 lb. flounder while fishing at nearshore structure such as John’s Creek, the Marriott, and Sheepshead Rock. Carolina-rigged finger mullet are the top flounder baits. The water is full of mullet right now, so anglers should have little trouble catching a day’s worth of bait.
Flounder are also feeding inshore in Carolina Beach Inlet, Snow’s Cut, and the Cape Fear River.
Gray trout are beginning to school up on the nearshore reefs. Most of the grays are 2-3 lb. fish, and the action with them should continue to improve through September.
Spanish mackerel are feeding between John’s Creek and the Liberty Ship around two miles offshore. Trolled Clarkspoons will draw plenty of strikes from the spanish, and an unweighted spoon trolled long will produce as many or more fish than the usual planer and weighted lines.
Big bluefish (5-8 lbs.) and slot sized red drum are mixed in with flounder in Snow’s Cut, and anglers can expect to hook up with a few while drifting live baits for flounder. A few 30”+ reds are also in the mix.
Sheepshead are holding tight to structure in Snow’s Cut and the ICW. Anglers are hooking up with the sheepshead (averaging 2-4 lbs.) while fishing with fiddler crabs.
Fisher, of Capt. Fisher’s Guide Service, reports that red drum and speckled trout are feeding well in the Cape Fear River. Topwater plugs are proving productive on both species. Anglers should fish smaller topwaters in 3-6’ of water for the trout and larger plugs in 6”-3’ of water for the drum.
The reds are also feeding in flooded marsh grass at high tides, where they’ll fall for a gold spoon.
Flounder are feeding well throughout the area, and they will take an interest in Carolina-rigged live baits or Gulp and Slurp baits fished on jigheads.
Black drum and sheepshead are feeding well around rocky structure and oyster and barnacle encrusted pilings. Any type of small crab will draw bites from both species.
Big ladyfish are on the feed in the river, and they should take an interest in topwater plugs and flies. Anglers can locate the fish by looking for small gulls working bait.
Madeleine, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers fishing with small live baits are hooking up with a few flounder.
Those casting Gotcha plugs are finding some action with bluefish.
The water temperature is 85 degrees.
