Carolina Beach August 23, 2012
Chris Cook, of Wilmington, with a 20" flounder he caught on the back side of Freeman Park on a live finger mullet.
Wes, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that the flounder bite has been solid lately all over the area, with anglers putting together good catches at the nearshore reefs, in the inlet, the ICW, Snows Cut, and the Cape Fear River. Live finger mullet and menhaden are tempting most of the bites from the flatfish, but anglers are also catching their fair share on Gulp baits.
Some red drum (many 30-40”) and gray trout are feeding in the same spots as the flounder, and they will also pounce on a live bait.
Anglers are reporting some king mackerel action around the Dredge Wreck, with better fishing around the 30/30 and other spots in the 15-20 mile range. Live menhaden and dead cigar minnows will both fool the kings.
Gag grouper are feeding around bottom structure in the same 20 mile areas, and live baits will tempt them to bite.
Back on the beaches, surf casters are connecting with some black and red drum in Carolina Beach Inlet while baiting up with shrimp and finger mullet. Some flounder are also in the mix.
Sheepshead are looking for meals around bridge and dock pilings and other hard structure inshore. Live fiddler crabs and sand fleas fished tight to their homes will tempt bites from the sheeps.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that anglers are still connecting with plenty of flounder around nearshore structure like the Marriott Reef. Live finger mullet are fooling most of the flatfish, as well as some red drum that are in the same areas.
Hunter Bellows, of Richmond, VA, with a 5.75 lb. flounder that bit a large finger mullet at some nearshore structure off Carolina Beach Inlet while fishing with his father Tim and Capt. Robert Schoonmaker of Carolina Explorer.
Spanish mackerel action has also been hot between the beach and nearshore structure (with both big numbers and big fish). Trolling Clarkspoons or casting metal lures like Sea Striker Jigfish to fish feeding on the surface will put the spaniards in the boat.
Fishing large cut baits in the same areas is producing some action with large sharks.
Red drum and flounder are also feeding in Carolina Beach Inlet, where live finger mullet are again the top baits.
The drum bite is still on in the bays off the lower Cape Fear River, and anglers there are tempting the fish to bite topwater plugs, Gulps, live baits, and more.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that there have been some big schools of red drum feeding on the flats off the lower Cape Fear River. Topwater plugs and a variety of soft plastic baits are fooling the schooling reds.
Anglers are also finding smaller groups and pods of fish in the creeks and other backwater areas off the lower river, and they’re hooking them on soft plastics and live baits.
Some speckled trout are in many of the same areas, especially around grass and shell beds. Live baits, soft plastics, and topwaters will all appeal to the trout as well.
Flounder are mixed in with the reds and specks and biting soft plastics and live baits, too.
Bill Neely with a red drum that bit a live finger mullet in a bay off the lower Cape Fear River near Fort Fisher.
Large schools of jack crevalle have also inundated the lower river and will pounce on topwater plugs or other fast-moving artificials.
Bobbie, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are catching some fat flounder (some 3-5 lbs.) on live baits fished underneath the pier.
Some spanish mackerel are taking an interest in live baits and Gotcha plugs worked from the planks. The Gotchas are also fooling some bluefish.
Black drum and a few puppy drum are biting bottom rigs baited with shrimp, sand fleas, and live baits.
Michael, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some gray trout, sea mullet, croaker and other bottom feeders on bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
Bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs and diamond jigs that anglers are working from the pier.
