Carolina Beach August 26, 2004
Capt. Dave Tilley, of Wild Rover II Charters, reports that offshore the king mackerel and dolphin continue to be scattered, with juvenile kings being the rule versus the exception. The barracudas have chewed the hooks off the line all week. If you are looking for a fight, a barracuda will give you one. Try a tube rig on a downrigger at 30 to 40 feet down.
Inshore, the spanish mackerel bite returned this past week. The magic spots seemed to be 30 to 40 feet of water right outside the inlets. The lure of choice has been #0 Clark spoons or larger.
The grouper bite has been excellent. Gag grouper are as close as 8 miles, with two keeper gags coming in on half day bottom trips this past week. They are really chewing in the 20-mile range. Cut bait and whole squid seem to be the baits of choice. At 30 miles on out, the reds and scamps are being caught in numbers, along with a few American reds. Inshore, the sea bass have moved up close to the beach, so if you can’t get out very far be sure to try for some of the sea bass action at your favorite ledge or live bottom.
Harry G, of Seagull Bait and Tackle, reports that there have been lots of whiting and a few larger-sized spots caught this past week. Croakers were also caught in numbers, with many fish weighing in the 1 to 1.5 lb. range. The hot spot was the south end of the island at the rocks. The main flounder bite is coming outside the inlet in both the John’s Creek area and the yellow buoy about 1.25 miles off of the Marriott. A few flounder came in off the south end rocks and out of Snow’s Cut, but look to go outside for the better bite. The blues and pompano have been slow. Virginia mullet are few. Many of the fall species just haven’t picked up yet. The finger mullet are in numbers, with the average size running 3 to 5 inches. Sheepshead are being found at the piers and around rock structure. Fish have been caught in the 4 to 10 lb. range. Solid catches of red drum are coming in from Snow’s Cut and Masonboro Inlet.
Barry, of Cape Fear Marine and Tackle, reports that the fish aren’t biting because the people aren’t fishing. Conditions appear to be ideal, but there aren’t many fish around. The water is murky inshore and milky offshore. In the surf, decent size pompano and Virginia mullet have been biting sand fleas. There is talk of kings skyrocketing near the piers, but none caught on line yet. The best action seems to be shark fishing. The sharks are biting on the piers and practically everywhere else.
