Carolina Beach August 4, 2011
Chris Swann and Shellie Harrell with Shellie's first dolphin, caught 28 miles off Carolina Beach Inlet on ballyhoo under a pink/white sea witch.
Marshall, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that the flounder bite has been good all over the inshore waters lately, with the largest fish coming from Snow’s Cut. Live finger mullet and menhaden are producing most of the fish.
Some speckled trout action has been reported from the river lately, with most of the fish falling for live or artificial shrimp.
Red drum are feeding throughout the inshore waters, with some of the best action in the lower Cape Fear. Live mud minnows and mullet have been outproducing artificials with the reds lately.
Sheepshead are feeding around bridge and dock pilings and other inshore structure in the area. Live fiddler crabs and sand fleas are the way to go for the sheeps.
Surf fishermen are reporting some pompano action, mostly on sand fleas.
The spanish mackerel bite is still solid around the inlet and along the beaches, and most people are hooking the spaniards on trolled Clarkspoons.
King mackerel fishing is still a bit inconsistent, but anglers are hooking a few around structure like the AR’s while slow-trolling live menhaden.
Sharks are feeding just off the beaches, and a large cut bait shouldn’t last long if they’re around.
Sailfish and dolphin are feeding around structure and bait 20+ miles offshore, and live baits or rigged ballyhoo will tempt them to bite.
Bottom fishermen have been reporting some decent gag grouper action at structure in the 20 mile range. Live baits are tops for the grouper.
Bryan, of Carolina Beach Bait and Tackle, reports that surf casters are picking up some fat sea mullet (1.5-2+ lbs.), mostly on sand fleas. Some smaller pompano are also falling for the fleas. A few spot and croaker are biting shrimp on bottom rigs.
Large sharks are feeding along the beaches, and anglers are hooking good numbers (to 7’) on large cut baits cast or paddled out from the beaches, mostly around Fort Fisher.
Jason Hyatt, of Charlotte, with an 18 lb. gag grouper that bit a cut bait at a ledge 40 miles off Carolina Beach while he was fishing with Capt. Tom Sayre on “The Mate.
Inshore, the flounder bite has been excellent in Snow’s Cut lately, with live mud minnows and finger mullet producing most of the action.
Sheepshead and black drum are feeding around inshore structure like bridge and dock pilings, and both fish will take an interest in live fiddler crabs or sand fleas.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are finding some schools of red drum feeding on the flats off the lower Cape Fear River and Masonboro Sound. Topwater plugs are fooling plenty, but soft plastic baits will get the job done when the reds are reluctant to bite the plugs.
Scattered reds are also feeding in the creeks and deeper water, where live baits and soft plastics will get the job done.
Good numbers of flounder are feeding in the same areas, and the soft plastics are tempting plenty of bites from them.
A few speckled trout are also taking an interest in soft plastic baits in the creeks.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that the spanish mackerel bite has been excellent around Carolina Beach Inlet and along the beachfront lately. Trolling Clarkspoons has been producing limit catches over the past week.
A few kings are also feeding along the beachfront, and live baits will get their attention.
Large sharks are following shrimp boats around just offshore. Cut baits will tempt bites from the big predators.
Flounder fishing on the nearshore reefs has been excellent lately, both on live finger mullet and bucktail/Gulp bait combinations.
The flounder bite has also been solid in the inlet and around ICW structure. Live mud minnows and finger mullet are fooling the flatfish inshore.
The hot weather has slowed the red drum bite a bit, but anglers are still finding good numbers feeding in deeper creeks and around drop-offs.
John Joseph Holohan III, of Manassas, VA, with a guitarfish that bit a chuink of cut pinfish off the Carolina Beach Pier while he was fishing with my father.
Brian, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some flounder while fishing small live baits near the pilings.
Some sheepshead are taking an interest in sand fleas and barnacles dangled next to the pilings.
Bottom fishermen are hooking some spot, sea mullet, and croaker on shrimp and bloodworms.
Live-baiters landed a 15 lb. king mackerel from the end of the pier last week.
