Carolina Beach – August 6, 2015
Wes, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are hooking some solid flounder while casting live baits in the Cape Fear River.
Red drum have been feeding around Snow’s Cut and at deeper spots in the river, where anglers are fooling them on live baits along with Gulps and other soft baits.
Some fat (3-4 lbs.) speckled trout are feeding around grass islands and rocky spots in the river and biting live baits and artificials.
Surf casters are reporting action with some upper-slot red drum while fishing around Carolina Beach Inlet, particularly on the Masonboro side.
Anglers trolling in the 10-25 mile range are hooking some king mackerel, cobia, and dolphin. Live baits like menhaden and dead cigar minnows and ballyhoo are producing results for the trollers.
Bair Kuneyl (age7), from Wilmington, with a 26″ red drum he caught while fishing the Cape Fear River with a live finger mullet.
Rod, of OnMyWay Charters, reports that there was an excellent spanish mackerel bite off Carolina Beach last week in 30-45’ of water. Most have been falling for Clarkspoons trolling behind #1 planers and inline singers. The action’s been best around bait schools and working birds, and anglers should remember to use long, light (20-30 lb.) leaders to tempt the tackle-shy fish to bite.
King mackerel have been feeding around ledges and live bottoms 7-30 miles offshore. Slow-trolling with live and dead baits or pulling skirted ballyhoo faster is the way to connect with the kings, and deep baits fished with downriggers and planers have been attracting much of the attention recently.
Bottom fishermen are finding plenty of action with dropping baits to structure 25-40 miles off the beachfront. Large black sea bass, grouper, and snappers are feeding around the structure and biting squid, cigar minnows, and cut baits.
Jackson Vargo with a 21″ flounder he landed near Carolina Beach after it struck a live mullet.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are finding action with good numbers of red drum in the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River (many over-slot fish). The reds are biting live finger mullet along with some soft plastic baits.
A few schools of drum are working the flats in the area, and anglers who find the schools are fooling them with D.O.A. soft plastic baits on jigheads.
A few speckled trout and flounder have been mixed in with the reds and biting the live baits and soft plastics as well.
Ladyfish and bluefish are schooling up in the lower river and providing some exciting sight-casting opportunities when they’re feeding on the surface. Both will strike a wide variety of artificial lures.
Anglers are also hooking some tripletails around floating objects in the river. Live shrimp, mud minnows, and finger mullet can all tempt bites from the unusual fish.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that the bite’s been a bit slow recently, but persistent anglers are still connecting with some fish.
There have been some spanish mackerel feeding off Carolina Beach and near the inlets, where anglers can hook them while trolling Clarkspoons and other flashy lures.
Anglers drifting Carolina Beach Inlet with live baits are hooking some flounder.
Speckled trout are feeding around current breaks like grass islands and oyster bars in the Cape Fear River, where anglers can tempt them to bite live baits or a variety of artificials.
Brenda, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some spot, croaker, and other panfish while soaking bottom rigs baited with shrimp from the pier.
Some flounder are falling for live baits fished around the pilings.
Anthony, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are hooking croaker and spot while bottom fishing with shrimp and other baits. Some sea mullet are mixed in at night.
Bluefish are falling for bottom rigs and casting lures anglers are working from the pier.
Anglers fishing live baits under the pier are connecting with some flounder.
