Added on Thursday, December 10, 2015  Fish Post

Carolina Beach – December 10, 2015

Zack, of Island Tackle, reports that anglers are connecting with some healthy speckled trout in the inlet and also off the surf. Live shrimp are fooling the majority of the trout being caught.

Surf casters are still catching lots of large red drum. To get in on the action, cut up those spots and mullet you’ve been catching off the pier – they can’t resist. There has been a consistent source of spot and mullet starting to run in the surf and being caught off the pier. Bottom fishermen are hooking the spots using bottom rigs tipped with shrimp and bloodworms.

Offshore, the king mackerel bite has slowed down. Not much action is going on because of the colder waters. No reports from anyone going out to the Gulf.

Bottom fishing has been providing steady action with some black sea bass among some other smaller bottomfish. Squid and cut bait seem to be the best option for hooking up with some nice action.

Rod, of OnMyWay Charters, reports that anglers saw some stellar king mackerel action throughout the month of November, and they should be able to target the kings through December and beyond. A few wahoo and dolphin have been mixed in with the kings, too, but will likely be moving offshore as the water cools.

Anglers can find the winter kings by searching for 68+ degree water on offshore bouys and their boats’ temperature gauges, then troll cigar minnows, strip baits, or Drone spoons to connect with the fish. The Red and White, 23 Mile Rock, Twin Wreck, and northeast of Frying Pan Tower are all good places to begin the search for the winter kings.

Bottom fishermen have found grouper action as close as 12 miles out lately, but they’ll move a bit further offshore as it gets cold. Bottom fishing around structure in the same area anglers are kingfishing will produce action with the gags and smaller bottom dwellers like black sea bass, beeliners, triggerfish, and more all winter (although grouper are closed to harvest after Jan 1). Cigar minnows or squid will tempt bites from the bottom feeders.

Gulf Stream trollers have found action with wahoo, blackfin tuna, dolphin, and sailfish recently, and anglers can connect with wahoo and blackfin tuna over the winter whenever warm (72+ degrees) water moves over the break and ledges nearby. Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures will fool both pelagic predators.

Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that there’s been some solid mixed-bag action in the lower Cape Fear River over the past few weeks. Anglers are connecting with red drum, striped bass, black drum, and speckled trout around structure and current breaks in the river. Most are falling for live shrimp, but anglers are also hooking up on paddletail soft plastics and other artificials.

There’s also been some decent speckled trout action around Carolina Beach Inlet (but most of the fish have been small).

As the water continues to cool over the coming weeks, anglers can keep in the trout and drum action by slowing down their presentations and targeting warmer water in the creeks and bays.

Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers have been catching solid numbers of black drum in the lower Cape Fear River recently, primarily around oysters and other hard structure. Fresh shrimp are fooling them.

Red drum are feeding in many of the same areas and also schooling on some of the river’s shallow flats. The reds will also bite shrimp along with Gulp baits and live mud minnows.

Speckled trout fishing has been good in the river as well (although most of the fish are small, some large trout are around as well). The specks are taking an interest in MirrOlures, Gulp baits, D.O.A. soft plastics, and Z-Man Trout Tricks.

Striped bass are also looking for meals in the Cape Fear, with good action both north and south of Snows Cut. Soft plastics on jigheads and swimbaits have been attracting attention from the stripers.