Carolina Beach – December 2024
Cole, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that surf anglers have done well with whiting and some late season pompano.
Inshore anglers are seeing a fairly steady speckled trout bite. The trout are being found alongside some scattered red drum.
Deeper hard structures from the inlet back into the Cape Fear River are producing sheepshead. When anglers get out to the Gulf Stream, they are landing some wahoo.
King mackerel fishing remains strong, with most of the kings holding in the 20-mile range.
Christian, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are mostly seeing a smaller class of red drum, with the slot-sized fish just kind of mixed in. Natural baits such as fresh dead shrimp or mud minnows work best, but don’t completely discount a scented soft plastic. The best target areas will be on shallow bottoms where these reds will be looking to warm up.
Black drum will be next to the reds in the creeks and on the same flats. For a black drum, a dead shrimp fished on the bottom will work best. Try to cast your baits up along marsh banks and around shell points. Most of the wintertime black drum are in the 14-16” range, but they occasionally bump up into upper-slot size.
The speckled trout are going to continue their push into the lower part of the river and its creeks. A live shrimp is the hot ticket when targeting creek mouths during the falling tides.
Tommy, of Mungo Fishing Charters, reports that moving into these cooler months, anglers look forward to sight-casting action for red drum. Finding the right conditions is key, with light winds and a falling tide to low tide being best. With this tactic, anglers are basically putting the trolling motor down and searching for the larger schools of fish on shallow flats, around docks, and in big mud bottom bays. Once locating a school, a variety of baits can entice strikes. Usually, it’s best to start with artificial shrimp, but dead shrimp, dead crabs, and live mud minnows will also get the job done.
Black drum fishing will stay strong through most of the winter. Anglers will have the best success finding the freshest shrimp and crabs they can get their hands on. Target deep holes back in the creeks on low or just rising tides. The black drum will be schooled up, so expect to move around to find them.
Speckled trout can be found up on the flats warming during the better weather days. Otherwise, hit the local jetties and cast artificials such as D.O.A. shrimp, jerk baits, or suspending lures.
Jimmy Bain, of Winnabow, NC, caught this red drum in the Cape Fear River using a chunk of deer meat on a bottom rig.
Mason, of Grand Slam Fishing Charters, reports that black drum action in the lower Cape Fear River has been good. Anglers are having success fishing deeper holes around oyster structure with some current. Most of the fish are being caught with either live or fresh dead shrimp on Carolina rigs with a 1/2-3/4 oz. weight. Target an area for about 10-15 minutes, and then move on. If you do catch a fish, reset that mental clock and stick around for a little while longer because it’s likely the fish isn’t alone.
Some slot-sized red drum are hanging around these same areas, and anglers are catching them both off the bottom or with live shrimp and mud minnows under corks.
A few speckled trout are mixed in throughout the river. Live shrimp under a cork will be the best bet, but an artificial shrimp soft plastic or a topwater plug will also entice some strikes. Looking for areas with current is key when targeting trout.
Some striped bass are showing up in the upper Cape Fear River. Casting artificials around creek mouths and along shoreline structure can produce strikes.
Tony, of Reel Teal Charters, reports that out at the nearshore wrecks, anglers have found some ringtails, keeper black sea bass, and the occasional triggerfish. All of these species are being caught with either cut squid or vertical jigs.
In the Cape Fear River, sheepshead are being caught on live fiddler crabs or dead shrimp placed around hard structures. The better action has been from areas with at least 6-12’ of water.
The speckled trout bite has been decent for anglers fishing with live shrimp, Vudu shrimp, or Z-Man soft plastics. Try focusing efforts along grass banks with 5-8’ water depths.
Jerry Weisner, of Lexington, with a 3.5 lb. and a 3 lb. pompano that fell for sandfleas on the south end of Carolina Beach.
Rod, of OnMyWay Guide Service, reports that with temperatures cooling down, it’s time to focus on the phenomenal jumbo black sea bass bite in the 15-30 mile range. Anglers will have success fishing both vertical jigs or cut baits on two-hook chicken rigs. The key to finding the bigger bass is to focus efforts on live bottoms and ledges that are holding a lot of bait.
A bunch of king mackerel are still off the beach. Anglers can continue to have success targeting the kings as long as the water stays in the 68-70 degree range. Pay attention to the sea surface temperature charts before heading out, and only start fishing efforts near some good bottom out in the area with that temperature break.
Runs out to the Gulf Stream will produce some fantastic wahoo fishing. The wahoo, in particular, are very structure and current oriented. They also prefer water temperatures at 72 degrees and above. A final suggestion is to get the baits down deep.
While out in the Gulf Stream, blackfin tuna should also be in the mix.
Jeremiah, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are enjoying huge runs of bluefish.
Bottom fishing is producing some quality sea mullet.
Anglers fishing in the evening have been catching a few bonus bull red drum.
