Carolina Beach December 5, 2005
Dave Tilley, of Fryingpantower.com, reports that with the offshore water cooling down, wahoo is the name of the game. Dark blue and white ballyhoo rigs work wonders. Yellowfin tuna should be showing up soon as well in the cool offshore waters near the gulf stream.
Offshore, the king mackerel bite is on. Find the big temp break between the cold inshore water and warm offshore water, and it’s king time. These are mostly schoolie size fish. You should be able to catch your limit on rigged ballyhoo, cigar minnows, or drone spoons. Be sure to keep a bait deep on a large planner.
The inshore bite is just about over except the gray trout, puppy drum, and the occasional bluefish. Look for deep inshore spots that can hold warm water, and you should find the fish.
Offshore on the bottom, the gag groupers are chewing the bottom out of the boat. Cigar minnows and squid work best. They have moved close to shore to spawn before they make the move back offshore. Start at the 15 mile range and work out. Small rolls and rough spots will hold the biggest fish. As the winter sets in the fish will move further offshore, but don’t despair. The blueheaded black bass move in to take the area the grouper left.
Barry, at Cape Fear Marine and Tackle, reports inshore the drum and trout are still moving around and eating artificials.
Nearshore reefs are holding good numbers of seabass and gray trout. Grouper are holding as close as 18 miles, while it will take at least a 30 mile run to get to the king mackerel.
Gulf stream has been slow, but there are some tuna and wahoo being brought in.
Harry G, at Seagull Bait and Tackle, reports that the surf has still been producing a few fish. The best bet has been going for whiting or black drum. The black drum are running small, and they’re hitting cut shrimp. For whiting, go with cut bait or sand fleas (the sand fleas are now down pretty deep).
The surf has also still been producing a few flounder, with emphasis on few.
Speckled trout are in the river and some of the inlets.
The piers have been seeing some action with whiting and trout.
