Carolina Beach July 13, 2006
Dave, at Fryingpantower.com, reports that the dolphin have been the big bite in the gulf stream this week, along with white marlin and sailfish. There have also recently been reports of swordfish hookups. North of Same Ole seems to be the hot spot. The dolphin bite has been on pink and pink/white rigged ballyhoo.
Dolphin and king mackerel have been plentiful over the past week north of the Dredge and at WR-4. There are plenty of weeds and weed lines in the local waters. Find a nice patch and work it along a temperature break. There have been plenty of big bulls and a few sailfish. The dolphin have been on pink/white and the sails on naked ballyhoo. The kings are eating just about anything.
The spanish mackerel have been caught around the area inlets in numbers, along with some keeper king mackerel.
As for bottom fishing, the grouper continue to be found. The gags are a little closer now in the 20ish mile range. There are even a couple reports of gags coming from the 15 mile range. The red grouper are chewing in the high 20’s to mid 30’s (along with the vermillion snapper). Scamps are from the mid 30’s on out. The reds are hungry, too.
Nice black sea bass are plentiful on the area rocks and ledges. The bass bite will only improve as the season continues. The flounder are also being caught in numbers around the area inlets and inshore rocks.
Jamie, at Reel Bait and Tackle, reports that flounder are biting in the river despite the sewage spill. The flounder fishing is also finally heating up at the Yaupon Reef. A live finger mullet or peanut pogy fished on a Carolina rig is the best bet for the flatfish.
Some puppy drum are in the river and Buzzard’s Bay, and they will eat live baits meant for flounder or trout.
Trout are biting well in Buzzard’s Bay and in Lockwood Folly River. A live shrimp beneath a float is the best bait for the trout, and it will produce flounder and puppy drum as well.
Sheepshead are biting well at the Hole-in-the-Wall on sand fleas.
Offshore, the dolphin are biting nearly anything near the 23 Mile Rock and beneath weed lines in that vicinity. Blue/white has been the most productive color combination.
King mackerel fishermen were tight-lipped this week regarding locations due to the upcoming tournaments, but kings are out there and biting.
Bottom fishing is good in the 35 mile range, with good catches of red and scamp grouper, snapper, and other bottom fish. Sardines are the most effective bait.
Lynn, at Kure Beach Pier, reports that croaker, black drum, and bluefish are biting shrimp fished on the bottom.
Minnows fished near the pier are producing a few flounder.
Anglers are catching sheepshead against the pilings. Barnacles are the favored bait for these fish.
