Carolina Beach July 12, 2007
Seth, of Reel Bait and Tackle, reports that the nearshore flounder bite is heating up. Boats fishing the Yaupon Reef caught good numbers of the flatfish (up to 4 lbs.) over the week.
Inshore, the flounder fishing remains good, with nice fish coming from all over the ICW and the river. Carolina-rigged live baits will tempt flounder to bite, whether they’re in the ocean or inshore. Anglers can also hook up with flatfish while fishing Gulp Alive baits on jigheads.
Red drum fishing has been good, with slot to over-slot sized drum feeding in the river and ocean. Anglers released some drum approaching the 40” NC citation size this week, with most of the big fish coming from the lower river and the ocean. Smaller drum are feeding on ICW docks to the north around Wrightsville Beach. Cut baits, live baits, and Gulps will all draw bites from the drum.
Speckled trout fishing has slowed down, but there are still some citation sized (over 4 lbs.) trout feeding in the river. Live pogies, Gulp baits, and topwaters are all good trout producers.
Sheepshead are holding tight to pilings and other hard structures in the ICW and the river. Fish fiddler crab baits close to the structure to hook up with the sheepshead.
Tarpon have shown up on the shoals at the river mouth, and boats released several over the week. Live pogies should tempt the tarpon to bite, and anglers can locate the schools by looking for rolling fish.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been sporadic.
King mackerel are actively feeding from the inlets out to 40 miles offshore. Live pogies will attract the bigger kings, but anglers can also hook up with kings by trolling dead cigar minnows.
Dolphin are holding 10+ miles out of the inlets. They’ll strike trolled live baits, cigar minnows, or ballyhoo.
Sailfish are patrolling structure 10-30 miles offshore, and they will fall for live baits or rigged ballyhoo.
The grouper bite is still hot, with anglers landing grouper on cigar minnows, squid, and live baits. Gags are holding 23 miles and further offshore, while the red and scamp grouper bite has been best in the 30+ mile areas.
The Gulf Stream is still producing some dolphin and a few wahoo for boats making the long run out there.
Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports that nice trout and plenty of slot sized red drum are feeding in the Cape Fear. Live pogies, cut baits, and X-Raps should get attention from the trout and drum.
The flounder bite is heating up again after slowing down last week, and the flatfish are feeding well at a variety of area spots. Good catches are coming from Masonboro and Carolina Beach Inlets and Cape Fear River area spots such as Brunswick Town, the Dredge Pond, and drop-offs near the grass islands.
Finger mullet are finally making a strong showing in the area, so anglers should have little difficulty catching flounder baits.
Strangely, the flounder bite has been slow in Snow’s Cut, but anglers are catching sheepshead and black drum off the Cut’s rocky structure and bridge pilings. One-armed bandits (fiddler crabs) should fool both fish into striking.
Fisher, of Capt. Fisher’s Guide Service, reports that flounder are feeding well in the river and at the nearshore reefs. Live baits fished on Carolina rigs will draw the most flounder strikes.
In the river’s shallows, red drum and speckled trout are biting well. Finger mullet have shown up, and their presence has triggered a good topwater bite on both the drum and trout.
Sheepshead and black drum are cruising rocky structure in the river looking for crustacean meals.
Ladyfish are thick in the river, and they will be feeding beneath practically any lighted dock at night.
Tarpon are finally feeding between the river mouth and 1.5 miles offshore. Rolling and free jumping tarpon will clue anglers in to where the schools are feeding.
Shauna, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching croaker in the daytime and whiting at night. Shrimp are fooling both fish.
