Carolina Beach – July 17, 2014
Gage Gattone, of Rocky Point, NC, with an 11.3 lb., 30″ flounder that bit a Gulp bait in the Cape Fear River while he was fishing aboard the “Flounder Express.”
Kyle, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are connecting with plenty of mid and upper-slot red drum in Carolina Beach Inlet and the Cape Fear River right now. Most are falling for live and cut baits, but anglers are also hooking up on topwater plugs and soft plastic baits.
There’s also been some decent speckled trout action in the river around grass islands and other current breaks. Anglers can tempt the specks to bite live shrimp, soft plastics, or suspending baits like MirrOlure MR17’s.
The flounder bite remains strong in the Cape Fear River, the ICW, and the inlet (with good numbers of 5+ lb. citation fish). Most are taking an interest in live finger mullet and peanut menhaden, but Gulps and other artificials are fooling some flatfish as well.
Sheepshead are looking for meals around bridge and dock pilings, seawalls, and rocky areas. Anglers are fooling the sheeps with live fiddler crabs and sand fleas dangled tight to the structure where they’re feeding.
Spanish mackerel action is still going strong when anglers can find clean water around the inlet and along the beachfront. Most of the spanairds are falling for Clarkspoons trolled behind planers and torpedo weights.
Mike Williams and Jason Tierney with the 33 lb. remains of a king mackerel after a barracuda clipped its tail while they were fishing the Got-Em-On King Mackerel Tournament aboard the “Final Approach.”
King mackerel have made a showing nearshore, and anglers caught several from the piers last week. There’s also been a decent bite at spots in the 20 mile range. Anglers are fooling the kings with live baits like menhaden and dead cigar minnows.
Dolphin have pushed into the 15-20 mile range and are falling for the same baits as the kings.
Anglers are also encountering the ‘phins further offshore towards the Gulf Stream, where trolled ballyhoo are producing results. Boats making the run to local blue water hotspots are also reporting a decent wahoo bite.
Bottom fishermen have caught some gag grouper as close as 10 miles out, but the action has been better 20 miles out and further. Live, dead, and cut baits will all get attention from the grouper.
Smaller bottom dwellers like black sea bass are looking for meals in the same areas and will pounce on smaller cut baits or squid.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer Charters, reports that the water is cleaning up from the hurricane and the fishing has improved over the past week. Anglers are catching some healthy flounder around nearshore structure off Carolina Beach (some 5-6+ lbs.). Live finger mullet are fooling most of the fish. Gray trout and some over-slot red drum are feeding around the same spots and also falling for finger mullet.
Anglers are hooking reds and flatfish in Carolina Beach Inlet, the ICW, and the Cape Fear River. Live mullet are producing all over the area, but anglers are also hooking up on soft plastic baits and topwater plugs in the bays and shallows off the ICW and river.
Chris Smith and E.J. Fowler, of Wilmington, with a pair of gag grouper they hooked at some bottom structure 35 miles off Carolina Beach Inlet.
There’s been some decent speckled trout action around grass islands and oyster rocks in the Cape Fear River as well. Live baits and soft plastics are also attracting attention from the specks.
Kristin, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers landed several king mackerel over the past weekend (the largest 42 lbs.). Live baits like bluefish are fooling the kings.
Some spanish mackerel and bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with some sea mullet, croaker, and other panfish on shrimp.
Those soaking smaller live baits near the pier have been hooking decent numbers of keeper flounder (to 3 lbs.).
Alice, of Kure Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are finding action with croaker and sea mullet while baiting up with shrimp.
Some bluefish and spanish mackerel have been biting Gotcha plugs when the water’s clean.
Live-baiters landed a 27 lb. king mackerel from the end of the pier last week.
