Carolina Beach – July 2022
Lewis, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that despite the lack of keeper season, there are plenty of flounder being caught in the Cape Fear River and ICW.
Anglers targeting inshore structure areas such as docks or oyster beds are catching a variety of red drum, black drum, and sheepshead. Live crabs and sand fleas have been the best baits.
Out in the surf, bottom fishing has been producing croakers and small sharks.
Nearshore anglers are catching a lot of spanish mackerel, with some larger fish (5-7 lbs.) in the mix. A few king mackerel are also still being caught, though most of these schools have pushed a bit offshore.
Out on the nearshore wrecks, anglers are catching red drum, flounder, and black sea bass, and some of the deeper ARs are holding amberjacks.
Out in the Gulf Stream, anglers are hooking wahoo, scattered blackfin tuna, and mahi. Some mahi have started to move nearshore, though this action has been hit or miss so far.
Jack Kadnar hooked this 3.8 lb. sheepshead on a mud crab near Carolina Beach.
Christian, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers have been catching a few red drum (just under-slot and slot-sized fish) while fishing with live mud minnows or menhaden. Both the bottom of low tide and the very top of the high tide cycles have had the best bite.
Anglers are catching flounder as well while fishing the same bait setups. Most of these flatfish have been in the 16-20” range, and the higher tides have had the better bite.
A few black drum are hanging around as well. Target them around rock structures with dead shrimp fished on the lower tides.
Luke, of Spot On Charters, reports that anglers working the stretch from Bald Head Island well up into the Cape Fear River have been seeing a really good red drum and flounder bite. The Cape Fear has really high salinity well upriver due to the lack of early summer storms, and this has opened up many new spots where anglers are able to target saltwater species.
For the reds, when fishing around barrier or spoil islands, target the choke points in channels and mud drop-offs. Anglers working the areas around oyster beds are also having plenty of success. The low to rising tide first thing in the morning has been the most productive. There’s a ton of bait in the river, and Carolina-rigged live baits will produce most of the action.
Speckled trout are still around, though very scattered in the warm inshore waters. Anglers out early are still finding a few fish in the mix around deeper drop-offs and inshore cuts with moving water.
Tommy, of Mungo Fishing Charters, reports that red drum action has been solid in the area, with anglers still having plenty of chances at sight-casting to fish on calmer days. Topwater baits and soft plastics such as Gulp shrimp have been having plenty of success. Anglers are also getting strikes while fishing live menhaden on the flats and bays, especially those with nearby deep water.
Speckled trout are around, and they’re hitting D.O.A. shrimp and topwater plugs. The early mornings and late afternoons have been the best time to hook a trout. Target areas with current breaks around structure and fish baits over that structure.
Black drum are around if you can work through all the smaller “trash” fish that will surely be feeding on the fresh Carolina-rigged shrimp offerings.
Flounder are still catch and release only, but anglers are landing multiple fish on every trip with both live baits and artificials.
Mason, of Grand Slam Fishing Charters, reports that there are plenty of red drum scattered around right now. Target the reds with menhaden and the smaller mullet being found inshore. On higher ends of the tide, look for these reds up on the flats. Focus on the grass point and shallow coves with covered oyster bars. On lower tides, target the reds on deeper edges of the channels and oyster bar ledges. Baits rigged on Billy Bay slip corks have been working, as well as Carolina rigs, and both are perhaps most effective during lower tides.
Anglers are still catching some black drum around deeper hard structure such as rocks or docks. Target the black drum with fresh shrimp or crabs.
Flounder have been plentiful in the river and the ICW, and Carolina rigs with live menhaden have been producing the bites.
Speckled trout are being caught by anglers out on the water in the early morning. Targeting areas of good current with topwater plugs has produced strikes.
Ryan, Bruce, Luke, and Steve Campbell with the redfish they caught on live bait in Bradley Creek.
Rod, of OnMyWay Fishing Charters, reports that there are plenty of spanish mackerel being caught nearshore, including a lot of large fish in the mix. Trolling both live bait (threadfin herring or pogies) and Clarkspoon setups have been garnering success. When trolling spoons, the best combo has been #0-00 sized Clarkspoons with pink flash tape color patterns pulled behind #1 planers with a long 30’ leader line.
King mackerel are a bit scattered now that the nearshore waters are getting hot. Anglers looking for kings should be targeting the ledges and live bottoms in the 15-18 mile range, as it has been more consistent than structure closer in.
Mahi are out in the pretty bluewater around the 20-mile range. Some of these summer mahi are hanging over the same ledges and live bottoms that are holding kings. This time of year, anglers headed out to do some bottom fishing should be rigged with light tackle setups to cast at these smaller mahi that may breeze by.
Some nice-sized cobia are also being caught on bottom structure in this 15-20 mile range.
Bottom fishing out deep has been producing good-sized grouper, large black sea bass, pinkies, and vermilion snapper in the 25-40 mile range.
Anthony, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishing anglers have been catching a mixed bag of whiting, croaker, and a couple flounder (to be released). Some pompano have also moved in around the pier for anglers fishing with smaller pieces of fresh shrimp or sand fleas.
There have been good runs of spanish mackerel and bluefish for anglers rigged with metal casting jigs and looking for surface-feeding frenzies.
Anglers fishing live baits off the end have landed a few king mackerel.
