Carolina Beach July 22, 2004
Kelly, at Cape Fear Marine and Tackle, reports that the king activity is in full swing with big kings being brought in from everywhere. Their shop just weighed in a 41 lb. king caught on live bait about 19 miles off the beach. The dolphin are still being picked up from scattered locations. Fish anywhere between 12 to 30 miles off the beach trolling live bait, or you can just pull ballyhoo. The flounder activity is still hot, but it’s showed signs of slowing. Or at least the bigger ones are harder to find now that we are in the middle of the summer heat. The drum activity has showed signs of improvement. Reports came in of some nice drum being picked up in the surf.
Capt. Dave Marshall, of Musicman Charters, reports that the spanish are still on the beach out to about 35′ of water. Try fishing the areas off the sea buoy at Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach, and look for tide lines. The average size has been 1 to 2 lbs., and small kings have been mixed in. The king fishing continues to be consistent. The Schoolhouse area has been a steady producer. The king fishing has been better from the 200 line offshore to the 180 line. Here you will find more keepers than snakes. The gulf stream is slow. Other than an occasional billfish or dolphin, expect to find nothing but 86 degree water.
Steve, of Seagull Bait and Tackle, reports that there have been lots of big flounder caught this past week. The store has seen several citation fish over the week, with a couple of 5’s, 6’s, 7’s, 8’s, and 9’s brought in. With this many big flounder being caught in the summer, the store predicts that the fall fishing will produce a 15 lb. flounder this year. Fish Snow’s Cut or Carolina Beach inlet, and fishing a certain tide hasn’t seemed to matter.
Puppy drum continue to come off of the north end in the evenings or early morning. You can also find reds inside around docks and in the waterway. The surf continues to hold pompano, with several 2 to 3 lb. fish weighed in. Use sand fleas and shrimp. There have also been a number of small flounder coming out of the surf. This week also had guys picking up some gray trout off of the inshore wrecks in the early mornings and evenings.
Capt. Dave Tilley, of Wild Rover II Charters, reports that the king mackerel and dolphin bite have been steady around the offshore wrecks this past week. Double hook cigar rigs for the kings, and anything pink for the dolphin have been the baits of choice. There have been a ton of juvenile king mackerels around, so be sure to keep that tape measure handy.
The spanish mackerel bite has turned back on in both Carolina Beach and Wrightsville Beach. Clark spoons (#00 and #0) seem to be the lure of choice. The sharks have shown up. Get some cable, a couple of large hooks, and some smelly bait and drift away. Be sure to hold on to that stick tight! You don’t really want the shark in the boat with you, so fight him and release him.
Keeper gag groupers have been caught as close as 10 miles offshore. Reds and scamps have been caught all week in numbers from 25 miles on out. Cigar minnows, whole squid, and cut bait seem to be the baits of choice. Be sure to keep a light line handy for that stray dolphin or king. It’s a nice way to round out a great day of bottom fishing.
