Carolina Beach July 22, 2010
Graham Hoard, of Wilmington, with a 26.5" red drum that fell for a live shrimp in a creek behind Bald Head Island while he was fishing with his father aboard the "Shaky Ground."
Wes, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that the flounder bite remains excellent in the area. Anglers are hooking up with the flatfish in Snow’s Cut, Carolina Beach Inlet, and around nearshore structure (and plenty of the fish have been in the 3-5 lb. range recently). Live pogies and finger mullet and Gulp-tipped Spro bucktails have been fooling the flatfish.
Red drum (many 29-32”) have been mixed in with the flounder around the inlet, and they are falling for pogies as well. There are also plenty of reds feeding along the rock wall at Fort Fisher, where live baits or artificials like Gulps and topwater plugs will get their attention.
Anglers are picking some speckled trout (most are the smaller summer variety) in the Cape Fear River around the grass islands and in the creeks. Live shrimp are top choices for the specks, but anglers can also tempt them to bite D.O.A. or other imitations under popping corks.
Sheepshead are still feeding around hard structure like rocks and dock and bridge pilings throughout the area. Fiddler crabs and other crustacean baits will get their attention.
The spanish mackerel bite is still decent around the inlet and along the beaches, and anglers can hook up with the fish by trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and trolling weights.
King mackerel fishing has been best down south around spots like the Horseshoe, Shark Hole, and Lighthouse Rocks lately. Closer to home, there’s been a decent bite along Frying Pan Shoals at the 30/30 and Fairway Ledges and in the 3-5 mile range off Kure Beach and Fort Fisher. Live pogies will tempt bites from the larger kings.
Bailer dolphin have been in as close as 15 miles lately, with a few gaffers in the mix at 23 Mile Rock and further offshore.
Sailfish have been reported as close in as 10 miles lately. They’re scattered from that area to the Gulf Stream, where good numbers of sailfish have been mixed in with white marlin. Ballyhoo rigged under skirted trolling lures are the way to go for the dolphin and billfish.
Bottom fishermen are hooking up with decent numbers of gag grouper in the 20 mile range. Reds, scamps, and beeliners and other smaller bottomfish are 25-30 miles out and further. Cigar minnows and cut and live baits will fool the grouper, and anglers can hook up with the bees on smaller cut baits or squid.
Brayden Fritz and Corry Marlow with flounder (including Corry's first, a 5 lb., 3 oz. citation) that they hooked while fishing with their grandfather, Capt. Butch Martin of "Do What" Charters.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Charters, reports that the inshore fishing’s been a bit tough this week, but anglers are still eking out some decent catches of red drum, flounder, and speckled trout in the Cape Fear River.
The action’s been best in the bays and marshes off the lower river, where anglers are finding fish feeding along shorelines, drop-offs, shell beds, and other structure. Live finger mullet, mud minnows, and shrimp on Carolina rigs and jigheads are producing most of the bites. Anglers are also hooking up with the reds on topwater plugs in the early mornings and paddle tail soft plastics later in the day.
Owen, of Cape Fear Coastal Charters, reports that, though the wind has kept most boats inshore this week, the flounder bite in the Cape Fear River has been making up for the lack of offshore opportunities.
Anglers have been catching good numbers of flatfish (with some 5+ lb. citation fish in the mix) around the grass islands in the river on live pogies and other baits.
Brad, of Fish Spanker Charters, reports that the winds dirtied the water and slowed down the spanish mackerel fishing last week, but it’s been improving in recent days. Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers will draw bites from the spanish when anglers can find them.
The winds also kept boats from getting offshore for most of the week, but there are still plenty of gag, scamp, and red grouper along with smaller bottomfish feeding at structure 35-40 miles out. Squid, cigar minnows, cut baits, and live baits will fool the bottom feeders.
Alex True and Anthony Pietrucci with a pair of 29" red grouper they hooked on cut bait at some bottom structure in 100' near Frying Pan Tower while aboard the "Quick Release."
Cathy, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen have been picking up some whiting and a few spot on shrimp and bloodworms.
Some spanish mackerel and bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs.
Leah, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers landed three king mackerel while live-baiting from the end of the pier last week.
Flounder are feeding near the pilings, and anglers are picking up a few on live mud minnows and other baits.
Bottom fishermen are catching some spot, croaker, and whiting on shrimp.
