Added on Thursday, July 23, 2009  Fish Post

Carolina Beach July 23, 2009

Wes, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that surf anglers are hooking up with a variety of fish, including croaker, spot, pinfish, black drum, pompano, sharks, and skates. Shrimp are the best all-around bait for the surf.

There’s been a good flounder bite in the inlet lately, with anglers reporting decent numbers of flatfish in the river and Snow’s Cut as well. The average size of the fish seems to be improving, and anglers weighed in good numbers in the 4-5 lb. range with a few to 8 lbs. last week. Live finger mullet and pogies on Carolina rigs are producing most of the action with the flounder. 

Decent numbers of speckled trout are coming from the river, with the best bite occuring around the grass islands. Live shrimp under floats are the most productive baits for the trout, but they’ll also fall for live mud minnows and peanut pogies, too.

Red drum are feeding in many of the same areas as the specks, and they’ll take an interest in the same baits along with a variety of artificial lures.

Spanish mackerel are still feeding right along the beaches. Anglers are hooking big numbers by trolling Clarkspoons, and they’re finding some larger fish on live baits.

King mackerel are feeding along the beaches, too (including some large 30-40 lb. fish), and live pogies will produce action with the kings. The king bite remains good from the beaches out to spots in the 20 mile range.

Dolphin are mixed in with the kings starting around 10 miles off the inlet, and anglers have been catching good numbers while trolling along any weed lines they can find. Live pogies will fool the dolphin, too, but many anglers have been doing just as well with dead cigar minnows under pink skirts.

A few cobia are mixed in with the dolphin and kings.

Bottom fishermen are finding some grouper action 25 miles and further off the beaches. Some amberjacks and sea bass are in the bottomfish mix as well.

 

Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports that the flounder bite has been good over the past few weeks, with anglers hooking up with the flatfish in the river, Snow’s Cut, and the inlet ( with a good number of 3-5 lb. fish in the mix). Live finger mullet and pogies on Carolina rigs are attracting most of the attention from the flatties.

Sheepshead fishing has been solid around the area’s docks and the bridge at night with most of the fish falling for fiddler crabs.

The speckled trout bite has slowed down in the Cape Fear due to the hot water, but there are still a few specks and reds feeding around structure like oyster rocks and grass islands in the river, and they’ll both fall for a live shrimp beneath a float.

Spanish mackerel are feeding strong nearshore, and boats caught good numbers around the sea buoy while trolling Clarkspoons last week.

King mackerel are also feeding along the beaches, and anglers are hooking them while slow-trolling live pogies around the abundant schools of bait moving up and down the beaches.

 

Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Charters, reports that anglers are catching decent numbers of red drum in the lower Cape Fear River. The fish aren’t schooled up tightly right now, but anglers are finding and hooking up with single fish and small pods of 4-6 at spots in the backwaters off the river. The reds will strike artificials like spinnerbaits and soft plastics in the early mornings and late evenings, but they seem to prefer live baits like mud minnows during the heat of the day.

Anglers are hooking up with a few flounder in the same areas they’re pursuing the reds.

Good numbers of speckled trout and black drum are feeding around structure in the lower river, and anglers are hooking up with both species on live shrimp beneath floats.

 

Brad, of Fish Spanker Charters, reports that anglers are still finding some action with red grouper at spots 30-40 miles off Carolina Beach. Some scamp and gag grouper are feeding in the same areas, and live baits, cut baits and cigar minnows will fool all the groupers.

Smaller bottomfish (like pinkies, grunts, sea bass, and beeliners) are mixed in as well, and anglers can hook them on squid.

Light-lining while bottom fishing is attracting plenty of attention from schoolie king mackerel prowling for food higher in the water column.

 

Nick, of Alford’s Seafood, reports that there are still some dolphin and grouper feeding 20-40 miles off the beach.

Closer to shore, large schools of pogies cruising the beaches are drawing in king mackerel and a few cobia.

Inshore, anglers surf fishing are finding a variety of fish willing to bite, including black and red drum, croaker, whiting, pompano, and flounder.

More flounder are feeding in the inlet, Snow’s Cut, and the river.

Some speckled trout and red drum are feeding around structure in the river.

Ladyfish are making an appearance inshore as well, and anglers should be able to hook up with them on live baits or a variety of lures around lighted docks and bridges at night.

 

Avery, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching some spot and croaker on shrimp.

Those fishing small live baits near the bottom are hooking a few flounder.

Live-baiters on the end of the pier caught a good number of king mackerel last week (the largest going 32 lbs.).