Carolina Beach July 28, 2011
Tom Wiecek, of Winston-Salem, NC, with a sailfish he caught and released at the Swansboro Hole after it struck a ballyhoo under a blue/white Mylar skirt. He was fishing with Chris Lacy on the "Laseas."
Marshall, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that the dolphin bite is still a little bit off, but the winds have kept a lot of boats at the dock lately. Anglers who make it out are still finding a few around structure and bait 10+ miles off the beach. Decent numbers of sailfish have been in the same areas, and skirted and naked ballyhoo will tempt bites from both.
Some king mackerel are feeding along the beaches and at the AR’s and other structure. Live menhaden are the best baits for the kings, but dead cigar minnows will also draw bites when anglers find them.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still feeding in clean water within a few miles of the inlets and beaches. Anglers can hook both while trolling Clarkspoons and other small, flashy lures. Working birds and areas of surface activity are good indicators that the fish are around.
Large sharks are feeding in the same areas as the spanish and bluefish. Cut and dead baits will get plenty of attention from the sharks.
Inshore, the flounder bite has been excellent recently. Anglers are finding the flatfish in the inlets, along ICW structure like docks, and in the Cape Fear River. Plenty of finger mullet are working through the marshes right now, and they’re excellent live baits for the flatfish. Gulp shrimp and other paddletail soft plastics will also tempt them to bite.
Sheepshead are feeding around inshore structure like oyster rocks and dock and bridge pilings. Some red drum are in the same areas, and both will take an interest in fiddler crabs and sand fleas.
Surf anglers are connecting with some red drum and pompano on fiddlers and fleas as well.
Ryan, of Carolina Beach Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers are catching some fat sea mullet, with the best action around Kure Beach lately. A few pompano are mixed in, and both are falling for sand fleas.
Spot, croaker, smaller bluefish, and other panfish are feeding in the breakers as well. Shrimp and bloodworms will get their attention.
Anglers are picking up a few flounder around the Fort Fisher rocks and the ocean piers, and live finger mullet and mud minnows are drawing the flatfish bites.
Alex Rosalia with a 31" red drum that fell for a Rapala Skitterwalk in the Cape Fear Riverwhile he was fishing with Christian Wolfe.
Inshore, there are plenty of sheepshead feeding around the rocks, docks, and other hard structure in the Cape Fear River and ICW. Fiddler crabs and sand fleas are the way to go for the sheepshead.
Black and red drum are also feeding under docks and around hard structure inshore. Sand fleas, fiddler crabs, and live striped killifish or finger mullet are top producers with the drum.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that anglers have been catching good numbers of flounder around ICW structure (but a lot of small fish are mixed in with the keepers).
Live finger mullet, mud minnows, and Gulp baits are tempting bites from the flatfish.
More flounder and good numbers of red drum are on the feed in the lower Cape Fear River. The backwater flats and structure (like oyster rocks) are holding the best numbers of fish, and Gulps or live baits will fool both. Anglers may also be able to tempt the reds to bite topwater plugs.
When the wind lets anglers get out in the ocean, the spanish mackerel bite remains decent, and there are plenty of sharks around for those looking for a battle.
Some flounder are also feeding on the wrecks and other structure just off the beaches.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the heat and wind slowed the red drum bite in the Cape Fear River a bit last week, making the fish tougher to locate and get to bite, but things are returning to normal. Anglers can look for the reds on the flats and in the creeks off the lower river. When they’re feeding aggressively, topwater plugs and soft plastic baits will get the job done, but anglers should also have some live baits like mud minnows on hand in case the fish are a bit more lethargic.
Flounder are feeding in the same areas as the drum, and soft plastics and live baits are excellent choices for the flatfish as well.
Bluefish and ladyfish are chasing bait in the sloughs and creeks off the lower river. Topwater plugs are the way to go for exciting surface action with both.
Gracie Roque (age 6), of Wilmington, with a pair of 16.5" flounder that fell for live finger mullet in Pages Creek while she was fishing with her grandfather.
Danielle, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers have been catching some croaker on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Plug casters are hooking up with some spanish mackerel and bluefish on Gotchas.
Tyler, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that some croaker, spot, and sea mullet are falling for bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
Small live baits fished on the bottom are producing some action with flounder.
Sheepshead are feeding around the pilings, and anglers are hooking a few on barnacles.
Live baiters landed a 5 lb. spanish mackerel and an 18 lb. king last week.
