Carolina Beach – July 30, 2015
Rod, of OnMyWay Charters, reports that anglers saw an excellent dolphin bite 15-27 miles offshore last week, with the fish biting skirted ballyhoo along with slow-trolled live and dead baits.
Some king mackerel are mixed in with the dolphin, and anglers reported kings (to 35 lbs.) from the 5 mile range out to 35 miles last week. Live baits are the best bets for anglers looking for the largest kings, but anglers can hook the school fish on dead baits like cigar minnows as well.
Spanish mackerel have been feeding around bait schools in 30-50’ of water. Birds and dark patches in the water will clue anglers into the presence of bait, and trolling lures like Clarkspoons are the ways to tempt the spanish to bite. There’s also been decent spanish mackerel action around the ends of the inlet tideline lately.
Bottom fishermen are reporting the best grouper action around ledges and live bottoms 25-40 miles offshore. Plenty of sea bass, snappers, and other bottomfish are feeding in the same areas. Squid, cigar minnows, or cut and live baits will all produce results with the bottomfish.
Hannah Piner (age 10) with her first red drum, hooked on a live mullet while she was fishing Snow’s Cut with her uncle.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that there have been some solid schools of red drum feeding along the flats of the lower Cape Fear River recently. Anglers are hooking them on topwater plugs, Gulp baits, and D.O.A. soft plastics. Smaller groups of fish are feeding in the adjacent creeks and bays and biting live finger mullet on float and Carolina rigs.
A few speckled trout are feeding around grass islands and other current breaks in the river. The specks are biting topwater pugs, D.O.A. soft baits, and live finger mullet.
Flounder are feeding in many of the same areas as the specks and trout. The flatfish are taking an interest in Gulp baits and live finger mullet.
Some ladyfish are also looking for meals in the lower Cape Fear and will bite a variety of lures, especially when they’re chasing bait on the surface.
Anglers are connecting with some sheepshead around structure like rocks and pilings, primarily on fiddler crabs.
Some large (5-7’) sharks are feeding around the mouth of the river at night and eagerly biting large cut baits.
Hunter, Tom, and Mark Keenan with 49″ and 44″ king mackerel and a 46″ dolphin that struck ballyhoo under Blue Water Candy skirts while they were trolling in 75-90′ of water off Carolina Beach Inlet with Capt. Rod Bierstedt of OnMyWay Charters.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that anglers are connecting with some flounder inshore and around nearshore structure in the ocean. Live finger mullet are fooling them inside and out.
Anglers fishing the river are finding some red drum and speckled trout action in the bays and creeks. Live baits and soft plastics are fooling both fish.
Macie Hall (age 10), of Carolina Beach, with a 20″ flounder that bit a live minnow in the Cape Fear River.
Red, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that trollers found some action with dolphin and king mackerel last week inside the 20 mile range. Live and dead baits are fooling both fish.
Some spanish mackerel have been feeding along the beachfront and biting trolled Clarkspoons.
Surf casters are connecting with some sea mullet and pompano while baiting up with shrimp and sand fleas.
Inshore, there’s been a decent flounder bite in the ICW, Carolina Beach Inlet, and the Cape Fear River. Anglers are fooling the flatfish with live finger mullet, mud minnows, and menhaden.
Some black drum and sheepshead are looking for meals around bridge and dock pilings inshore. Sand fleas, shrimp, and other crustaceans will get their attention.
Anglers fishing live baits and working topwater plugs and soft plastics in the Cape Fear River are connecting with some red drum and speckled trout.
Mike Freeman with a 6.2 lb. spanish mackerel he hooked off Carolina Beach Pier. Weighed in at Island Tackle and Hardware.
Brenda, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers saw a good run of flounder and red drum while fishing from the pier last week. Live baits are fooling most of the flatfish, and the drum are biting a variety of baits.
Bottom fishing with shrimp has been producing some sea mullet and spot.
Anthony, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some croaker and bluefish while bottom fishing.
Those soaking small live baits under the pier are connecting with some flounder.
Several king mackerel fell for live baits off the end of the pier last week.
