Carolina Beach – July 31, 2014
Donnie Boltz, of Fish Bites Seafood Restaurant, with a 16 lb. red snapper that bit a Blue Water Candy jig at some botom structure 29 miles off Carolina Beach Inlet.
Kyle, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that the flounder bite remains solid around Carolina Beach, and anglers are hooking the flatfish in the ICW, Snows Cut, and the Cape Fear River. Most are falling for live finger mullet, but anglers are also hooking up on Gulp baits.
Red drum are feeding in most of the same areas, and anglers are also seeing big numbers in the bays and creeks off the river. They’re biting topwater plugs, soft plastics, spoons, and a variety of natural baits.
The speckled trout bite remains solid in the river around grass islands and other current breaks. Live baits under popping corks, topwater plugs, and soft plastics will all attract attention from the specks.
Spanish mackerel are still feeding off Carolina Beach Inlet and along the beachfront. Anglers can hook the spaniards on Clarkspoons trolled with planers and torpedo weights.
Anglers are seeing king mackerel feeding from the beachfront to the 30 mile range. Live menhaden and dead cigar minnows are the way to hook up with the kings.
Some dolphin are feeding alongside the kings, with more scattered out to the break. Live and dead baits will also attract attention from the dolphin.
Matt Church, Nate Robinson, and Hannah Church with king mackerel, cobia, dolphin, and a gag grouper they hooked while trolling menhaden, balltyhoo, and cigar minnows offshore of the Schoolhouse aboard the “Bud Light.”
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are still seeing solid red drum action in the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River. Some are schooling on the flats, with smaller pods of fish feeding around oyster bars and potholes in the creeks. Topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits will all get attention from the reds.
Anglers can find speckled trout in many of the same areas, with the best odds of success coming on high falling tides. The same baits and lures will fool the specks.
Flounder are also feeding in the backwaters off the river and taking an interest in soft plastics and live baits.
Large schools of ladyfish have moved into the lower river, and the acrobatic fighters will bite nearly anything they can fit in their mouths.
Sheepshead are looking for meals around pilings, rocks, and other inshore structure, where they’ll bite live fiddler crabs.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that red drum are feeding in the lower Cape Fear River, where anglers are finding them in the creeks and bays. Some speckled trout and flounder are mixed in with the reds, and all are taking an interest in live mud minnows, shrimp, and Gulp baits.
More flounder and some gray trout are feeding around nearshore structure in the ocean, and both predators have a tough time turning down a live finger mullet on a Carolina rig.
Baylor Tietjen with her first fish, a whitebone porgy that bit squid near the Liberty Ship while she was fishing with her dad on the “Double Trouble.”
The spanish mackerel action in the ocean is still going steady. Most anglers are hooking up with the spaniards on Clarkspoons trolled behind planers and cigar sinkers.
Brenda, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers landed several king mackerel while live-baiting from the end of the pier last weekend.
Bottom fishermen are hooking some spot and a few red and black drum, primarily on shrimp.
Alice, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that some flounder are biting live baits on the bottom.
Sea mullet are taking an interest in double-drop rigs baited with shrimp.
Plug casters are hooking a few spanish mackerel while working Gotchas.
Live-baiters fishing from the end of the pier also landed several king mackerel last week.
