Carolina Beach June 14, 2007
Seth, of Reel Bait and Tackle, reports that flounder fishing is heating up inshore. Anglers are finding flounder in Carolina Beach Inlet and all over the Cape Fear River. Fish a Carolina-rigged peanut pogy to get attention from the flounder.
Speckled trout fishing remains excellent in the river, and many trout over 4 lbs. have been weighed over the past week. The trout will take an interest in live pogies fished under floats. You can also have success with artificial lures such as D.O.A., Halo Shrimp, and Hot Pink or 808 colored Mirrolures.
Red drum fishing remains best to the north—around Wrightsville Beach and in creeks off the ICW. Carolina-rigged live baits or Gulp baits fished on jigheads will tempt the drum to strike. The large schools of reds have not yet shown up in the river bays.
Spanish mackerel are still running the beaches, and they are willing to hit trolled Clarkspoons and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers.
Dolphin (up to 20 lbs.) are feeding as close as 18 miles from the beach. They’re hitting live baits (such as pogies) or dead cigar minnows.
The winds pushed the king mackerel back to the 30 mile range, and anglers must weed through lots of sharks in order to land kings right now.
Bottom fishing has been excellent over the past week. Gag grouper are holding 20 miles and further from shore. Reds are a little further out—30-35 miles. Around the Tower, boats are making good catches of hogfish.
The Gulf Stream has been on fire, and dolphin weighing up to 40 lbs. are making up most of the catch. Boats are also bringing a few wahoo back from the blue water. Several sailfish have been released recently as well, but blue marlin action seems to have moved north, with most marlin sightings up around the Big Rock.
Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports that trout and flounder fishing have been excellent in the Cape Fear River. Structure in the river is holding flounder (up to 6 lbs.), and plenty of trout. Peanut pogies are the best baits for both fish right now. Fish a Carolina rig for the flounder, and pin a pogy to a treble hook beneath a float to hook up with the trout.
Flounder action has been good in Carolina Beach Inlet as well, and most of the fish are running 2-3 lbs. Anglers fishing the inlet should also catch plenty of blues.
Flounder are also moving onto nearshore structure such as John’s Creek, Sheepshead Rock, and the Marriott Rock.
Anglers are catching sheepshead at the Pfizer Dock and around Snow’s Cut Bridge. One-armed bandits (fiddler crabs) are the prime sheepshead baits.
Fisher, of Capt. Fisher’s Guide Service, reports that the warm water has Cape Fear River red drum ready and willing to strike topwater plugs such as Zara Spooks. The drum are feeding in bays off the main river, and most are over the slot limit (running as big as 36”).
Speckled trout fishing is slowing down, but there are still a few big sow trout around. They’re feeding on menhaden and mullet, so finfish-imitating baits such as Rapala X-Raps have been out producing shrimp lures lately.
Black drum and sheepshead are looking for food in the bays, and anglers can target them near pilings, rocks, and over shell bottoms. At high tide, anglers can sight cast to the fish while drifting along oyster rocks. One armed bandits (fiddler crabs) and rock crabs make the best baits for the drum and sheepshead.
Ladyfish are active in the Dredge Pond and around the Pfizer Dock. Live baits will get attention from the ladyfish, and anglers can also target them on the long rod by casting Crease Flies.
Tripletails (averaging 5 lbs.) are hanging around crab trap buoys and other structure in the river. Tempt them to strike by casting live baits shallow underneath floats.
Sharks have moved in from the ocean to the river, and anglers are catching dusky and spinner sharks on live baits and tarpon flies.
At the nearshore reefs, anglers are finding cobia, spanish mackerel, and flounder plentiful and on the feed.
There have been big pods of turbo pogies (menhaden) just off the beaches at Wrightsville and Bald Head.
Jacob, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching pompano and flounder with shrimp.
Spanish mackerel and a few blues are rewarding plug casters’ efforts.
There has been some king mackerel action for live bait anglers over the past week. The largest king caught last week weighed 20.2 lbs.
The water temperature is in the mid-70’s.
