Added on Thursday, June 14, 2012  Fish Post

Carolina Beach June 14, 2012

Wes, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that flounder fishing is improving, with the best action lately in the inlet, ICW, and Snow’s Cut, but fish are also coming from the Cape Fear River (some fish to 10 lbs.). Live menhaden are fooling most of the flatfish.

There’s been a good flounder bite at nearshore structure in the ocean, too, where live baits or Gulp-tipped bucktails will produce results.

Red drum are feeding in the bays and backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River. Anglers are hooking them on topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live and cut baits.

Some speckled trout have been reported north of Snow’s Cut in the river (a few to 4 lbs.). Live shrimp and menhaden under floats have been producing most of the specks.

Sheepshead are feeding around bridge and dock pilings inshore, where anglers are tempting them to bite fiddler crabs and sand fleas fished tight to the structure.

Spanish mackerel fishing has been excellent just off Carolina Beach Inlet and along the beachfront lately, with most of the fish falling for trolled Clarkspoons.

Bottom fishermen are reporting some solid gag grouper action at spots in the 20-25 mile range. Live and cut baits and dead cigar minnows and sardines are tempting bites from the grouper.

Plenty of black sea bass are in the same area and biting the same baits.

Some cobia are looking for meals in the 10-20 mile range, and anglers are hooking them on live baits and large bucktail jigs.

Offshore trollers are still finding a solid dolphin bite around weedlines and temperature breaks along the edge of the Gulf Stream and just inshore. Some wahoo and billfish are in the mix as well, and all will take an interest in skirted ballyhoo.

 

Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that there’s been an excellent spanish mackerel bite just off Carolina Beach Inlet and the beaches recently. Most of the fish are falling for Clarkspoons trolled behind planers, but anglers are hooking a few while casting metal jigs to fish feeding on the surface.

Flounder fishing has also been solid in the ocean lately, with the best action at structure within 5 miles of the beaches. Live menhaden are tempting most of the bites from the flatfish.

The flounder bite is good inshore, too, especially in the inlet and around ICW docks and other structure. Live menhaden are the way to go inshore as well.

There are plenty of red drum working the bays off the lower Cape Fear River. Anglers are hooking good numbers of the reds on topwater plugs and soft plastic baits. They’ve also been feeding in flooded grass flats at higher tides lately, offering sight-casting opportunities to anglers who can find them.

Some large bluefish are still feeding inshore as well, and anglers hooked several last week (30-33”).

 

Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the sheepshead bite just keeps getting better (with several 8+ lb. citation fish recently). Fishing live fiddler crabs next to bridge and dock pilings or other hard structure inshore is the way to connect with the sheeps.

Red drum are feeding in the bays and creeks off the lower Cape Fear River, where anglers can hook them on topwater plugs, soft plastic baits, or cut and live baits.

Flounder are in many of the same areas as the reds, and they will take a hearty interest in live baits or soft plastics.

A few speckled trout are scattered through the lower river, too. Soft plastics and topwater plugs are getting their attention.

 

BJ, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that some bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier.

Bottom fishermen are catching some spadefish, sea mullet, and croaker on shrimp.

 

Asia, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that plug casters are connecting with bluefish and spanish mackerel.

Bottom rigs baited with shrimp are producing some action with croaker and sea mullet