Carolina Beach – June 2, 2015
Wanda, of Island Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking some red drum and flounder while fishing inshore around Carolina Beach Inlet, Snows Cut, and the Cape Fear River. Live baits like mud minnows, finger mullet, and peanut menhaden seem to be fooling most of the fish.
Sheepshead are feeding around structure like bridge and dock pilings inshore. Anglers can tempt the sheeps to bite fiddler crabs, sand fleas, and other crustacean baits.
Surf casters are primarily finding action with croaker at present.
Patrick Horning and Shane Kerrigan Bigoness (age 11) with Shane’s first dolphin, a 35 lb. fish that he landed after it attacked a ballyhoo near the Steeples while they were trolling on the “Bruiser.”
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are still connecting with solid numbers of black drum while fishing the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River, especially around hard structure like rocks and oyster bars. They’ll bite live or fresh shrimp fished on the bottom.
Some red drum are mixed in and falling for the shrimp, as well as live mud minnows and finger mullet. Anglers are also hooking a few cruising reds on topwater plugs and soft plastics.
Speckled trout are looking for meals around current breaks in the area, and they’re biting live baits and soft plastics.
A few flounder are also ambushing bait in the shallows and biting the same offerings as the reds and specks.
Capt. Robert Schoonmaker, of Carolina Explorer, and Jim Scheffel with a 48″ red drum Scheffel caught and released after it struck a cut bait on a shark rig while they were fishing just off Carolina Beach.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that there’s been some decent action with flounder and red drum in Carolina Beach Inlet, the ICW, and Snows Cut over the past week. Anglers are hooking both fish on live mud minnows and finger mullet, and drift-fishing has allowed them to cover more water and find the fish, particularly in the inlet.
There’s also been some action with both fish in the lower Cape Fear River, and anglers are connecting with some speckled trout in the river around grass islands and points. Live baits and soft plastics will fool the specks.
Spanish mackerel are feeding in the ocean just off the beaches. Anglers are hooking good numbers of the spaniards on Clarkspoons and other flashy trolling lures.
Chris Shoemaker (age 9), of Winston-Salem, NC, with a 26″ red drum that bit a sand flea in the surf at the north end of Carolina Beach while he was fishing with his grandfather.
Rod, of OnMyWay Charters, reports that anglers have found some excellent spanish mackerel action while trolling near Carolina Beach Inlet recently. Most of the spaniards are falling for Clarkspoons rigged behind planers and trolling sinkers.
King mackerel action was solid around 12 miles offshore last week, with fish falling for dead baits like cigar minnows and ballyhoo.
Weston Russell, of Belville, NC, with a 25″ red drum that bit a live finger mullet in the Cape Fear River.
Anglers are finding dolphin at spots from 18 miles offshore out to the break. The dolphin will take an interest in dead baits or a variety of artificial trolling lures.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with gag grouper, black sea bass, and other fish around structure 20-30 miles offshore. Live, dead, and cut baits are all effective on the bottom dwellers. Red and scamp grouper are feeding a bit further off in the 30+ mile range.
Dale Lieb with the first king mackerel of the 2015 season, a 40 lb., 6 oz. fish that attacked a live bluefish off the end of the pier.
Brenda, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking some flounder and red drum while bottom fishing with live baits.
Plenty of small sharks are also taking an interest in baits on the bottom.
Plug casters are hooking some bluefish on Gotchas.
Scott Strickland with a 30″ red drum he caught and released in the Fort Fisher surf after it struck a chunk of pinfish.
Loren, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers have been hooking some large spanish mackerel on live baits fished off the end of the pier.
Bottom fishermen have found action with spot and some small croaker.
Allison Croom with 26″ (8 lbs., 2 oz.) and 21.5″ flounder she hooked on live menhaden while fishing Snows Cut with her husband Eddie on the “Reel Meds.”
