Carolina Beach June 21, 2007
1Seth, of Reel Bait and Tackle, reports that the flounder are on the feed throughout area waters. Plenty of fish are coming from structure in the Cape Fear, and anglers are also hooking up in Carolina Beach Inlet and the ICW.
The fish are starting to put on some weight, and good numbers of flounder 5 lbs. and heavier have been weighed in over the past week. Carolina rigged live baits are the top choice for anglers interested in hooking up with flounder.
Red drum are still primarily feeding up north, around Wrightsville-area docks and structure, but some reds are finally showing up in the river. One small school of drum has been feeding in the area just north of Snow’s Cut. The drum will inhale the same live baits anglers are fishing for flounder, and they will also hit Gulp baits and Mirrolures.
Speckled trout fishing remains hot in the river. Anglers are catching good numbers of trout on topwater plugs and Billy Bay Halo shrimp, and several 4+ lb. citation fish were weighed in over the last week. The trout are feeding near grass islands and in the bays.
In the ICW, anglers are catching sheepshead and black drum by fishing sand fleas and fiddler crabs near dock pilings.
Spanish mackerel fishing has been hit-or-miss, with boats finding good catches one day and getting skunked the next. The action has been most consistent to the north. Per usual, boats who can find the fish will get bites by trolling Clarkspoons and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers.
Cobia are cruising the nearshore reefs and structure, and anglers fishing live pogies are having the most luck getting them to strike.
King mackerel are feeding 5-30 miles from the beach. The fish are running from snake size to 30 lbs., and both live baits and cigar minnows are producing plenty of bites.
Boats are finding dolphin, ranging from peanuts to 20 lb. gaffers, as close to the beach as the Dredge Wreck. Bigger dolphin are feeding further offshore toward the Gulf Stream. Cigar minnows, live baits, and ballyhoo will all get attention from hungry dolphin.
Sailfish are surprising anglers from the 20 mile areas further out, and they should be moving closer to shore as the water heats up.
The grouper bite has been excellent over the week, with gags holding around 20 miles offshore and reds out in the 30-40 mile range.
Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports that good trout fishing continues in the Cape Fear River. The trout will eagerly strike a live pogy fished on the bottom or under a float, and anglers are also hooking up by casting Gulp shrimp on ¼ oz. jigheads.
There are still some big trout around, but anglers need to put in time to catch them.
Flounder fishing is getting better by the day, and the fish are starting to gain weight and get thicker. The flounder are coming from structure in the river and from Carolina Beach Inlet. A live peanut pogy on a Carolina rig is more than most flounder can resist, and it should draw plenty of strikes.
Sheepshead are holding on pilings in the ICW. Scraping barnacles off the side of a piling will get the sheepshead in a feeding mood, and anglers can bait up with one of the barnacles to get bites from these “convict fish.”
Spanish mackerel are feeding heavily in the inlets and on the beaches. Anglers can hook up with spanish by trolling Clarkspoons or by casting Stingsilvers to breaking fish.
Fisher, of Capt. Fisher’s Guide Service, reports that red drum fishing has slowed down on the flats, but there are still some drum feeding along the drop-offs and oyster bars. The drum will hit white topwaters among other baits.
Trout fishing has slowed down, but there are still some fish up to 7 lbs. around and feeding. Live baits and X-Raps will get the attention of these large trout.
Flounder fishing has been excellent along rock spoil islands in the river, and anglers fishing with live pogies have landed flounder up to 5 lbs. recently.
Sheepshead and black drum are feeding around rocks and oyster bars. Rock and fiddler crabs are the prime baits for both fish.
Ladyfish are schooled up all over the river, and fly casters can hook up with the ladies on light, 7-weight fly rods and Crease Flies.
Paul, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are catching whiting, spot, and pompano. Cut shrimp are producing bites from all three.
Bluefish and a few spanish mackerel are hitting Gotcha plugs.
Several king mackerel, including a 25 lb. fish, were caught last week. Bluefish and mullet have been getting strikes on the king rigs.
