Carolina Beach June 27, 2013
Finn O’Rourke (age 6) with a 17″ flounder he hooked on a Gulp bait in Carolina Beach Inlet.
Kyle, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are catching decent numbers of flounder inshore, but the bite isn’t quite what it should be for this time of year. Live baits like menhaden are fooling most of the flatfish, but anglers are also hooking up on Gulps and other artificials. The inlet has been hosting the best fishing lately, as the recent rains have pushed a lot of fresh water into the Cape Fear River. Anglers are also encountering a few flatfish at nearshore structure in the ocean.
Red drum are feeding in the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear and around the grass islands near Snows Cut. Live baits and a variety of artificials will attract attention from the reds.
Anglers are also reporting some speckled trout from the river and the ICW, but they’ve been a bit scattered. Live shrimp and soft plastic baits offer anglers some of the best bets of hooking up with the specks.
Sheepshead are feeding around inshore structure like bridge and dock pilings and will bite fiddler crabs or sand fleas.
Out in the ocean, the spanish mackerel bite is slower due to dirty water from the wind and rain, but there are still fish to be caught for anglers who can find the better water. Trolling Clarkspoons behind cigar weights and small planers is the way to go for the spaniards.
Bottom fishermen are connecting with big numbers of sea bass and some gag grouper at spots in the 10-20 mile range. Squid and cut baits are nearly irresistible to the bass, while larger cut, dead, or live baits are solid choices for the gags.
Amberjacks are also feeding at higher-relief spots in the same range and will pounce on live baits. Vertical jigs and topwater plugs can also be effective when the jacks are feeding aggressively.
Offshore, some dolphin and sailfish have pushed into the 30-40 mile range, where trolled ballyhoo or live baits will fool both.
There’s still a good dolphin bite in the Gulf Stream, and angler are also finding action with some stray wahoo.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are finding action with red drum in the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River and in Masonboro Sound (many are on the small side, but a few upper and over-slot fish are mixed in). Topwater plugs are effective on the reds on many days, with soft plastics and live mud minnows tempting bites when they’re reluctant to eat on the surface.
Jess Teasdale with a 20 lb. yellowmouth grouper that bit a live pinfish at some bottom structure offshore of Carolina Beach Inlet while he was fishing on the “Winner Queen.”
Some speckled trout are feeding in the same areas and also taking an interest in live mud minnows and soft plastic paddletails pinned to jigheads.
Sheepshead are feeding around pilings, rocks, and other inshore structure. The striped fish have a tough time turning down live fiddler crabs dangled close to their homes.
Flounder fishing is a bit off for this time of year, probably because of dirty water in the area. Anglers are hooking a few flatfish while casting for the reds and specks, and the bite should get better when the water does.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that anglers are finding some red drum and flounder action in the Cape Fear River from Snow’s Cut down to Fort Fisher. Most are falling for soft plastics and small live baits like mud minnows and menhaden.
Some black drum and sheepshead are feeding near inshore structure like oysters and dock and bridge pilings. Shrimp and fiddler crabs will tempt bites from both of the striped crustacean-lovers.
The weather has made fishing the ocean tough lately, but anglers are finding some flounder and some bull red drum (to 43”) while dropping live baits to structure in the 40’ depths.
Donna, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some pompano, sea mullet, and spot while baiting bottom rigs with shrimp.
Some sheepshead are feeding along the pilings.
A few flounder are falling for live baits fished under the piers.
Anthony, of Kure Pier, reports that some sea mullet, black drum, and croaker are taking an interest in bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Bluefish are around and biting bottom rigs as well. They’ll also strike Gotcha plugs when the water’s clean.
