Carolina Beach June 28, 2012
Sarah Holler, of Kure Beach, with 19.5 and 17" flounder she hooked on live mud minnows in Snows Cut.
Wes, of Island Tackle, reports that the flounder bite has turned on strong in the area, with anglers landing quality fish from Carolina Beach Inlet, the ICW, Snow’s Cut, and the Cape Fear River. Live finger mullet and menhaden are fooling most of the flatfish.
Red drum are also feeding throughout the inshore waters, but they’ve been a bit scattered. Live baits and Gulps will get their attention wherever anglers find them.
Sheepshead are feeding around Snow’s Cut Bridge. Live fiddler crabs or sand fleas dangled tight to the structure are tempting them to bite.
Some black drum are looking for meals around rocky areas and pilings in the river. Shrimp, sand fleas, and fiddler crabs are top choices for them.
Anglers are starting to see some tripletail around floating objects in the lower river. They’ll bite live shrimp or other baits when anglers spot them.
Spanish mackerel action remains steady just off the inlet and along the beachfront, and trolled Clarkspoons are taking most of the fish.
A few king mackerel are also feeding along the beach, with scattered action on out to offshore spots like Frying Pan Tower. Live baits or dead cigar minnows will tempt bites from the kings.
Bottom fishermen are reporting solid action with gag grouper and black sea bass at spots in the 20 mile range. Squid, cigar minnows, and cut and live baits are attracting attention from the bottom feeders.
Anglers are reporting dolphin action in the 40 mile range with more fish out in the Gulf Stream. Ballyhoo rigged under skirted trolling lures are top choices for the dolphin.
A few billfish are joining the action in the Stream, with some sailfish reported into the 40 mile areas. The sails should continue to move closer to the beach as June wears into July, when anglers often find them in the 20 mile range.
Jenny Raynor, from Anderson Creek, NC, with a 20 lb. dolphin she caught near the Steeples while trolling aboard the "Mack Daddy."
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that anglers are still finding good red drum action around the flats and bays off the lower Cape Fear River. Some schools of fish are working the flats, but anglers need calm days to find them and sight-cast. Blind fishing around oyster bars and grass edges is effective on windier days, and topwater plugs, Gulp baits, and live baits will all tempt bites from the reds.
Flounder fishing has been good in Carolina Beach Inlet and the ICW, with an intermittent bite at nearshore structure in the ocean. Live finger mullet, menhaden, and mud minnows will all draw bites from the flatfish.
Spanish mackerel fishing is still solid off Carolina Beach Inlet, where anglers are hooking the fish while trolling Clarkspoons and casting small metal jigs to surface activity.
Large sharks are feeding in the same areas and have a hard time passing up cut baits.
Some cobia and tarpon have also been seen nearshore lately, so anglers should be prepared for a large surprise visitor when fishing the ocean.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that tripletail are feeding in the lower Cape Fear River, and anglers are spotting them around floating objects. Casting live finger mullet, shrimp, or mud minnows to the fish will often tempt them to bite.
Red drum are schooling and feeding in the bays and backwaters off the lower river, and they’ve been biting topwater plugs well over the past week. Live baits and a variety of soft plastics will tempt bites from the reds when they don’t want to strike the topwaters.
Anglers are connecting with some speckled trout around the grass islands in the river, and D.O.A. Shrimp rigged under popping corks are attracting their attention.
A few flounder are mixed in with the reds and specks and biting the same baits.
Connor Juelke (age 7), from Wilmington, with a pair of spanish mackerel he hooked while trolling off Carolina Beach Inlet with his father and a friend.
Ron, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are catching a few flounder off the pier, mostly on small live baits.
Some croaker are biting shrimp on bottom rigs.
Lynn, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some sea mullet and pompano while bottom fishing with shrimp.
Some flounder are taking an interest in live baits fished on the bottom.
Plug casters are hooking some bluefish and a few spanish mackerel while working Gotchas.
