Carolina Beach June 30, 2011
Kama Varney with a 23" red drum she hooked on MirrOlure She Dog in the Ft. Fisher Basin while fishing with Richard Cannon.
Dennis, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that the flounder bite has been a little off lately, but anglers have reported some flatfish action well up the Cape Fear River from Snow’s Cut.
The red drum bite is still on in the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear, where anglers can hook them on live baits, Gulps, spinnerbaits, topwater plugs, and other offerings.
There was also some solid red drum action on the shoals of Carolina Beach Inlet last week, but it slowed down a bit.
Anglers are catching a few speckled trout in the river. Live baits and D.O.A. shrimp are excellent choices for the specks.
Off the beaches, the winds hurt the fishing a bit last week, but anglers did find some decent spanish mackerel action just south of Carolina Beach Inlet while trolling Clarkspoons.
The flounder bite’s been a little slow on the nearshore structure lately, too, but there are still a few fish feeding in the ocean for anglers willing to work for them. Live baits are the way to go for the flatfish.
The king mackerel bite is finally getting better (with fish to 44 lbs. last week). Most of the action has been at spots 15+ miles off the beach, and live menhaden are the choice king baits.
Ryan, of Carolina Beach Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers are finding a lot of sharks (from 2’ to too big to land) off the island’s beaches right now. The smaller fish are principally a nuisance, but anglers are catching and releasing some large sharks off Fort Fisher, mostly on large chunks of mullet and other cut baits.
Fishing small sand fleas in the surf has been producing plenty of action with sea mullet and pompano when the sharks will leave the baits alone.
Inshore, the red drum bite has been excellent in the lower Cape Fear and at ICW docks lately. Live finger mullet are abundant right now, but fiddler crabs have been producing even better results with the drum lately.
Margot Tidwell, of Wrightsville Beach, with a 3.5 lb. flounder she hooked on a live mud minnow at some nearshore structure off Carolina Beach.
Flounder fishing is solid inshore, particularly in the Cape Fear River. Finger mullet, mud minnows, and small menhaden will all produce results with the flatfish.
Sheepshead and some black drum are feeding around the bridges, docks, and other hard structure in the area, and they’ll both pounce on live fiddler crabs or sand fleas.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the red drum bite is a little tough some days right now, likely due to all the wind lately. There are some schools of fish working the bays of Masonboro Sound and the lower Cape Fear River, but the wind is making them difficult to spot. Some reds are also feeding on ICW docks. Live baits, soft plastics, and topwater plugs will all tempt bites from the reds when anglers can find them.
Flounder fishing has been solid in the lower Cape Fear bays lately. Live baits and soft plastics will also attract attention from the flounder.
Sheepshead are feeding around bridge pilings and other hard structure in the ICW and Cape Fear River, and anglers can tempt them to bite live fiddler crabs.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer Fishing Charters, reports that red drum fishing in the lower Cape Fear has been up and down lately, with some good days and some slower. Live mud minnows and finger mullet or spinnerbaits and Gulp Alive baits are the go-to weapons for the reds.
Flounder fishing has been producing plenty of action lately (but a lot of throwbacks are mixed in with the quality fish). The flatfish bite has been best in the ICW and Carolina Beach Inlet of late.
The speckled trout bite is starting to turn on, and anglers are picking up a few in the early mornings while fishing D.O.A. shrimp around the grass islands and points in the Cape Fear River.
Oscar Basil with an 8 lb. bluefish he hooked in the surf at Kure Beach.
Jonathan, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are catching some croaker on bottom rigs.
Bluefish are taking an interest in bottom rigs and Gotcha plugs.
An 8.5 lb. flounder was landed from the pier last week.
Ali, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some croaker, sea mullet, bluefish, and black drum on baited bottom rigs.
Plug casters are hooking some bluefish as well.
A few flounder are falling for small live baits fished from the pier.
