Carolina Beach June 6, 2013
Riley Featheroff (age 8) with a speckled trout that bit a live mud minnow in the lower Cape Fear River while she was fishing with Capt. Robert Schoonmaker of Carolina Explorer Charters.
Dennis, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that surf casters are connecting with some sea mullet and large (to 4+ lbs.) pompano while casting shrimp and sand fleas into the breakers. One huge 50 lb. black drum was also landed in the surf this past week.
The sea mullet bite has also turned back on in the lower Cape Fear River, where anglers are hooking good numbers on shrimp and other baits.
Speckled trout are also on the feed in the Cape Fear, where anglers are finding them around grass islands, oyster bars, and other current breaks. Live baits, soft plastics like D.O.A. Shrimp, and suspending hard lures like MR17 MirrOlures are fooling the specks.
Ladyfish have made their summer appearance in the river and will bite the same lures and baits as the specks.
The flounder bite is beginning to turn on, and anglers weighed in some stout flatfish last week (to 9+ lbs.). Live mud minnows and menhaden are top baits for the flounder, but anglers can also hook up while casting Gulps.
Cobia are feeding from the shoreline out to structure in the 10-20 mile range, and anglers who happen upon them are hooking a few on bucktail jigs and live baits.
Offshore, the dolphin bite is still going strong in the Gulf Stream, where boats are hooking solid numbers while trolling skirted ballyhoo. Some wahoo are mixed in, and local boats also released several blue marlin last week.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that spanish mackerel and bluefish are feeding along the beachfront, and anglers are catching solid numbers while trolling Clarkspoons. Casting metal jigs around bait balls on the surface has also been producing some action with the toothy little pelagics.
Renee Segda with a 5.3 lb. flounder that bit a live menhaden in Snows Cut.
A few cobia are also chasing the bait balls in the ocean, and anglers can tempt them to bite bucktail jigs or live baits.
Flounder fishing is starting to turn on at nearshore structure in 40-50’ of water, and anglers are hooking a few on Carolina-rigged live baits.
Inshore, the red drum bite is still solid in the bays and creeks off the lower Cape Fear River. A few are biting topwater plugs, but live mud minnows, shrimp, and Gulp baits have been more effective lately.
Speckled trout are becoming more active in the river (with fish to 4.5 lbs. landed this past week). Both the reds and trout are moving into more of a summer pattern, and they’re headed towards more open water in the bays and river. They’re a bit scattered, but anglers who stay on the move can still put together some solid catches.
Robin, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some spot and sea mullet while bottom fishing with shrimp.
Some flounder are falling for small live baits fished under the pier.
Bluefish are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the pier.
Erin, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that some bluefish and spanish mackerel are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs and other lures that anglers are working from the planks.
Some sea mullet and spot are falling for shrimp on bottom rigs.
Anglers fishing small live baits under the pier are connecting with a few flounder.
