Carolina Beach June 7, 2007
Seth, of Reel Bait and Tackle, reports that the flounder bite is finally going on at the Yaupon Reef and other nearshore structures. Most of the nearshore flounder are keepers, and just like inshore flounder, they’ll inhale live pogies and mud minnows fished on Carolina rigs. Inshore, most of the flounder are still on the small side.
Red drum are still schooled up to the north and feeding along ICW docks. The reds will also pounce on a Carolina-rigged live bait, and Gulp baits fished on jig heads will draw strikes as well.
Trout fishing is on fire in the river, with anglers finding good numbers of citation-size, 4+ lb. trout. Mirrolures in hot pink and 808 colors, as well as D.O.A. and Halo artificial shrimp, will get trout bites.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are schooled up thick, and they’re feeding along the beaches and at nearshore structure. Both fish will attack trolled Clark Spoons and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers.
Cobia are patrolling the area from the beach to the 10 mile structure. Boats have seen a lot more cobia than they’ve caught, and the cobia seem to be especially selective about what they’ll eat right now.
King mackerel are finally feeding on the beach, and big kings are spread out between shore and structure in the 30 mile range. Troll live pogies or cigar minnows to get king strikes.
Dolphin have moved inshore of the Gulf Stream and are feeding on spots from 20-35 miles offshore. The School House has seen an especially hot dolphin bite over the past week. Dolphin will hit the same cigar minnows and pogies that boats are trolling for kings.
Dolphin are also dominating the Gulf Stream catches, and there are some billfish showing up with them. Local boats have released good numbers of sailfish and blue marlin, along with an occasional white. Troll a spread of skirted ballyhoo for dolphin action and shots at the billfish.
Most of the grouper action has been 30+ miles from shore, but there are some gags feeding in a bit closer.
Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports red hot speckled trout fishing in the river. The specks are running from 2-4 lbs. Both D.O.A. shrimp and peanut pogies will get bites from the trout. The shrimp can be cast and retrieved or rigged under a float, and either a float or Carolina rig will work for the pogies
The flounder bite has turned on in the river, and the fish are getting bigger, with plenty in the 3-4 lb. class. Flounder are also feeding well in Carolina Beach Inlet and at the nearshore wrecks. A Carolina-rigged peanut pogy is the ticket to flounder bites.
Snow’s Cut is holding a lot of chopper bluefish (up to 10 lbs.), and the same Carolina rigs that anglers are using for flounder and trout will get the choppers to bite; although, anglers may need to use a wire leader to land them.
Fisher, of Capt. Fisher’s Guide Service, reports fast action with big king mackerel on the Yaupon Reef. The kings are hitting live pogies and are running from 15-30+ lbs. Plenty of big schools of pogies are holding between Bald Head Island and Long Beach Pier.
The big schools of red drum have finally shown up in the river bays. The drum are in schools of 50-200 fish, and anglers can sight-cast gold spoons and Zara Spook topwaters to them.
The speckled trout bite is good, and with the arrival of lots of pogies in the river, the trout are keying in on live pogies and fish-imitating baits more than shrimp.
Flounder are biting well in the river near Wilmington, and they are running 2-5 lbs.
Pompano are feeding in the river bays, and will strike pink and yellow shad darts.
Big sheepshead (up to 11 lbs.) are holding on markers in the river channel. Fiddler crabs are the top baits for the sheepshead, but any small crab will work.
Along the rock wall at Fort Fisher, anglers are catching 3-15 lb. black drum on sand fleas and black rock crabs.
There are plenty of ladyfish in the bays and around the Pfizer dock at night, and they’ll hit small jerk baits, Carolina-rigged live baits, and small Crease flies.
Susan, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishing has been good. Anglers are pulling in black drum, whiting, pompano, and croaker (the croaker are coming at night). Those fishing with shrimp are getting the most action, but the pompano, which are running large (to 3 lbs.), prefer sand fleas.
Some flounder are coming over the pier rails, but most are small.
Plug casters are catching spanish mackerel and bluefish, with some chopper blues (up to 9 lbs.). The choppers are also hitting king rigs and cut baits.
The water temperature is 71 degrees.
