Carolina Beach March 27, 2014
Jenna Raymond with a 21″ red drum she hooked in a creek off the lower Cape Fear River.
Kyle, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are reporting some solid red drum action in the lower Cape Fear River. The fish are feeding in the bays and creeks off the river, and anglers are finding some sight-casting opportunities with them on sunny, calm days. Anglers can hook them on a variety of baits and lures, but they’ve been a bit lethargic due to the cool temperatures lately. When they’re not feeding aggressively, scented soft baits like Gulps or cut shrimp pinned to jigheads and Carolina rigs will fool the fish.
Some speckled trout are feeding in many of the same areas, and they should be stalking the grass islands and oyster bars of the river for meals as well (but not many people have been fishing for them since the season is closed until June 15).
Sea mullet have begun to show up in the lower Cape Fear River, and the bite will improve over the coming weeks as long as the water temperature climbs a bit. Cut shrimp pinned to double-drop bottom rigs are the way to go for the tasty panfish, and anglers can find them feeding along drop-offs and mud flats on both sides of the river near Southport.
Offshore, black sea bass are feeding around bottom structure within a few miles of the inlets, but anglers may have to work out past the 20 mile range in order to catch some quality 13”+ keepers. Bottom rigs baited with squid and cut baits will produce plenty of action with the bass, and anglers can also hook up while working Gulp-tipped bucktails or smaller vertical jigs.
Commercial fishermen are reporting some king mackerel action 30-40 miles offshore when there’s warmer water (mid to upper-60’s) in the area. Trolling Drone spoons, strip baits, and dead cigar minnows is the way to tempt bites from the early season kings.
Taylor, from Wilmington, with a slot red drum that bit a mudm minnow on a Carolina rig in a lower Cape Fear River marsh. She was fishing with Capt. Robert Schoonmaker of Carolina Explorer Charters.
Plenty of false albacore are feeding in the same areas and will bite the same baits or small metal lures cast to fish feeding on the surface.
Gulf Stream trollers are reporting some blackfin tuna and wahoo action along with a few early season dolphin while dragging baits around local offshore spots like the Steeples and Same Ol’ Hole. Both skirted ballyhoo and baitless lures are getting attention from the blue water predators.
Anglers dropping vertical jigs around structure in the same areas are battling plenty of amberjacks and also connecting with a few of the blackfins.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that anglers are hooking good numbers of red drum in the creeks and bays off the lower Cape Fear River. A few speckled trout are mixed in, and both are feeding around drop-offs and oyster bars in the backwaters. Gulp baits and Strike King soft plastics are fooling the fish on many days, but they’re occasionally reluctant to strike the artificials. Live mud minnows and cut shrimp are the way to go when the reds are being finicky.
Sea mullet are showing up around the mouth of the river, and more will be joining them soon. Bottom rigs baited with fresh shrimp are tough for the tasty panfish to resist.
Out in the ocean, dropping shrimp and cut baits to nearshore structure is producing fast action with black sea bass and smaller sharks.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that anglers are still connecting with striped bass while working artificials in the Cape Fear River near downtown Wilmington. A few red drum are mixed in, and both are falling for soft plastic baits on weedless hooks.
Closer to the ocean, red and black drum are schooled up around ICW docks, where anglers can fool both fish on fresh shrimp or crab pieces fished tight to the structure. Scented soft plastic baits will also fool the reds when they’re feeding actively.
Some speckled trout are feeding in the boat basins, marinas, and creeks along the ICW as well, but they’re a catch and release fishery until June 15. Soft plastics and suspending lures like Rapala X-Raps are top choices for the specks.
A few flounder have also begun to feed inshore and are falling for the same lures that anglers are working for the trout and drum.
Brian, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that the pier opens for the season March 28. Anglers should begin seeing some sea mullet and pufferfish action shortly thereafter, and shrimp on bottom rigs will fool both of the tasty panfish.
Some puppy drum may also be feeding around the pier in the coming weeks.
