Carolina Beach – May 2024
Lewis, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that surf fishing action is picking up, with catches including bluefish, black drum, whiting, pufferfish, rays, and the occasional red drum.
Anglers fishing in the Cape Fear River are doing well targeting red drum.
A bunch of black drum and some smaller sheepshead are moving in around structure in the river.
Snows Cut has produced a few early flounder (releases), black drum, and croakers, and soon there should be some sheepshead.
Nearshore anglers are starting to see spanish mackerel moving in.
There isn’t much word on king mackerel yet, but as these water temperatures keep moving up, the kings will start moving in closer from offshore.
The nearshore reefs are holding black sea bass and sheepshead.
Those that have made it to the Gulf Stream are catching blackfin tuna and a few wahoo.
Christian, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers have had a bunch of success chasing the red drum that are holding along grass edges and shell points. A bunch of smaller fish are around, with slot-sized reds mixed in. Dead shrimp or mud minnows fished on the bottom are providing most of the bites.
Black drum fishing has been steady, with anglers now having to battle the arrival of trash fish species (pinfish and croakers). Dead shrimp on the bottom is best for catching some of these 15-17” black drum, with the occasional 20” mixed in.
Luke, of Spot On Charters, reports that water temperatures in the mid-60s are bringing some good bait into the river.
Speckled trout fishing is all about targeting the bigger fish that are in a pre-spawning cycle. MirrOlure MR-17s and soft plastics are having a bunch of success from dawn until around mid-morning when the action shuts down. Target the deeper basins that have a slight tidal draw.
Red drum action is picking up with the arrival of this bait. These fish are about to scatter after breaking out of their larger schools. Carolina-rigged live or cut baits are great options for targeting reds.
Some flounder are showing up in the daily catches. There isn’t much size to these early fish, though.
Janie Parker (age 10), of Carolina Beach, caught this 5.8 lb. black drum from the surf of southern Carolina Beach using shrimp.
Tommy, of Mungo Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are targeting the red drum that are getting more active in the area. Live mud minnows or menhaden on Carolina rigs or rigged under floats will entice strikes. Focus your casts of these natural baits along grass lines. Use calmer days as an opportunity to throw topwater plugs, Gulp shrimp, and other artificials around creek mouths, deeper oyster bars, and on shallow flats.
Black drum will make a great target species throughout May. Carolina-rigged shrimp or fiddler crabs will get the black drum to feed around rock piles, oyster beds, and bends in the creeks.
Anglers in May should put more efforts into targeting speckled trout. Topwater plugs and hard jerk baits will work well when casting in the creek bends where the holes have about 4-7’ depths.
Mason, of Grand Slam Fishing Charters, reports that good numbers of black drum are staged up around hard structures. Areas such as docks, rocks, and bridge pilings are producing bites for anglers set up with Carolina-rigged fresh shrimp on 4/0 circle hooks. The falling tides have been the preferred times, with a bit of current always being better than slack tide.
A bunch of smaller (to 17”) and mixed-slot red drum are holding in these same areas. Most of these reds are being caught with fresh shrimp and artificials such as Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ. For soft plastics, a natural color pattern has been the best option.
Speckled trout should be picking up in Cape Fear River. This time of year brings an opportunity to throw topwater baits early in the morning. As temps warm up during the day, this bite tapers off as these fish push deep. Target good current and eddies, as it’s crucial for finding the trout.
Sheepshead are starting to show up inshore. Fishing Carolina-rigged fiddler or mud crabs vertically against structure will entice strikes.
Rosser Baxley, from Wilmington, with an over-slot red drum caught in the Cape Fear River using a Vudu shrimp soft plastic. He was fishing with Anthony Richards.
Tony, of Reel Teal Fishing Charters, reports that nearshore action has been really good, with nice catches of Atlantic bonito with some spanish mackerel sporadically mixed in. Both species have been staged up over structures off the beach.
Bottom fishing over the local wrecks in the 5-mile range with cut squid or shrimp will produce any mix of white grunts, black sea bass, ringtail porgies, and tautogs.
Inshore, speckled trout are getting more active, and some flounder are mixing in.
Sheepshead action (and black drum) will be picking up around hard structures as they move back in from the ocean.
Rod, of OnMyWay Fishing Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel have arrived, and a bunch of bluefish are mixed in. Anglers targeting areas over structure are also finding some Atlantic bonito still around.
A bonus to the warming water temperatures is the schoolie-sized king mackerel (7-15 lbs.) will soon be showing up in the 20-25 mile range.
The good bottom fishing action gets a nice addition once grouper season opens on May 1. Target the 20+ mile bottoms for a better shot at keeper fish as these areas see less pressure.
A ton of American red snapper are out in this same zone.
Offshore trolling efforts are seeing wahoo and some blackfin tuna out on the break, and anglers look forward to the arrival of mahi sometime in May.
Jeremiah, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishing has been producing catches that include a bunch of smaller bluefish, whiting, and some early season pompano.
A sporadic spanish mackerel bite just started.
