Carolina Beach May 30, 2013
Brian Rawls with a dolphin that bit a yellow/green skirted ballyhoo while he was trolling near the Steeples out of Carolina Beach on the “Sarah’s Worry Too.”
Ron, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that the flounder bite has been a bit sporadic inshore, but anglers are connecting with some healthy flatfish (some to 5-7 lbs.) in the ICW, Snows Cut, and the Cape Fear River. Most are falling for live mud minnows and finger mullet.
There’s also been a solid speckled trout bite down south in the Cape Fear, but it can take some searching to find the active fish. Soft plastic baits on jigheads and MirrOlures have been fooling most of the specks.
Red drum are also feeding in the river, Snows Cut, and the ICW, and they’re taking an interest in soft plastic baits, topwater plugs, and a variety of natural offerings.
Anglers are catching some black drum as well in the lower river, with shrimp producing most of the action.
Sheepshead aren’t abundant yet, but anglers are catching a few (some to 7-8 lbs.) around inshore structure like bridge and dock pilings. Fiddler crabs are fooling most of the sheeps.
Surf casters are finding some fat pompano along with croaker and sea mullet. Bottom rigs baited with shrimp, sand fleas, and clam strips are tempting bites from all three.
Some flounder and small bluefish are also making their way into surf casters’ catches.
Spanish mackerel trolling has been extremely good just off the beaches, with Clarkspoons and mackerel tree rigs producing the best results. Slow-trolling with live baits around nearshore structure is tempting bites from the biggest spaniards (some 6-7 lbs.).
Offshore, bottom fishermen are connecting with gag grouper and black sea bass (open to harvest June 1) at structure starting in the 20 mile range. Live and dead baits are top choices for the gags, and anglers can tempt the bass to bite cut baits, squid, and more.
Dolphin have moved into the 23 Mile Rock area, with a few king mackerel as well. More kings are feeding in the 30-45 mile range. Trolling live baits or dead ballyhoo and cigar minnows will attract attention from the ‘phins and kings.
Gulf Stream trollers are still catching big numbers of dolphin, with a few wahoo thrown in. Both are taking an interest in skirted ballyhoo.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the red drum bite remains consistent in the creeks and bays off the lower Cape Fear River. The fish are starting to take an interest in topwater plugs, and they’re also biting Gulps and other soft plastics, along with live mud minnows and cut shrimp.
James Topping, of Wilmington, with a 26″, 7.2 lb. flounder that struck a live menhaden near a dock in the Cape Fear River. Weighed in at Island Tackle and Hardware.
Some black drum are in the same areas and biting shrimp as well. Float-fishing around the edges of the marsh at higher tides has been producing good numbers of the reds as well as the black drum. Targeting deeper holes will keep anglers on the fish at lower tides.
Speckled trout are feeding around oyster rocks, grass edges, and other areas in the lower river. They’re taking an interest in topwater plugs as well, with MirrOLure MR17’s and soft plastic baits producing when they don’t want to bite on top.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that the spanish mackerel and bluefish action has been excellent in 35-40’of water off Carolina Beach Inlet recently. Most of the fish are falling for trolled spoons, but anglers are also hooking up while casting metal jigs to bait pods on the surface.
Red drum are cruising the flats and bays of the lower river. There are a few schools on the flats, but most are scattered in singles and smaller groups. Topwater plugs, Gulps, and live and cut baits will all attract attention from the drum.
Black drum are in many of the same areas and taking an interest in fresh shrimp.
The speckled trout bite is still decent in the backwaters off the Cape Fear as well, with soft plastic baits fooling decent numbers.
Some flounder are around and will bite the soft plastics and live baits that anglers are tossing for the trout and drum.
While fishing has been solid lately, it seems many of the fish are scattered, so keeping on the move will lead anglers to the best catches right now.
Robin, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that spanish mackerel are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs that anglers are working from the planks. Plenty of bluefish are also falling for the plugs.
Bottom fishermen are hooking sea mullet and a few spot on shrimp.
Some keeper flounder are taking an interest in small live baits fished under the pier.
Anthony, of Kure Pier, reports that plug casters are connecting with bluefish and a few spanish mackerel on Gotcha plugs.
Some flounder are falling for live baits fished on the bottom.
Anglers baiting bottom rigs with shrimp are putting some pompano, sea mullet, and croaker in their coolers.
