Carolina Beach November 14, 2013
Kyle Cartrette, of Leland, NC, with a citation 3 lb., 3 oz. pompano that bit shrimp in the surf at the north end of Carolina Beach.
Ron, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are seeing some hot fishing in the lower Cape Fear River right now, with grand slams of flounder, speckled trout, and red drum not uncommon.
The fish are feeding in the creeks, on the flats, and around structure like oyster points, and anglers can fool them with live baits or Gulp and other soft plastic lures.
There’s also been some excellent flounder, trout, and drum action in Carolina Beach Inlet, along with a few black drum. Live shrimp are tough to beat for all the species, but a variety of artificial lures will put fish in the boat as well.
Surf casters are connecting with big numbers of sea mullet along with some croaker and intermittent spot action. Shrimp are fooling all the panfish in the surf.
Red drum are also feeding along the beachfront (from slot fish to 40”+). Shrimp, sand fleas, and cut and live baits can all tempt bites from the reds.
Speckled trout are beginning to make an appearance in the ocean, and several have already been caught by surf and pier anglers. The surf trout bite should only get better as the water cools off, and anglers can cast MirrOlures or soft plastic baits to fool the beachfront trout.
Anglers fishing the nearshore rocks and reefs in 40-60’ of water are finding fast action with gray trout along with some flounder and red drum. Live and cut baits along with Gulps have been fooling all three fish.
Vick Radford with a 30″ red drum he caught and released in the Fort Fisher surf after it fell for a chunk of salted mullet.
King mackerel have moved away from the beachfront, but they should be feeding wherever anglers can find water temperature in the upper-60’s and bait schooling around structure. The pattern generally continues all winter long, with action in the Frying Pan Tower vicinity as long as the water stays warm.
Not many boats have made the long run to the Gulf Stream recently, but those who have are reporting continued action with wahoo and blackfin tuna along with a few stray dolphin. Ballyhoo paired with skirted trolling lures are fooling the blue water predators.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that anglers are hooking red and black drum in the lower Cape Fear River. The reds are falling for live baits, soft plastics, and sometimes topwater plugs. Live and cut shrimp are attracting attention from the black drum.
Sea mullet are feeding around the channel edges in the lower river and eagerly biting cut shrimp on bottom rigs (with some fish to 2 lbs.).
Flounder are also looking for meals in the lower Cape Fear and attacking some of the same baits that anglers are casting for the reds.
There’s been a solid speckled trout bite in Carolina Beach Inlet recently, although the size of the fish seems to vary from day to day. Live shrimp are the best bets for the trout, but anglers can also toss soft plastics and suspending hard lures to hook up. A few bluefish, puppy drum, and flounder are in the same area and biting the same baits.
Rob and Kristen Young with a 24″ red drum that struck a live finger mullet near Carolina Beach Inlet while he was fishing with Capt. Chris Bryan of Sunrise Inshore Fishing Charters.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are finding red drum all over the lower Cape Fear River, with schools of fish working the flats and smaller groups in the creeks and marshes. Many days have been producing good sight-fishing conditions for reds chasing shrimp, and anglers are hooking them on live baits, soft plastics, and topwater plugs.
Good numbers of flounder (some to 7+ lbs.) are feeding in the same areas and biting soft plastics and live baits.
Speckled trout are looking for meals around rocks, oyster points, and grass banks in the lower river. Anglers are fooling the fish with soft plastics like Trout Tricks, hard baits like MirrOlures, and live finger mullet.
Black drum are in many of the same areas, especially around oyster bars, and they’ll bite fresh shrimp on jigheads and Carolina or float rigs.
Brenda, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are hooking sea mullet, black drum, and a few spot on bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms.
A few flounder are falling for small live baits under the pier.
Savannah, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with sea mullet and some spot on shrimp and bloodworms. There were some solid spot runs over the past week, so hopefully more are in store before the season ends.
Anglers soaking live baits under the pier are hooking some flounder.
