Carolina Beach November 17, 2011
Mike Freeman with a 6 lb. black drum that he hooked off Carolina Beach Pier on shrimp. Weighed in at Island Tackle and Hardware.
Ron, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that the wahoo bite has been exceptional lately when boats get the weather to run to theGulf Stream(with fish to 87 lbs. weighed in last week). Blackfin tuna, dolphin, and some sailfish have been mixed in, and the Stream swung inshore a bit last week, meaning boats were able to find action around 50-55 miles out. Ballyhoo rigged under skirted trolling lures are the way to go for the blue water predators.
Bottom fishermen have found a solid gag grouper bite at wrecks and ledges within 20 miles of the beach lately. Red and scamp grouper are feeding at structure a bit further offshore, and all will take an interest in cigar minnows, sardines, mackerel, or live baits.
On the beach, surf fishermen are hooking some red and black drum and bluefish on bottom rigs baited with shrimp and cut baits.
The speckled trout bite has also been good in the surf, where anglers are connecting with specks while casting MirrOlures and soft plastics.
Speckled trout are on the feed inshore, too, and anglers reported some excellent fishing last weekend. The fish are biting in the inlet, around ICW structure, and near the grass islands and oyster rocks in the Cape Fear River. MirrOlures, Gulp baits, and other soft plastics are also producing inshore, but a live shrimp fished under a float is tough to beat.
Red drum are working the flats and creeks off the lowerCape Fear River. Anglers are tempting the reds with topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits.
The inshore flounder bite has slowed down, and the nearshore wrecks, rocks, and live bottoms in the ocean are the best places to target the flatfish right now. Live baits and bucktail/Gulp combinations are top flounder foolers.
Sea mullet are feeding in the holes and channel edges of the lower Cape Fear River, where bottom rigs baited with shrimp will produce fast action with the tasty bottom feeders.
Rick, of Carolina Beach Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are finding big numbers of black drum in the surf. Fresh shrimp on two-hook bottom rigs is producing plenty of action with them. Good numbers of pufferfish and some large sea mullet (1-1.5+ lbs.) are also in the mix.
Matthew Pritchard with a 41” red drum he caught and released in the Fort Fisher surf while fishing with his dad. The big red bit a cut bait. Photo courtesy of Carolina Beach Bait and Tackle.
The large red drum (30-40”+) are still cruising the bars and sloughs in the Pleasure Island surf looking for meals, and anglers caught and released good numbers over the past few weeks. The Fort Fisher beachfront has been producing the most consistent action with the big reds, and anglers are hooking them on large cut baits.
Flounder are feeding in the surf as well, and live mud minnows, finger mullet, strip baits, or soft plastics will get their attention.
The flatfish bite is also still going in the backwaters. Live baits and Gulps will draw strikes from the flatfish inshore.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite has turned on strong from Wrightsville Beach down to the lower Cape Fear River. The fish are feeding in deep sloughs, around structure like oyster rocks, and in the creeks. Plenty of small “spike” trout are in the mix, but anglers are finding decent numbers of keepers to 21” as well. Curly and split-tail grubs in chartreuse hues have been particularly effective on the specks lately.
Black drum are looking for meals in the same areas as the specks, and cut shrimp will tempt bites from the crustacean lovers.
Red drum are feeding in their usual haunts on the flats and in the creeks off the lowerCape Fear River. Topwater plugs, soft plastic paddletails, and live baits will attract attention from the reds.
Sea mullet are feeding in the sloughs and along the channel edges near the mouth of theCapeFear, and they won’t hesitate to bite a bottom rig baited with shrimp.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that red drum are still on the prowl on the flats and in the bays and creeks off the lowerCape Fear River. Live baits or soft plastics like Strike King paddletails and Gulps are fooling the reds right now.
Some flounder are in the same areas and taking an interest in the soft plastics and live mud minnows.
Speckled trout are on the feed in the creeks and along the river shorelines, where live shrimp or soft plastic imitations will tempt them to bite.
Good numbers of black drum are feeding alongside the specks and have a tough time turning down live shrimp.
Anglers bottom fishing near the mouth of the river are catching plenty of black drum and some pufferfish on shrimp.
Austin Franz (age 11), of Wilmington with a 19" flounder he hooked at Carolina Beach Inlet on a cut mullet bait.
Mike, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with black drum, spot, and some sea mullet while fishing shrimp and bloodworms on bottom rigs.
Some slot red drum and a few flounder are taking an interest in small live baits and soft plastics under the pier.
