Carolina Beach October 14, 2010
David Whitman, of Wilmington, and Matthew Bostic (age 14), of Columbia, SC, with six flounder they hooked while surf fishing at the north end of Carolina Beach.
Dennis, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream have found a decent wahoo bite recently (with many fish in the 40-50 lb. range). The action’s been best to the north around the Nipple area, and most of the fish are falling for ballyhoo rigged behind darker-colored trolling lures.
Closer to the beaches, the king mackerel bite has finally turned on. The action’s been best to the north and south of the area lately, though, where pier and boat anglers have been hooking good numbers on live pogies and other baits. Anglers did report several fish, however, from the 30/30 area last week.
Inshore, the bite in the Cape Fear River has been slow to nonexistent due to the fresh water influx from all the recent rains, but anglers have been able to hook some red drum, speckled trout, and flounder in and around the inlet lately. Live baits like finger mullet and shrimp will get attention from the inshore predators.
The bite’s been even better to the north, and some decent catches of flounder, drum, and trout have been reported from the Masonboro jetties by local anglers lately.
Nearshore structure off Carolina Beach has been producing action with gray trout and a few big red drum. Live finger mullet and jigging lures will fool the grays and the drum.
Bluefish are all over the inlets and the surf zone, and they will take an interest in just about any bait or lure that anglers are fishing.
Surf fishermen have found big numbers of flounder lately, though many are on the small side.
Some sizeable pompano and whiting are feeding in the surf zone and will take an interest in sand fleas or cut shrimp.
Keith Skipper with a pair of citation speckled trout (5 and 7 lbs.) he hooked on live baits in the Cape Fear River. Weighed in at Island Tackle and Hardware.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Charters, reports that the inshore bite in the river has slowed down considerably after the massive rainfall a few weeks ago, but anglers are still hooking up with some red drum in the backwaters off the lower river. Some are slot-sized, but the majority lately have been smaller fish that seem to have been pushed downriver by the fresh water. Some speckled trout and flounder are mixed in with the reds, and Gulp baits have been fooling all three lately, as the scent seems to help fish locate the bait in the dirty water.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer Charters, reports that the inshore bite has been sporadic lately, but anglers are catching a few red drum, speckled trout, and flounder while casting soft plastics and live baits in the marshes off the lower river.
The action’s been much better in the ocean lately, where anglers are hooking some flounder, gray trout, and large red drum (to 48”). The fish are holding on nearshore structure within a few miles of the beaches, and live finger mullet and other baits are fooling them.
Some bluefish and spanish mackerel are feeding nearshore in the ocean as well, and anglers can hook both while trolling Clarkspoons and other lures or by casting small metal lures to feeding schools of fish.
Jim Byrd, Reid Wood, Steve Brown, Robert Bryan, Allan Edmonson, and Wil Wynn, all of Clayton, NC, with flounder they hooked on live and cut baits in Snow's Cut.
Benny, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are decking some spot and whiting on shrimp and bloodworms. Pompano are falling for shrimp and sand fleas (some to 2+ lbs.).
The flounder bite has been good (with fish up to 5.5 lbs. lately). Most are falling for live finger mullet and mud minnows fished near the pilings.
Bluefish and a few spanish mackerel are taking an interest in Gotcha plugs worked from the pier.
Lynn, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers saw a few solid spot runs over the past weekend, and the fish have been biting sporadically since. Anglers bottom fishing with bloodworms and shrimp are also picking up some whiting, croaker, and pompano.
Some flounder have been falling for small live baits fished on the bottom.
Plenty of bluefish are feeding around the pier, and they’ll take an interest in just about any baits.
