Carolina Beach October 24, 2013
Barbara Smith with an 8 lb. flounder that bit a large finger mullet in Snow’s Cut while she was fishing with Harry Gierszewski.
Dennis, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that the spanish mackerel and bluefish action off Carolina Beach has been excellent over the past week. Most anglers are hooking them while trolling Clarkspoons, but casting metal lures to fish breaking the surface can also be productive.
Gray trout are schooled up around nearshore structure in the ocean, and they’re biting vertical jigs and live and cut baits.
Flounder should still be feeding in the same areas, but it’s been tough for flatfish to beat gray trout to the baits recently.
Anglers are also seeing some large red drum around the nearshore spots and hooking them on live and cut baits.
Some fat sea mullet have also been feeding on the nearshore wrecks and rocks and biting shrimp.
Offshore, there’s been a solid king mackerel bite 15-25 miles out. Live menhaden are fooling the majority of the kings.
Anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream are still reporting excellent wahoo catches while trolling skirted ballyhoo and baitless high-speed lures.
On the beach, surf fishermen have been hooking good numbers of sea mullet, pompano, black drum, and more while soaking bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Bluefish and red drum are taking an interest in finger mullet and cut baits in the breakers, and anglers are also hooking some flounder on live baits.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that anglers are hooking good numbers of red drum in the backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River. The fish are feeding in the bays and creeks, and they’re falling for a variety of anglers’ offerings, including topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live and cut baits.
Speckled trout are also looking for meals in the creeks and around structure in the lower river. Live shrimp, finger mullet, soft plastic baits, and topwater plugs will also attract attention from the specks.
Flounder are on the feed in the same places in the river. They’re also near ICW structure, in the inlets, and around nearshore structure in the ocean. Live finger mullet on Carolina rigs will tempt bites from the flatfish.
Bluefish and spanish mackerel are looking for meals within a few miles of the beachfront, and anglers can connect with big numbers of both while trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and torpedo weights. Casting metal jigs to fish feeding on the surface will also put the spanish and blues in the boat, and it allows anglers to use lighter tackle than when trolling.
Large red drum (some 40”+) are feeding around wrecks and other structure within a few miles of the beach. Anglers are fooling the big reds on live and cut menhaden and mullet.
Gina Marcum with a 30″ red drum she caught and released in the lower Cape Fear River while fishing with her husband, Capt. Don Marcum of Big Beast Fishing Charters. The red fell for a 5″ Z-Man soft plastic.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers have seen an excellent speckled trout bite in the lower Cape Fear River recently. The best action has been in the creeks (with fish running 2-5 lbs.). Anglers are hooking some of the specks on jigs, but most (and the largest) are taking live finger mullet on float and Carolina rigs.
Red drum are feeding in the same areas and in the bays off the lower river. The red will bite all the same baits, but they can also be tempted to strike topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, and other artificials as well.
Some larger reds are feeding in the ocean just off the beachfront and striking live and cut mullet and spot.
Black drum are looking for meals around rocks, pilings, and other hard structure in the ICW and river. Fresh shrimp on bottom rigs are tough for the crustacean-lovers to turn down.
Brenda, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with some bluefish and spanish mackerel while working Gotcha plugs from the pier.
Live-baiters have had some king mackerel action over the past few weeks while fishing bluefish and menhaden off the end of the pier.
Pompano, sea mullet, and a few spot are biting shrimp and sand fleas on bottom rigs near the pier.
Jacob, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that live-baiters have landed several king mackerel from the end of the pier over the past week.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs and other casting lures that anglers are working from the planks.
Bottom fishermen are reporting action with sea mullet and pompano on shrimp.
