Carolina Beach October 27, 2011
B.J. McConville with a 7.8 lb. red drum that bit a live finger mullet in the Carolina Beach surf.
Marshall, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are finding some big flounder in Snow’s Cut and theCape Fear River(with many citation fish up to 9 lbs. weighed recently). Live menhaden seem to be outproducing finger mullet with the larger flatfish.
The speckled trout bite has slowed down a bit, but there are still plenty feeding in the area and it should come back around. Anglers are finding the fish in the Cape Fear River and Carolina Beach Inlet. Live shrimp, soft plastic baits, and MirrOlures have all been striking the specks’ fancy lately.
Surf anglers are connecting with some sea mullet, pompano, and black drum on shrimp and sand flea baits. Flounder fishing is also heating up in the surf, and live finger mullet are the way to tempt bites from the flatfish. Large red drum are also cruising the beaches in search of meals, and cut baits fished in the sloughs or outside the sandbars will tempt them to bite.
Offshore, anglers are connecting with gag grouper within 10 miles of land, as the fish have moved inshore to spawn. Live, dead, and cut baits will all attract attention from the gags.
Blue water trollers are reporting that the wahoo bite is still excellent at local Gulf Stream spots like the Steeples and Same Ol’ Hole. Ballyhoo under skirted trolling lures and baitless high-speed lures will both tempt bites from the wahoo.
Rick, of Carolina Beach Bait and Tackle, reports that surf casters have been finding some solid action on the Pleasure Island beaches recently. Black drum and some large pompano and sea mullet are taking an interest in bottom rigs baited with shrimp and sand fleas in the surf.
Red drum are also feeding just off the beaches (ranging from slot fish to well over-slot). Cut baits are the way to go for the reds.
The flounder bite is also going strong in the breakers, and live finger mullet or mud minnows are tough to beat for the flatfish.
Inshore, anglers are connecting with good numbers of large flounder (many 5+ lbs.) in Snow’s Cut and the Cape Fear River. Live mullet and menhaden are the way to go for the big doormats.
Speckled trout are feeding around the grass islands in the river and around Carolina Beach, and live shrimp, soft plastics, and MirrOlures are all solid trout offerings.
Sheepshead are looking for meals around pilings, rocks, and other hard structure inshore, and they have a tough time passing up a live fiddler crab dangled tight to the structure.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer, reports that the red drum bite is still going in the bays and backwaters off the lower Cape Fear River. The fish are feeding on the flats and in the creeks. Anglers can tempt them to bite topwater plugs, soft plastics like Gulps, and live mud minnows or other baits.
Flounder are feeding in the same areas as the reds and will bite the same baits.
The speckled trout bite is turning on in the lower river and in Carolina Beach Inlet. Live mud minnows and finger mullet or soft plastic shrimp imitations like Billy Bay Halo shrimp will fool the specks.
Large sea mullet, gray trout, bluefish, and other bottom feeders are schooling up around ledges and holes near the mouth of the river. Bottom rigs and spec rigs baited with shrimp will tempt them to bite.
Anglers are finding schools of false albacore chasing bait 3-5 miles out, and they’re hooking them while casting Stingsilvers and other metal lures at the surface activity.
King mackerel are finally making a decent showing, and several boats limited out while trolling 20-30 miles offshore last week.
Capt. Brad Phillips, of Fish Spanker Charters, with a pair of gag grouper that bit cigar minnows at some bottom structure in 80' of water off Carolina Beach Inlet.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite keeps improving (both for numbers and larger fish). They’re feeding around oyster rocks, grass islands, and hard structure with good current flow off the lower Cape Fear. Anglers can tempt the specks to bite soft plastic baits or live mud minnows and shrimp.
Flounder and red drum are feeding in many of the same places as the specks, and they are spread out throughout the bays and creeks off the lower river. Gulps and live baits will tempt bites from both.
Large sea mullet and gray trout are feeding around drop-offs near the mouth of the river, where bottom rigs baited with shrimp are producing fast action.
Bluefish are feeding in the rips along the lower river and have been providing anglers with some fun topwater action.
Phil, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some spot, black drum, and a few pompano on shrimp and bloodworms.
Some bluefish are falling for Gotcha plugs.
Anthony, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are seeing some on and off spot action at night, but they haven’t had any big runs in recent days. Some sea mullet are also biting at night, and both are falling for shrimp and bloodworms.
A few large red drum have been hooked from the end of the pier at night recently.
Plug casters are picking up a few bluefish and an occasional spanish mackerel while working Gotchas.
