Added on Thursday, September 15, 2016  Fish Post

Carolina Beach – September 15, 2016

Red, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers trolling offshore are hooking small blackfin, wahoo, mahi, and the occasional sailfish. Troll skirted ballyhoo, cigar minnows, and live menhaden on the downrigger when looking for bites.

Bottom fishermen have been connecting with black sea bass, grouper, triggerfish, and beeliners.

Nearshore (10 miles out), anglers are finding king mackerel, and they’re tempting bites by trolling menhaden both on the downriggers and on top (along with cigar minnows and live mullet). False albacore, spanish, and bluefish have been reported in schools off the beach, and they have been taking cigar minnows and live mullet.

Inshore, the larger flounder are beginning to be reported, including a 9.3 lb. and a 10.6 lb. flounder coming out of the ICW and Snow’s Cut.

The larger red drum are also starting to show up, and anglers have been catching varying sizes, from small pups to 45” and bigger.

Sheepshead can be found around structure such as docks and pilings, and they’re often caught on sea urchins and fiddler crabs.

Trout are being landed with more frequency, though no large gator trout have yet been reported. Anglers looking to target the specks should use live mullet on a Carolina rig or shrimp under a popping cork.

Christian, of Seahawk Inshore Charters, reports that red drum can be found on the flats during calm weather. Most reds can be targeted in deeper holes and along shallow shell beds. The fish will fall for artificials like Z-Man soft plastics, and those fishing with live mullet should use Carolina rigs.

Big drum have showed on inshore reefs, with a few fish over 40” on the nearshore structures and ledges. Artificial reefs are the best spots to find the big reds right now.

There are a few flounder inside the creeks, and they are mostly being caught with live finger mullet on Carolina rigs.

A good number of speckled trout are showing up in early mornings during the falling tide. Look for creek mouths and oyster points with current.

A few black drum are being caught when fishing with shrimp. They are mostly small, with a few fish up to 16” being caught.

Tarpon are moving quickly back south, and they’re feeding on anything they can get.

Ladyfish, blues, and jack crevelles are in the river. If you can find bait, then you can find the fish.

Luke, of TopWater Guide Co., reports that the red drum bite has increased and the flats are the best place to target the reds. Most of the fish are falling for Gulp soft plastics in pearl color, specifically jerk shads and shrimp. Menhaden will work on the reds as well.

The trout bite has picked up with the cooling temperatures, and it should get better with the northeast wind in the coming weeks. The fish are hitting MR17’s, and anything with a green coloring is working well. The fish have also been caught on Down South Plastics in the “blue moon” color.

Flounder are still around and moving closer to inlets and creek mouths. They’re following the mullet, and fishing south and down the river has been better. Most of the fish have been hooked on mullet, specifically the bigger mullet, but they will also fall for pogies. Target the flatfish in 5-10’ of water with a good current.

Rod, of OnMyWay Charters, reports that the spanish mackerel bite is phenomenal on the beach, and anglers targeting the species will find some false albacore mixed in. There are larger spanish in the mix, but be prepared to hook smaller ones, too.

Offshore, the king mackerel bite is improving. A lot of small fish under 24” are there, but anglers can start looking for the fish 15 miles and beyond.

The water in that area is still stirred up and cloudy from the storm, but some mahi have reappeared in the 15-23 mile range. A few sailfish have been reported in that same area.

Fishing is great at the break, and anglers should target spots like the Steeples and Same Ol’ Hole. Work the break, and expect to  find the occasional mahi and sailfish, as well as small blackfin tuna.

Bottom fishing is excellent, and large 3+ lb. snapper can be found as close in as 27 miles. Targeting 15 miles out, gag grouper have been reported, but once you get to the 23-30 mile range, anglers will start to hook the bigger black sea basss, vermilion, and additional grouper. The red grouper and scamps are all beyond 35 miles.

Jesse, of Ocean Stinger Fishing Charters, reports that nearshore the spanish mackerel bite has really turned on over the past couple of weeks. Schools of fish have started to stack up around Masonboro and the inlets in 25-30’ of water. Trolling Clarkspoons (pink/silver) and small Yo-Zuris have provided action from the fish, and trolling behind a #1 planer or trolling weight will get the lure down deep enough.

Offshore, the wahoo bite has picked up, and it seems to be better to the north along the temperature breaks on the shelf. Most of the action has been north of the Same Ol’ Hole and points north along ledges in 40-60 fathoms.

The tuna bite has also picked up. Troll Fathom Offshore rigs in black/purple and solid green to connect with the blackfins.

There have been sailfish reports in the same areas as the wahoo and tuna, and the billfish have fallen for naked ballyhoo skipping across the water.

Anthony, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are hooking bluefish, croaker, and whiting.

Pompano have been reported, including some with nice size, and spanish are still running off the end of the pier.

 

Fred, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers are hooking bluefish from the end of the pier. Anglers dropping down bottom rigs and shrimp have connected with panfish, like Virginia mullet, and a large jack crevelle and an in-slot redfish were also reportedly brought over the rails.