Carolina Beach – September 24, 2015
Ron, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are connecting with some pompano, croaker, sea mullet, and other panfish in the Pleasure Island surf. Some red and black drum have been mixed in, and all the surf fish are biting shrimp and cut baits.
There’s also been solid red drum action (with some fish well over-slot) in Carolina Beach Inlet, where anglers are hooking the fish on live finger mullet.
Flounder are also feeding in the inlet and biting finger mullet and Gulp baits.
Anglers are hooking the flatfish and reds in the lower Cape Fear River as well.
There’s been a good trout bite further up the Cape Fear, with live shrimp and soft plastics producing most of the action.
Braxton Alexander, of Fayetteville, NC, with a flounder that bit a live finger mulletin the Cape Fear River while he was fishing with his cousins.
Spanish mackerel are still on the feed just off the beaches, where anglers are hooking them while trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and inline sinkers.
Some king mackerel are feeding from the beachfront to spots in the 20 mile range. Anglers are hooking the kings on live baits and dead cigar minnows.
Some dolphin are mixed in with the kings on the offshore end of that range.
Anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream are connecting with some fat wahoo and blackfin tuna. Both are taking an interest in ballyhoo and skirted trolling lures.
Bottom fishermen are reporting plenty of grouper, snapper, and sea bass at structure from the 20 mile range on offshore.
Larry Rowland with an 8.2 lb. triggerfsih that bit squid while he was fishing some structure in 157′ of water near the break off Carolina Beach.
Jamie, of Seagate Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with some red drum around the area’s inlets (from slot to citation-size), and they’re also finding some big ones in the creeks towards Wrightsville. Live and cut mullet and menhaden are tough for the reds to turn down.
There’s also been some good flounder fishing in the creeks recently, with most of the fish falling for live finger mullet.
The fall speckled trout action is heating up, and anglers are connecting with the specks on Back Water Candy soft plastics, hardbaits like Rapala X-raps, and topwater plugs like Zara Spooks. With NE winds and cooling temperatures the norm recently, anglers can expect the trout bite to improve by the week, and it looks to be a great season to come.
Destiny Jacobs with a red drum she hooked near Bald Head Island.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that anglers continue to find plenty of red drum action in the bays and creeks off the lower Cape Fear River. Some days have been producing good sight fishing conditions recently, and anglers are chasing large schools of reds in open water when they can spot the fish. Topwater plugs and a variety of soft plastics have been fooling the schooling reds.
Smaller groups of drum are looking for meals in the creeks and along shorelines in the area. Anglers can also cast topwater plugs and soft plastics while prospecting for the fish or soak cut and live mullet and let the fish find their baits.
Some larger (to 40”+) red drum are feeding around nearshore structure in the ocean. Cut menhaden and mullet have been fooling the big reds. Anglers are also starting to see some menhaden schools in the ocean and may find the reds following the bait.
Flounder are feeding in many of the same areas as the inshore reds, and they’re biting live finger mullet, mud minnows, and Gulp baits.
Cheryl Shue, of Locust, NC, with a 23.5″ flounder she hooked on a live finger mullet while fishing near Snow’s Cut.
Freddie, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that spot showed up in good numbers last weekend, and anglers are hooking them on bloodworms and shrimp on bottom rigs.
Some black and red drum (slot-sized) are falling for shrimp and cut baits on the bottom.
Plug casters are hooking some spanish mackerel on Gotchas.
Anglers also landed a 32 lb. king mackerel from the pier last week.
Anthony, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some croaker, sea mullet, spot, and pompano while bottom fishing form the pier. Several spot runs happened early in the week, but anglers have seen the spot action slow down a bit. Shrimp and bloodworms are fooling most of the panfish.
Some small bluefish are falling for bottom rigs and casting lures that anglers are working from the pier.
Live-baiters have hooked some king mackerel recently, but they’ve been unable to get them to the pier.
