Carolina Beach September 30, 2010
Tim Dickens with an 11.59 lb. flounder he caught while fishing from the banks of Snow's Cut. The flatfish fell for a live finger mullet and was weighed in at Carolina Beach Bait and Tackle.
Dennis, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that anglers are still finding a solid flounder bite at nearshore structure in the ocean (good numbers of fish to 5 lbs.). Live finger mullet and peanut pogies are fooling the majority of the fish.
The Cape Fear River is also producing some solid flounder fishing right now, and anglers are hooking up with the fish both north and south of Snow’s Cut.
The red drum bite in the backwaters off the lower river is getting even better (and anglers reported some double-digit days recently). The reds will fall for live baits, topwater plugs, Gulps, spinnerbaits, and a variety of other lures.
Speckled trout fishing continues to improve as well (with fish to 6 lbs. weighed in last week). The grass islands and creeks off the river are producing the most action. Live shrimp are the best baits, but anglers can also hook up on shrimp imitations and topwater plugs.
Whiting are making a showing in the surf and at deeper holes around the lower river. Bottom rigs baited with shrimp will get their attention. Anglers also saw some of the area’s first spot runs of fall last week.
Anglers are still finding spanish mackerel within a short distance of the beachfront, and they’re hooking them while trolling Clarkspoons and casting metal lures to fish feeding on the surface.
King mackerel have been tough to come by lately.
Ryan, of Carolina Beach Bait and Tackle, reports that there’s been a decent flounder and speckled trout bite in the surf lately, with some of the best action around the rocks at Fort Fisher. Both fish are taking an interest in live finger mullet, and the specks are also hitting MirrOlures.
Surf fishermen are also putting some fat whiting (to 1.5+ lbs.), pompano, and some smaller red drum on the beach, mostly on sand fleas.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are chasing schools of finger mullet in the surf zone, and anglers are hooking both while casting metal jigs like Shore Lures and Hopkins spoons.
Jeff, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite is heating up. Topwater plugs and soft plastics are attracting their attention, and live shrimp will also draw plenty of bites from the specks.
The red drum action’s still solid in the backwaters off the river. Gulp baits and other soft plastics are attracting their attention, but with the recent rains muddying the water, spinnerbaits are one of the best bets right now. Some flounder are falling for baits that anglers are fishing for the reds.
Sheepshead and black drum are feeding around hard structure in the river and the ICW, and anglers can tempt them to bite fiddler crabs.
Elward Horton with a 6.5 lb. flounder that bit a live pogie in Bald Head Creek. He was fishing with Capt. Mike Dennis of Cape Fear Guide.
Robert, of Carolina Explorer Charters, reports that anglers are hooking up with some flounder and large gray trout at nearshore structure in the ocean. Live finger mullet are attracting attention from both.
Spanish mackerel are feeding along the beaches, and anglers can hook them while trolling Clarkspoons.
Large sharks are also in the area. They’ll take an interest in cut baits.
Inshore, the red drum bite’s been on in the backwaters off the Cape Fear River. Anglers are tempting the reds to bite with live baits, topwater plugs, soft plastics, and spinnerbaits.
Speckled trout fishing is turning on as well. The fish are feeding around structure in the river, and soft plastic baits or live shrimp will fool them into striking.
Brian, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that anglers are catching some spot at night and in the daytime, mostly on bloodworms.
Some whiting and a few pompano are falling for shrimp.
Anglers are hooking some flounder on live baits fished on the bottom.
