Carolina Beach Winter 2009
Capt. Brian Harrington with a large king mackerel caught on a live pogy 50’ deep on the downrigger. He was fishing at the 1700 Rock aboard the “SeaBiscuit.”.
Bruce, of Flat Dawg Charters, reports that anglers are catching some stripers, speckled trout, and rat red drum up north in the river-around the Brunswick River, downtown Wilmington, and Smith Creek. Gulp baits, D.O.A. shrimp, and broken-back Rapalas have all been attracting attention from these species.
If last winter is any indication, the Cape Fear bite should stay good well into January.
Howard Caywood, from Statesville, NC, caught this 23.5 lb. red grouper while bottom fishing 45 miles off Carolina Beach with Dean Moon aboard the “MoonDoggie.” Photo courtesy of Island Tackle and Hardware.
Brad, of Fish Spanker Charters, reports that gag grouper are feeding well all over the place. Lately, the best bite has been around structure 16-25 miles off the beaches. The gag bite will only get better over the next month, but the fishery is being shut down January 1, so anglers should get to the grouper while they can. Cigar minnows, live baits, and cut baits are some of the best gag producers.
Bottom fishing has also been solid further offshore in the 30-40 mile range, where anglers are loading up fish boxes with red grouper, some big beeliners (2-4 lbs.), grunts, pinkies, and other bottomfish. Squid, cigar minnows, and cut baits are prime producers on the offshore bottom.
King mackerel were feeding in the 30-40 mile spots, but they will be pushing offshore as the water keeps cooling off. When anglers find the kings this time of year, they’re usually schooled up tight and feeding voraciously. Trolling dead cigar minnows and Drone spoons behind planers will put them into the boat.
Paul and Athlene Fulton, of Winston Salem, NC, with a pair of 23” puppy drum caught while fishing from Carolina Beach Pier. Paul’s red hit cut mullet, and Athlene’s fish fell for a live mullet.
Dennis, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that surf fishermen are catching some big whiting right now (with many over the 1.5 lb. state citation limit). Shrimp are producing results on the whiting, but the biggest fish seem to be falling for sand fleas. There are plenty of fleas in the Carolina Beach surf, so finding them hasn’t been an issue lately.
The whiting should stay in the surf a few more weeks, and then take up winter residence in deep holes in the river on the backside of the island.
Speckled trout are feeding well in the Cape Fear River, the Carolina Beach boat basin, and around the Masonboro jetties. MirrOlures and D.O.A. and Billy Bay shrimp imitations are producing most of the action with the specks. Anglers should be able to find feeding trout on nice days throughout the winter.
Offshore, the grouper bite has been solid lately. When the weather lets anglers get out, they’ll find some of the best grouper fishing of the year right now. Lately the best action has been in 100+’ of water 30-40 miles off the beaches, where anglers are landing red and gag grouper in addition to other bottomfish. Cigar minnows are producing most of the grouper bites.
Darin Sullivan with a speckled trout that was part of a catch of specks, red drum, sheepshead, and flounder. They were all hooked on live shrimp while fishing near Masonboro Inlet with Capt. Jot Owens of Captain Jot Charters.
Jot, of Captain Jot Charters, reports that there’s a solid speckled trout bite going on in the Cape Fear River. The fish are feeding around grass edges, oyster bars, creekmouths, and some of the docks. Anglers are catching them on live shrimp and grubs.
The bite typically stays good well into the cold months. The fish, however, get more lethargic as the water cools, so anglers must slow down their presentations to get bites.
Some reds are mixed in with the trout.
Further upriver, anglers are catching good numbers of striped bass (some to the low-30″ range) around downtown Wilmington and north. Trolling with diving plugs and drifting and casting soft plastics like Blurp jerk shads and large grubs is the best way to hook up with the stripers. The fishery should stay good through January, slowing down when the water gets really cold in late February.
