Carolina Beach Winter 2006
Trey, at Reel Bait and Tackle, reports solid speckled trout fishing throughout the area. Anglers are finding trout at the Masonboro jetties, Carolina Beach Inlet, the Carolina Beach Yacht Basin, and the Fort Fisher surf. The trout, which are running up to 3-4 pounds, are hitting live shrimp, orange belly Mirrolures, and new penny and pearl white Gulp! baits.
Red drum are spread throughout the creeks, waterway, and surf, but they haven’t been very aggressive lately. The drum that are being caught are hitting Gulp! baits and cut mullet.
Flounder fishing is fading fast, but there are still a few flatfish around to be caught. The flounder remaining inshore are averaging around 2 pounds, as most of the bigger fish have already moved out the inlets.
Surf casters are catching some whiting on shrimp.
At John’s Creek, fishermen are still catching some gray trout on jigging spoons, but lots of netters in the area are making fishing tough.
False albacore have shown up around the Liberty Ship and other nearshore reefs. To hook up with the “Fat Alberts,” watch for breaking schools of fish around the structure, and then cast Stingsilvers or similar lures to the edges of the schools.
Offshore, good catches of king mackerel are coming from the Horseshoe, Frying Pan Tower, and along temperature breaks. Trolling spoons and strip baits or cigar minnows under sea witches will attract attention from the kings. Several king mackerel fishermen have spotted bluefin tuna around the Horseshoe, and there will only be more as the water cools.
Grouper fishing has been good when anglers can make it offshore. Gags are holding -20+ miles from land, and the red and scamp groupers are out 30-35 miles. Spanish sardines and Boston mackerel will both produce results with the groupers.
In the Cape Fear River, fishermen are beginning to catch some nice striped bass from 10-20 pounds. Large curly tail grubs and Yo-Zuri deep diving plugs are getting the most attention from the stripers. Anglers trolling the river channel between the Exxon docks and downtown are getting the best action, with the majority of the fish concentrated around the big drawbridge.
Dave, at FryingPanTower.com, reports that the gulf stream has seen some great wahoo action. Most of the bigger wahoos are coming on rigged ballyhoo down deep on blue/white or black/white skirts. There has also been some spotty yellowfin action, and as the water continues to cool the yellowfin with get even better as they move through the area on their way south.
Offshore, it’s bluefin tuna time. Recent reports have them all over the Horseshoe and the Cabbage Patch areas. Horse ballyhoo and rigged menhaden are the baits of choice
King mackerel are also in the bite, and around the Tower seems to be the spot of choice. This time of year the kings will bite also most anything: drone spoons, pirate plugs, rigged ballyhoo, etc. The offshore king mackerel will bite most of the winter in the 23 Mile Rock area and the Frying Pan Tower area
As for the offshore bottom fishing, it’s grouper time. The big gags have moved inshore to spawn, and they’re hungry. Cigar minnows, Boston mackerel, squid, and cut bait all work.
Black sea bass are also plentiful in the nearshore waters. Squid and cut bait will work on any of the area rocks and reefs.
The grouper will move back offshore once the water gets good and cold, but the sea bass will stick around all the way through the winter. Once the really cold months have arrived, the 20 mile range will work best.
Bruce, at Flat Dawg Charters, reports that the trout fishing has been very good in the Carolina Beach Yacht Basin area and the CB Inlet. Berkley Gulps and DOA shrimp have been the best baits to use.
A few reds and flounder are hanging around and hitting artificials intended for trout. The recent rains have shut down the fishing in the Cape Fear River, but it will slowly pick back up.
Russ, at Kure Beach Pier, reports a solid month of fishing in November, with shrimp the hot bait of the month. Bottom fishing with shrimp has produced red drum around 5-6 pounds and black drum up to 5 pounds for pier anglers.
Whiting up to a pound and speckled trout have also been hitting shrimp well over the month.
In the cooler water of the past weeks, the croakers, skates, and sharks have been abundant and interested in shrimp.
The water temperature is 61 degrees.
