Carolina Beach – May 12, 2016
Red, of Island Tackle and Hardware, reports that plenty of Atlantic bonito are being caught around 4-5 miles off the beach, with many boats filling their coolers and limiting out. Sight casting jigs at the feeding fish has been the way to connect with the bonito.
Nice-sized spanish are being caught from a few miles off the beach all the way in to the piers.
A bit further out in the 8 mile range, king mackerel are being caught trolling cigar minnows.
Offshore and in the Gulf Stream, wahoo and blackfin tuna have been reported. Bottom fishermen have been connecting with black sea bass, snappers, and triggerfish.
Surf casters are still catching whiting on cut shrimp and plenty of bluefish using various cut baits.
Inshore, trout and drum are being caught, along with some smaller flounder and sheepshead. Look for trout and drum around the basin and Snow’s Cut area, and the fish will fall for Gulp and other artificials. The sheepshead can be found around the rocks and the bridge, and fiddler crabs are the best bet for connecting.
Daniel Gutierrez with a 17 pompano he caught on a bottom rig and shrimp while surf fishing in Freeman Park.
Luke, of TopWater Guide Company, reports that red drum are being caught in the lower Cape Fear using Down South soft plastics in magic brass and red shad colors. The best fishing as of late has been the end of the rising and the start of the falling tides.
Around Carolina Beach up in the creeks, drum are being caught using topwater plugs and spoons.
Trout have also been taking interest in topwater plugs in the same areas. The best time has been early in the morning around grass points in 4-8’ of water.
There is starting to be a nice push of finger mullet and pogies up to the middle of the river, so with plentiful bait around, expect the good fishing to continue.
Evan Hayes, of Wilmington, with a 15 black drum he caught while kayak fishing around Zekes Island in Fort Fisher.
Jesse, of Ocean Stinger Charters, reports that nearshore the bonito and spanish mackerel are being caught in the 5-10 mile range. Areas such as the Liberty Ship and AR-372 have been good spots in particular for trolling Clarkspoons in silver/green or silver/pink colors. Fish have also been caught sight casting using silver and gold casting jigs.
Gulf Stream trips are producing mahi, blackfin tuna, and wahoo. The hot spots have been the Same Ol’ hole north to Swansboro, and the best lures have been the Blue Water Candy black and purple Jags and Fathom offshore skirt rigs. Set lines back 150-200’ behind the boat and troll between 7-9 mph.
Out around Frying Pan Tower, king mackerel are being caught trolling Eco Spoons and cigar minnows set back 200’ behind the boat.
Brandon Mayo, of Carolina Beach, with a red drum that fell for a VuDu shrimp near Deep Creek.
Rod, of OnMyWay Charters, reports that the spring run is in full swing.
Close to the beach, the spanish mackerel fishing has been excellent, with some fish being over 20” in length. Plenty of bluefish have also been mixed in with the spanish.
Out a bit further around 10 miles off Carolina Beach, king mackerel and false albacore are hitting spoons and slow trolled cigar minnows.
In the 18-35 mile range, bottom fishing has been very productive with catches of large sea bass, snapper, and grouper.
Gulf Stream fishing has been great with mahi, wahoo, blackfin tuna, and even a few yellowfins. A good area has been from just south of the Steeples to the Devils Hole. Look for the temperature breaks, rips, and floating debris to find the fish.
Shannon Clark, of Wilmington, with a 32 lb. cobia she landed on a Williamson jig off Carolina Beach Inlet. She was fishing with her husband Capt. Rennie Clark of Tournament Trail Charters.
Mekyan, of Kure Beach Pier, reports that pier anglers casting plugs are hooking up with bluefish and a few spanish mackerel.
Emma Coffey, of Wilmington, with a 14 bluefish she caught in the surf at Fort Fisher. The fish fell for a MirrOlure Top Dog lure.
BJ, of Carolina Beach Pier, reports that anglers casting plugs are connecting with spanish mackerel and bluefish.
Bottom fishermen are seeing catches of whiting on cut shrimp, and flounder have been landed using live bait or various cut baits.
King mackerel anglers have not hooked into any kings yet, but some large bluefish have been caught.
The water temperature is 67 degrees.
Austin Dishman with a 27.5″ citation spanish he caught off Carolina Beach, while fishing with Capt. Mark Cogdell of Lucky 13 Sportfishing. The fish hit a Big Nic Spanish Candy jig.
