Carolina Beach Fishing Reports Blast from the Past

Cape Fear River grand slam, check out the photos with this grand slam. Flounder, Blues, Red Drum, Speckled Trout these guys had a blast. Inshore – the Flounder fishing has been great now the Finger Mullet have finally moved in which is even better. Speckled Trout fishing is still doing well in the Cape Fear River. Red Drum fishing has been good around the docks in the ICW. Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach Inlets have some of these fish in the 30 inch range. Nearshore – right outside the Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach inlets the Spanish are still doing well with a few Kings and Cobia mixed in. Capt Charles Powell Charlie’s Charters 910-279-0966 charliesfishingcharters.com

Hi Folks, Fishing is on fire this past week. Spanish mackerel head the list with reds a close second. We even caught a nice king on a 1/4 oz. “Maria” jig. Please see the photo gallery on my website for all the pics. Now here’s my report: Inshore: Redfishing has heated up and fish are biting very well. Live bait has moved into the area and the reds seem to like it. Flounder are doing well near the inlets and some are biting in Snow’s Cut and the river. A few big bluefish in the 6 pound range have been terrorizing live bait in some of the creeks. Near Shore: Spanish mackerel continue to be the big bite here. Trolling with clarkspoons and bird rigs or casting with small jigs has been producing very nice catches. Beware: kings have moved in with all the bait and may hit your lure....

The inshore fishing continues to be good with catches of red drum, speckled trout, flounder, black drum, sheephead, spanish mackerel and bluefish. I have been concentrating my efforts on redfish and speckled trout lately and picking up a few flounder, black drum, ladyfish, and bluefish mixed in. The spanish mackerel have been thick right off the beach. The speckled trout bite has slacked off a bit but we are still catching them on the nicer days with light winds. The redfish bite has been good. We just have to cover some water and locate the small schools around oyster points and docks. Some points and docks may produce as many as twelve to fourteen fish. Check out some of the photos from the past couple of weeks. These are just a few of the many good catches we have had lately. Thanks, Jeff Wolfe Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters 910-619-9580

Hi Folks, Whew, what a week, plus. We have been fishing everyday and catching too. Flounder, reds and spanish have been our main catches, but lots of other fish are biting as well. Now here’s my report: Inshore: Flounder are biting at the usual spots near the inlets and in the waterway. The river is also producing some nice fish. Live menhaden on carolina rigs work well but don’t hesitate to use GULP SW and a jig head. They catch fish too. Reds have been biting on the falling tide in the ICW and the creeks. chunk bait (any oily fish) will get the job done. Near Shore: Spanish mackerel are THE bite. Possibly the best spanish bite in many years. Clarkspoons trolled on planers and bird rigs, casting jigs and gotchas…all bringing in nice spanish. Just check out the photo gallery too see. A few cobia have been biting....

Fishing tip of the week: This time of year it is a lot of fun to go to the mouth of the Cape Fear River & hook up with large black tip & hammerhead sharks. If you want to catch a 75 to 125 pound shark you need a heavy duty rod & reel, 40 to 60 lb test line, steel leader, & a big hook. For bait I use whatever is available. There is always small fish at the mouth of the river. Just use a pier rig to catch a smaller fish & use the whole fish as bait for shark. Be sure to set your drag. Inshore the flounder bite has picked up. A lot of small speckled trout, bluefish, some red & black drum, a few Virginia mullet, croaker, & lots of sharks. In the surf small flounder, red drum, bluefish, Virginia mullet, & croaker. On the piers bluefish, small....

Fishing Tip#61420 is about weather conditions. The day before you go fishing it is very important to get a good weather report paying special attention to tides and wind direction. Some fishermen make their mind up where they’re going to fish & don’t take into consideration wind direction. Think about the wind & think about the spot you’re going to fish. Wind direction makes a big difference in how your boat will lay & how rough the water will be. You can always find a good fishing spot out of the wind if you think about wind direction & what direction your spot faces. If you see a spot you’ve never fished at that looks good don’t pass it up, fish it. That’s what makes a good fisherman. You will be rewarded with nice catches and new fishing holes. So follow your wits, not other boats. It’s hard to catch a....

Fishing Tip #61320: is on setting the hook for inshore fishing. I have noticed a lot of my charters go into the panic mode when they have a small bite. As soon as the fish comes in contact with the hook, don’t jerk jerk jerk, let the fish pull then set the hook. Keep the tip up in the air & reel steady. Enjoy the time it takes to land the fish. You will catch a lot more fish by not panicking when you get a bite. What's Hit'n: On the piers they are catching about the same as last week. Virginia Mullet, flounder, blue fish, spots, and croakers. In the surf pompano, flounder, puppy drum, virginia mullet, black drum, blue fish, spots, and sharks. Inshore we are catching some nice red drum, black drum, blues, flounders, spots, gray trout, speckled trout, and croakers. Offshore they are catching barracuda, king mackerel, dolphin, and....

Fishing Tip #61220: There is no doubt that live minnows work better than dead minnows. But sometimes they are hard to get. In the dredge hole the peanut pogge(menhaden) are very plentiful. I’ll go catch several dozen, & ice them down good. Then when I get home I put them in small ziplock bags & freeze them. They make excellent bait when minnows are hard to find. What's Hit'n: On the piers a lot of small flounder & Virginia mullet, black drum, bluefish, shark, & croaker. In the surf some red drum, bluefish, Virginia mullet, black drum, flounder, & croaker. Inshore a few red drum, speckled trout, flounder, black drum, bluefish, & croaker. Offshore on the bottom gag & red grouper, black bass, snapper, & grunts. On the top near shore Spanish mackerel, bonito, & bluefish. On the top 20 to 35 miles offshore large king mackerel, wahoo, & dolphin. Keep fishing & stay safe.....

Fishing Tip #61120: The wind has finally let up enough where we were able to get out to the mouth of the Cape Fear River & fish for Virginia mullet. But the croaker are so thick it’s hard to get past them to see what else is there. Hopefully the croaker will move out soon & we’ll have better catches of Virginia mullet. What's Hit'n: Inshore Virginia mullet, speckled trout bite has picked up a little bit, red drum, black drum, blues, lots of croaker, & shark. In the surf catching a few black drum & small red drum, a few Virginia mullet, small croaker, some bluefish, & small flounder. On the piers Spanish mackerel, a few bonito, bluefish, Virginia mullet, flounder, black drum, & shark. Offshore on the bottom snapper, grouper, beeliners, black bass, grunt, & shark. Keep fishing & stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters Debbie & Holly caught & released....

Fishing Tip #61020: In the past week Spanish mackerel have shown up as well as some bonito. Best spot is right outside of Carolina Beach inlet. What's Hit'n: Caught & released a 28 lb red drum next to the Bald Head Island marina entrance while fishing for Virginia mullet. In the surf catching a few black drum & small red drum, a few decent size Virginia mullet, small croaker, some bluefish, & small flounder. On the piers Spanish mackerel, bluefish, Virginia mullet, flounder, black drum, & shark. Inshore Virginia mullet, a few speckled trout, red drum, black drum, bluefish, croaker, & sharks. Offshore on the bottom snapper, grouper, beeliners, black bass, grunt, & shark. Keep fishing & stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters Hank from Winston Salem, NC caught & released this 28 lb red drum next to the Bald Head Island marina entrance while fishing for Virginia mullet aboard Affordable Charter.

Fishing Tip #6920: This is the time of year that fishing starts to pick up a little bit in the waterways, river, & bays. But don’t forget that it’s just June. Don’t let your expectations be too high. The good fishing starts when you start seeing lots of minnow & shrimp. This will be around late June through November. That’s when you will have some great catches! So if you catch a few fish this time of year you’ve done well. What's Hit'n: On the piers a few Virginia mullet, large bluefish, croaker, black drum, some small flounder, & shark. In the surf large bluefish, a few Virginia mullet, red & black drum, small flounder, & shark. Inshore we had a good spring run of Virginia mullet but still catching a few. Still catching speckled trout, red & black drum, flounder, small croaker, small spots & shark. Offshore on the....

Fishing Tip #6820: This past week has been extremely windy. This makes it very hard for surf fishing to keep your tackle from washing ashore due to the current. The key is to fish at low tide in between sandbars. The sandbars will block the current. What's Hit'n: In the surf a few nice sized bluefish, black drum, Virginia mullet, & some small croaker. On the piers small flounder, Spanish mackerel, a few large bluefish around the 10 lb. range, shark, Virginia mullet, & small croaker. Inshore Spanish mackerel, bluefish, a few speckled trout, red & black drum, Virginia mullet, & small croaker. Keep fishing & stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters

Fishing Tip #6620: When the surf fishing is as slow as it has been this past week you need to fish a spot for a short time & then move to the next hole. It’s a good way to pick a flounder or 2 at a new spot . This will increase your catch on a slow day. What's Hit'n: In the surf bluefish, red drum, small flounder, croaker & Virginia mullet. Inshore red & black drum, still some large bluefish, speckled trout, flounder, black bass, Virginia mullet, & croaker. On the piers flounder, bluefish, a few Virginia mullet, croaker, shark & Spanish mackerel. Offshore on the bottom gag, red, & hognose grouper, snapper, black bass, lots of beeliner, grunt & shark. Keep fishing & stay safe. Captain John Carty Billy, Robert, & Lucie caught some nice speckled trout this past weekend aboard Affordable Charters. (pictured above) Grace, Joey, Claire & their dad Todd....

Hello everyone! Yes I am still alive, sorry for the lack of reports. Most of you already know we have 2 new boats for the 08 season, a brand new 22 Ranger with a 250hp Suzuki and a Custom Beavertail Flats boat with a 70 Yahama. I have been busy switching over to the new boats and have been really busy fishing. Today I had the Adrenaline Outdoors TV crew on board and we shot an awesome Spanish Mackerel show. Keep a eye out for it on the Sportsman’s channel in the near future.. The season is IN FULL SWING!! This week I am going to let the pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy! Capt. Matt Wirt 910-540-0570 Wilmington, NC First Redfish on the Beavertail. First Flounder too! Sharks on the flats! 98 years old and still fishing! AWESOME!! The kings are on fire right now! Lots of Kings! Limiting out....

The red drum have been holding around the ICW docks and the rock wall jetties down at Fort Fisher. Despite the weather, the weekend ended nice. You would have thought gas was a dollar a gallon, anyway on with our local fishing report. The river is still holding some nice speckled trout, choice of baits has been live shrimp & artificial DOA shrimp in green, white and new penny. The flounder bite is starting to take off with some nice catches anywhere from 2 lbs to 8 lbs. Live bait is best choice pogies, mud-minnows and cut bait on Carolina rigs. Remember when fishing with live bait be patient let him eat it. Capt. Charles Powell

Hi Folks, Spanish mackerel fishing is as hot as it gets. Undoubtedly the best spanish fishing in years is happening now. Planers with clarkspoons, bird rigs with clarkspoons and casting with jigs….all are catching nice spanish along the beach. Catching a limit is predictable, but use good sense and conserve. Inshore: The flounder bite is doing well although the fish are particular about the tide and it seems bait too. Best fishing has been on the incoming tide and the beginning of the falling tide. Best bait has been live menhaden, but if you cannot get the live bait, try GULP on a 1/4 oz. jig. Bait is getting better and better inshore and the reds are showing up with it. Near Shore: Spanish, spanish and more spanish is the bite! A few cobia are being spotted, but catches are few as yet. Large blues are still around. Offshore: Kings....

The inshore fishing continues to be good with catches of red drum, speckled trout, black drum, bluefish, and spanish mackerel. We are also catching a few sheephead and flounder. The speckled trout are really nice fish with some weighing over four pounds. We have also had some great catches of redfish 19″ to 31″ Hopefully June will turn out to be as good as May. Thanks, Jeff Wolfe Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters 910-619-9580

Fishing tip of the week: Here at Carolina Beach we have a great fishing charter fleet. Head boats, sport fishing boats, & inshore fishing boats. These services are not just for tourist. I have customers that think it is great just to step on the boat with drinks & snacks. No gas, rods, tackle , bait, ice, etc. etc. etc. We have all types of fishing around this area from fly fishing to deep sea fishing. So if you enjoy fishing take advantage of these services. You won’t be sorry. Inshore red & black drum, still some large bluefish, speckled trout, flounder, black bass, Virginia mullet, & croaker. In the surf bluefish, red drum, small flounder, croaker, & Virginia mullet. On the piers flounder, bluefish, a few Virginia mullet, croakers, sharks, & Spanish mackerel. Offshore on the bottom grouper, snapper, black bass, lots of beeliners, grunts, & sharks. Keep fishing....

Fished Friday this week on the LUCKY STRIKE in the 30 mile range, had multiple hook ups on dolphin. Capt.Mike Dennis (910) 619-0928

Inshore: The flounder are biting pretty well in the inlets and the river Live menhaden has been the best bait and the incoming tide worked well for us today. Redfish are start to show but better numbers are coming just around the corner so to speak. Looks like we are going to have a pretty nice weekend and the fish are biting. I had a really nice couple today, fishing on their anniversary (her choice and what a lucky guy). We caught four flounder and one redfish. Near Shore: Some cobia sightings have been reported. Big chopper blues and “normal” size blues are biting well and the spanish bite is good as well. Offshore: From the 12 mile areas to the Tower, the king mack bite is good. Favorite spots are the Schoolhouse and the 23 mile rock. Gulfstream: Big mahi, wahoo and a few tuna have been reported. Some....

Inshore: Fishing has been good one day and slow to stopped the next. This is fairly typical in the spring and totally unpredictable. On the good days we did have some nice action on reds and blacks. Best bait has been shrimp fished on a carolina rig with a #2 wide bend hook. The live bait is starting to show up and look for the flounder bite to kick off hard soon. Near Shore: We are still having good catches of bonito and the first big spanish of the season have arrived. We caught two yesterday in the 3+ pound range. Best near shore bait right now has been the Yozuri Crystal Minnow Deep Diver fished trolling and 3 to 3.2 knots. Use spinning gear and have some fun. Offshore: King macks are biting from 10 miles on out to the Tower. Cigar minnows and ballyhoo work well. Try some....

Fishing tip of the week: For you fishermen that hire inshore fishing guides, if you intend to target drum, flounder, or trout try to keep it to 3 or less anglers. You will have a lot more fun, especially this time of year. If you catch 10 or less this would be a good day, but if you have 6 anglers 10 fish would not be so good. On the piers bluefish, Virginia mullet, croaker, flounder, & shark. On the surf red & black drum, bluefish, Virginia mullet, & small flounder. Inshore lots of small croaker, some red & black drum, Virginia mullet, black bass, a few speckled trout, & flounder. Offshore on the bottom beeliner, grouper, snapper, black bass, grunts, & shark. Keep fishing & stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters Erin from New York City caught her first red drum while fishing aboard Affordable Charters

Fishing tip of the week: In the past week Spanish mackerel have shown up as well as some bonito. Best spot is right outside of Carolina Beach inlet. In the surf red & black drum, speckled trout, a few small flounder, Virginia mullet, croaker & shark. In the surf bluefish, red & black drum, Virginia mullet, & croaker. On the piers Spanish mackerel, bluefish, Virginia mullet, flounder, & shark. Offshore on the bottom snapper, grouper, beeliners, black bass, grunt, & shark. Keep fishing & stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters

The inshore fishing has been really good lately with catches of red drum, speckled trout, black drum, flounder and bluefish. Many of the red drum are over the slot, drag screaming fish and a blast on light tackle. The trout are not as thick as they were but are larger fish, 2 to 3 lbs. We are picking up a few flounder mixed in with the trout and reds. My thirteen year old son Christian has been doing really well in the waterway fishing out of his 16′ Carolina Skiff catching red drum, black drum, and bluefish. He is already an accomplished angler and is excellent at operating a boat. Check out some the photos from the past couple of weeks. These are just a few of the many good catches we have had lately. It is time to go fishing. May is shaping up to be an outstanding month. Thanks, Jeff 910-619-9580 Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters

Fishing tip of the week: This is the time of year that fishing starts to pick up a little bit in the waterways, river, & bays. But don’t forget that it’s just May. Don’t let your expectations be too high. The good fishing starts when you start seeing lots of minnow & shrimp. This will be around late June through November. That’s when you will have some great catches! So if you catch a few fish this time of year you’ve done well. On the piers a few Virginia mullet, large bluefish, croaker, some small flounder, & shark. In the surf large bluefish, a few Virginia mullet, pompano, red & black drum, small flounder, & shark. Inshore we had a good spring run of Virginia mullet but the big run is over now. Still catching speckled trout, red & black drum, flounder, small croaker, & shark. Offshore on the bottom....

Inshore: Reds and trout are biting in the inlets, the ICW and the river. Best baits right now are GULP SW and fresh shrimp or cut bait. A few flounder are starting to show up…a bit on the smaller size. Near Shore: Bluefish are just about everywhere. Catch-em trolling Yozuri Deep Divers or jigging with you favorite jigging spoon. Bonito are around and the best method right now is trolling: you can do this two ways; try trolling Deep Divers and 3-3.4 kts. or use clarkspoons on planers at 5-6 kts. The deep divers are more sporting. Offshore: The kings are getting closer…25-30 miles. Bottom fishing for grouper in the 30-40 mile range is good. Gulfstream: I have received reports of great mahi catches with some yellowfin and blackfin tuna added to the catch. Wahoo have been biting as well. Outlook: Look for things to fire off fast now. The....

Fishing tip of the week: For those of you that like to surf fish the reports are good. This past week there were some large red drum caught on the north end (Freeman Park) & a lot of very large blue fish. Best time has been late afternoon. In the surf lots of big blues, some were weighed in at 9 to 13 lbs. Nice size pompano, Virginia mullet, red drum, shark, flounder, & black drum. On the piers, blues, Virginia mullet, croaker, pompano, flounder, & shark. Inshore speckled trout, red drum, small croaker, pompano, & shark. Offshore on the bottom grouper, snapper, lots of beeliners, some black bass, grunts, ringtails & sharks. Keep fishing & stay safe Captain John Carty Affordable Charters Stuart from Laurinburg, NC caught this nice speckled trout & red drum aboard Affordable Charter. (picture above) Lee, Lee Jr, & Sue caught some red drum aboard Affordable Charters. (picture....

Inshore – The speckled trout bite has been on fire, we tried a variety of artificial lures and it seems the new penny DOA did very well. the blues are also in the inlets and we really had a blast sight casting to these guys using Gotcha Plugs and Mira Jigs. Just a hint look for the birds. We also landed a couple of nice keeper flounder using pogies and cut mullet. Things are finally starting to heat up. Capt. Charles Powell Charlie’s Charters 910-279-0966 flounderman3@bellsouth.net

Inshore Carolina Beach fishing – the water temp is up and getting better as days go on. So book your trip today for a fun day of fishing. Virginia Mullet is still biting well around the Bald Head Island area, fresh shrimp not frozen on a two drop bottom rig works well. Also some really nice Speckled Trout have been caught the past couple of days. In the Cape Fear River around the islands live shrimp and new penny DOA are working great. The Red Drum are also starting to bite well around the docks of the ICW anywhere from Carolina Beach to Wrightsville Beach. Near Shore – Bluefish and Bonito have showed up so its time to start jigging Sting Silvers Gottcha Plugs. It seems that the fish are getting hungry so whatever you have in that tackle box might work. In the surf, catches of Bluefish and some....

Inshore fishing is picking up due to the rising water temperature. Some good catches of Virginia mullet, lots of small croaker, small spot, some speckled trout, a few gray trout, flounder, red drum, & good catches of black drum. On the piers Virginia mullet, croaker, nice size bluefish, & a few small flounder. On the surf there are reports of large bluefish weighing in at the 9 & 10 lb range, some small flounder, black drum, & shark. Offshore on the bottom black bass, grunt, snapper, gag & red grouper. Fishing tip of the week: The small menhaden have shown up at the dredge hole. Live bait has been a hard thing to get lately so this should mean better flounder catches in the very near future. Keep fishing & stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters 910-616-3957 Mike caught & released this nice drum while fishing aboard Affordable Charters (above photo) Scott....

Inshore: Puppy drum and a few small flounder are biting on the low tide around the inlets, ICW and creeks. I haven’t seen a black drum as yet, but they will surely show up soon….maybe on today’s trip. Near Shore: I have been “told” that the bonito are out at the liberty ship, but high wind and seas have thus far prevented me from seeing for myself. This may change as soon as tomorrow or Friday based on the wind predictions. Offshore: No reports. Gulfstream: No reports. That’s all for this week. Until next time, Let’s Go Fishing !!!! Capt. Rick Bennett Rod-Man Charters 910-799-6120

Carolina Beach Fishing is doing well and we have had quite a few nice catches. The weather is better but still throwing us curve balls. This should end after today with the weather forecasted to hit the mid to upper 70’s. We are working with the weather and not against it and are just fishing for whatever is biting the best right now. Inshore and near shore we are doing well around the docks in the ICW with the red and black drum. Fresh shrimp is the bait of choice fished on a carolina rig. Specked trout are biting well in the river and around Topsail. Berkley Gulp jerk baits and shrimp seem to be the top producers for the trout. Virginia mullet are still biting well at the mouth of the Cape Fear River on fresh shrimp in 17-25’ of water. The blue fish are on fire at the....

Red Drum, Black Drum, and Speckled Trout. Good Fishing! The inshore fishing continues to be strong with good catches of red drum, black drum, and speckled trout. The bluefish are showing up in good numbers and some of the larger ones 8 to 12 lbs are showing up on the inshore waters. There are also a few flounder and striped bass being caught. The virginia mullet and gray trout are still in the lower part of the Cape Fear river. The spanish mackerel and sheephead should be showing up in the next week or so and we will have a good variety of species to catch. The wind and the speckled trout bite has kept me off of the flats lately. Hopefully we will get a slick calm day at low water to go and look for some redfish with the Ranger flats boat. Check out some of the photos....

The inshore fishing continues to be good with catches of speckled trout, red drum, black drum, and virginia mullet. There are also a few small flounder showing up along with some bluefish. Some of the trout we are catching are weighing over 4 lbs. Most of the red drum we are catching 17″ to 18″ with a few that are in the slot. Most of the black drum are nice fish 3 to 4 pounders. There are also a few small flounder and bluefish showing up. It has been to windy for the past week to get on the flats with the Ranger flats boat and fish for reds, but I am confident that they are still there. Almost all of these fish are in the slot 20″ to 27″ with a few that are over the slot 27″ to 30″. Hopefully the wind will lay out this week and....

Cape Fear River today has Black Drum, Red Drum, Virginia Mullet biting. Carolina rigs with shrimp are the best bait to use right now, rising tide yielded the best catch. Capt.Mike Dennis (910) 619-0928 www.capefear-guide.com

Inshore fishing has been good over the past week, despite the windy conditions. We are catching speckled trout, red drum, black drum, whiting, and sharks. These fish are a blast to catch on lures or live bait. Everyone has had a great time and enjoyed their day of fishing. Now is a great time to book your spring or summer fishing trips. If you would like to do a shrimping charter, we can do that as well. Thanks for checking out the report. Remember to have fun when you are fishing. Life is too short, enjoy your time on the water. Thanks Capt. Robert Schoonmaker Carolina Explorer.com

Upper slot red drum: We're doing well and we have been catching everything from upper slot red drum, many 3 pound speckled trout, gray trout, tautog, black drum, bluefish, and sharks just to name a few. The weather has been fantastic and the fishing has been great right along with it. Inshore: The water temps have been ranging from 60 in the ICW to 66 degrees on the flats back in the bay. The red drum seem to be out of their winter pattern and are feeding heavily with the warmer water. Dead low tide on warm sunny days provides the best results. We are catching them with Gulp shrimp and jerk baits. There are many new reds coming in fresh off the ocean with sea lice attached to them and they are foraging around for food. These guys are aggressive and willing to take a hook! Dock fishing in....

Offshore fishing, on top there have been reports of small king mackerel, wahoo and some black fin. On the bottom, there have been reports of black bass and some grouper. Near shore there are still some gray trout, Virginia mullet and small black bass. The waterways and basin are still producing some speckled trout, red drum and a few flounder are starting to bite. In the river, some black drum are starting to bite. A few red drum, croakers, Virginia mullet, small black bass, shark, stingrays and skates. Kure Beach pier will be opening up next week, so I will try to have a pier report ready. Keep fishing and stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters

At John’s Creek, High Rock and the new dredge spot about a half mile off Kure Beach pier there have been some good catches of gray trout, a few Virginia mullet and small black bass right off the beach. Inshore, the fishing is getting better also. If you like fishing for Virginia mullet go to the mouth of the Cape Fear River. We have had some good catches last week. They are not very big, but very good eating size at about a pound apiece. The piers will be opening soon so we will start having pier reports. I think the cold weather is out of here, spring has sprung. So get your fishing gear out of hibernation and start fishing. Good new for ya’ll that fish on the south end. The Fort Fisher Trading Post has now expanded their fishing section and is now selling live minnows. Stop by....

Inshore fishing has really turned on this past week. On my recent charters we have had some good catches of speckled trout, red drum, black drum, and virginia mullet. On one trip we had an excellent catch of speckled trout with one that weighed over 4 pounds. There was also a couple of red drum and black drum mixed in. There was also a really big red drum or black drum that took the bait, exploded the water, screamed the drag and broke the leader on the bottom. What a sight! It still bothers me when I think about it. I have also been seeing some nice schools of redfish 40 to 70 fish on the flats, but they have been reluctant to take the artificials we have been throwing at them. It is still alot of fun to see and try to catch these fish. We have also been....

"Topwater Speckled Trout" video was just added which is really cool to watch. Check it out! This season is off to a great start and we sure have had some great weather. This weekend it is going to be in the 80’s and it is reminding me of the Florida weather I was able to enjoy over the winter. We are doing well on the near shore wrecks with the Sharks, Tautog’s and other bottom dwelling species and we even caught a monster 4 lb ring tail! Inshore the redfish are biting well on Berkley Gulp! on the warmer days in the shallow water, and they are also biting well in the ICW on dead shrimp fished on a carolina rig. They key this time of year is a slow presentation and patience. The blue fish bite is starting to pick up and the Spanish should not be far behind.....

Whiting or Virginia Mullet: I fished Thursday on an inshore charter found the Virginia mullet up the Cape Fear River near Southport. The bite will be improving for the next couple of weeks. I am open to fish all of next week, Virginia mullet have showed up in the Cape Fear river. Also: I am going to offer a special rate, this year for one angler charters on the Pathfinder Bay boat, I want to keep this boat fishing everyday this season! You will experience, some of the best live bait fishing this area, has to offer! Light tackle live bait spinning gear, target species will be trout, red fish, flounder, near-shore fishing will include kings, spanish, dolphin, on the days we can fish outside. Captain Mike Dennis Cape Fear Guide 910-619-0928

CB Spring fishing is just around the corner. If you are thinking about a spring carolina beach fishing charter, now is the time to start planning your trips. Bluefish and Bonito will be here soon. Right now we are catching lots of whiting, speckled trout, and red drum. The trout and redfish fishing has improved with the warmer weather. Most of the fish have been caught on artificial lures and live shrimp. I have been pulling the shrimp net as part of the charter and everyone loves catching shrimp. The best part is using them for bait. Everyone has enjoyed the new trolling motor, It allows us to cover lots of ground and makes lure fishing a blast. On our charters we have been having a blast catching lots of black sea bass and sharks. The Spiney sharks are here in great numbers. These sharks are 4 to 10 pounds....

Speckled Trout and drum catches are good this week. This week has been a beautiful week temperature wise. Water temperatures are on the way up. There are still stripped bass, red drum and catfish north in the river. Stripped bass have been caught on live eels. The beach renourishment is now over, so the fishing in the surf should pick up. The mouth of the Cape Fear River is still the best spot to catch croakers, sea mullet and small pan fish. So let’s keep our fingers crossed that March has no cold weather. Still no report for offshore. Keep fishing and stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters The Gray Rider caught these nice stripped bass fishing with live eels. The Gray Rider caught this red drum this past fall.

Stripped Bass Around Wilmington. 3This past week the wind has been extra strong, especially offshore. I did see some stripped bass that were caught in a net up around Wilmington, as well as some catfish. That’s good news. I’m sure there would be a few drum also up around that area. Lots of fun. Keep fishing and stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters Arthur Carty with his son Larry Carty in 1977. Larry Carty with his son Robert in 2005 after a fishing trip.

The inshore fishing is picking up and should be getting better. There are some really good catches of nice size Virginia mullet. I had Cheri from NJ on half day trip with me on 3/6 and she caught 44. We are catching them on shrimp and Berkley Gulp crabs. There are also a some red drum on the flats,around the oyster beds and docks and in the inlets. There are also a few speckled trout in the inlet and in the river. The shad should be showing up at the lock and damn in the next couple of weeks. Thanks, Jeff Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters 910-619-9580

Offshore Carolina Beach fishing for Kings and Albacore. We have been back from Florida for a week now and our charters out of Carolina Beach have been doing well. We are still hit and miss on the redfish but that is winter fishing. The red drum bite is getting more and more consistent with the warm weather and we got 8 small redfish in about a ½ hour today fishing docks in the ICW. Dead shrimp on a carolina rig has been producing the best but we did get one to take a Berkley Gulp! shrimp. The water temp has been between 56 and 61 and with this temp so warm so early in the year it is shaping up to be a GREAT year for fishing. I am expecting to see the water temp around 65 tomorrow on the flats. I have not ran across the trout again yet,....

Fishing Report: Large Black Bass And Some Flounder, Offshore the wind let up for a few hours to get a report. Large black bass and some flounder are being caught. This was about 20 miles offshore. In the last few days the surf temperature has risen to 51 degrees. The trout bite is about the same. The beach renourishment project has caused trout fishermen to shop around more on the surf which has paid off. In the waterways and basin some bigger trout than last week and some drum are being caught. Let’s hope the weather will stay out f the low 30’s for the next few weeks. Keep fishing and stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters

I am still in Florida fishing in Pine Island and the Everglades and will return to NC the first of March to tangle with some shallow water NORTH CAROLINA redfish and to get everything ready for the up coming charter fishing season. It is shaping up to be a great year with the somewhat mild winter NC has had. I’m sure the spring fishing will be great! Trips are starting to book up, and if you would like to get out there this season, just give us a call! Here is a true story that just happened to me that any angler can relate to. I hope this holds you over until my next report which should be full of North Carolina fishing! “The one that got away.” By Capt. Matt Wirt There is something ingrained in the mind of a angler that requires us to go back after “The....

Outboard motors and out drive water pumps. I have seen so many time people starting their boat motors at the boat ramp before launching to make sure everything is working properly. (BIG MISTAKE!) Your outboard and out drive has a rubber impella inside a stainless steel housing. We all know friction creates heat. When you hit your starter you are spinning your rubber water pump, which without water will cause it to melt on the stainless steel housing. This will lead to very expensive problems. A pump impella should be replaced at least every two years. Average cost for an impella is about $50.00 if you do it yourself. I do mine about twice a year due to the fact that I use my boat about every day. If you feel you can’t do this on your own, have it done by a professional. It will be money well spent.....

Spook Fish Out Of A Fishing Hole, when fishing in shallow water it is very easy to spook fish out of a fishing hole. It is important to approach your spot quietly and slowly. Have your anchor ready and don’t throw it overboard. Let it down gently. Even dropping or slamming a cooler lid will scare fish away. Your boat is like an amplified drum. Talking loud or radios have no affect. Be sure you have a good anchor that won’t drag. If you have bait leftover, don’t throw it away. If it’s still in good condition, immediately after you get home, freeze it for another day. Shrimp and minnows are hard to come by at certain times of the year. In the surf, people are still catching speckled trout and a few red drum. Inshore fishing is still very slow with still a few speckled trout and drum being....

Well, we are half way through the boat show and fishing school season and that much closer to spring fishing. Water temperatures are in the low 50’s and that is good for this time of year. I am hoping for an early spring. I was fortunate to spend 8 wonderful days fishing in Florida last month. We caught reds, trout, flounder, snook, pompano and ladyfish…all on GULP jerk baits and medium light tackle. My wife and I met many nice new friends at the Greensboro and Raleigh Boat Shows. Last weekend, my Raleigh Fishing School was a big success. This weekend I will be going to the International Rodbuilders Expo in High Point; hopefully to get some new rod building ideas and plenty of rod building components. I just put the Rod-Man back in the water. She has a new trolling motor this year, which will add new possibilities to....

The fishing for me has been pretty slow lately. I have been managing to get out on the water a few days the past couple of weeks. We are catching a few small reds with an occasional larger fish mixed in. The best day produced seven reds. I also had one trip with four reds and a nice flounder. The water temps are going up and spring right around the corner! I will be getting out there a couple of days this week to see what is going on. Check out the photos from the past two weeks. Thanks, Jeff Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters 910-619-9580

Safety Tips For Your Fishing Trip: Last week I wrote about exploring the river for new fishing spots. There are a few very important safety tips I need to tell you about. The first one is logs. When the river makes extremely high tides, large logs will float off the banks, so keep a very sharp eye out for any floating objects. Another hazard is big ships. These ships push so much water that after the ship passes, if you are near shore you will see the water sucking out from under your boat and then comes the tidal wave. You do not want to be in this situation. The way to avoid this is before the ship gets to your location, move into deeper water. You will not even feel the wave in deep water. As soon as these waves hit shallow water you will see the chaos they....

Carolina Beach inshore fishing casting, if your casting ability is not very good and you would like to improve it, it is very easy and fun to practice in your yard. Just set up a bucket or some sort of target and practice casting towards the target. Being able to cast to a strategic spot will greatly improve your catches. Inshore, people are catching croakers, a few Virginia mullet, black and red drum, speckled trout, stripped bass and catfish. No report for surf fishing. Offshore, people bottom fishing are catching black bass, grouper, flounder and grunts. Keep fishing and stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters Debbie Carty caught and released this nice red drum aboard Affordable Charters. Jacob from Ronoke, VA, caught and released this nice red drum aboard Affordable Charters.

Cape Fear River Fishing Holes, there are still some fish to catch in the Cape Fear River like stripped bass, red drum, catfish and speckled trout. There are a lot of good fishing spots in the river. The best way to learn about the river is just to go out there. Take it slow and safe. When you see a spot that looks good, fish it. After a few fishing trips you will be adding new fishing holes to your fishing day, which will equal more fish. It’s a lot more fun to find the fish yourself than to ask someone else. Your typical fisherman will not tell you the truth! That’s all part of the fun. So get out there this winter and do some exploring. It will pay off! Inshore, people are catching croakers, small spots, a few Virginia mullet, red and black drum, speckled trout, stripped bass....

Carolina Beach Sunset on the water, the inshore fishing has produced lots of small redfish for me the past couple of days. On 1/26 I had Eric and Seth from Wilkes county on a cold and rainy day fishing in the Banshee. These guys were real troopers and toughed it out on a seven hour trip. These guys were excellent anglers and we had a blast even in these conditions. We caught twenty reds, all undersized but a lot of fun on light tackle. On 1/27 I had my son Christian, and his travel baseball coach Richard for about three hours of fishing. We caught fifty three reds, all but three were undersized but still a lot of fun. All of these fish were caught on artificials. Check out the photos, especially the sunset on 1/27. Sometimes it is not all about the catching. Let’s go fishing, Jeff Seahawk Inshore....

Carolina Beach winter preparation, for those fishermen that have hung it up for this season, be sure to lightly rinse off rods and reels. After they dry, lightly mist reels, especially all pivot points with C.R.C. or WD40. Also rinse off your cast nets and dip nets. Put all your fishing gear in a good dry spot out of the sun. Open all compartments of your boat and tackle box on a nice sunny day so everything can dry out. (All enclosed areas condensate). We have been very fortunate to have had great warm temperatures for the past two months but cold weather is on the way. Our water temperature is going to drop at least 8 to 20 degrees in the next week. On the surf still a few Virginia mullet, small black drum, puppy drum and speckled trout. Inshore, still Virginia mullet, croaker, small red and black drum,....

The fishing has been good and thankfully I have been busy. I want to thank all of my repeat clients for coming down in the fall and over the Holidays to enjoying the great fall/winter fishing. Winter fishing has arrived with speckled trout, striped bass, and red drum. Most of the fish have been caught on artificial lures and live bait. Everyone has enjoyed the new trolling motor, It allows us to cover lots of ground and makes lure fishing a blast. Capt. Robert Schoonmaker Carolina Explorer (910) 264-1807

Still catching enough live shrimp to keep Motts Channel supplied and that tells me there are still some fish around. This warm weather sure is a pleasant change from some of our past years. I’m still around and Karen and myself sure are enjoying the free time. Down the river you can still find some Virginia Mullet, Black Drum and a few croakers. Get up around the oyster rock and you will still find some Puppy Drum and lots of Speckled Trout. The surf is still producing some Puppy Drum and Speckled Trout as well. Let’s hope this El Nino sticks around until spring. That would make for a real good spring mullet run. That usually starts around the middle of March. Offshore, King Mackerel are still around the 15 mile range and bottom fishing is great when you can run 25 miles or more. With this warm winter there....

There is still some really good inshore fishing going on recently despite the cold weather we have had lately. The speckled trout are around the inlets, and there are good numbers up and down the Cape Fear River. A few redfish are in some of the same places as the trout. The striped bass are in the upper parts of the Cape Fear River. I had one seafood charter last week that produced an excellent catch of seafood. Let’s go fishing, Jeff Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters 910-619-9580

There are still biting. We have been fishing the Cape Fear River Inlet with very good catches of Virginia mullet, spots, small black bass, croaker and on the shoals some red drum. The weather is supposed to cool down some so the water temperature will fall. This will slow the fishing down some. As long as the temperature warms back up like it has in recent weeks, the fishing should pick back up again. So get out there and give it a shot. Offshore some catches of King Mackerel and reports of a few Tuna. On the bottom gag, Red and Scamp Grouper, Ringtails, Black Bass, and Grunt. Inshore we are catching Virginia Mullet, Trout, Black Drum, Red Drum, Catfish, and Striped Bass. In the surf speckled trout, a few Flounder, Black Drum, and Virginia Mullet. Keep fishing and stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters Rick with this large....

This week’s fishing tip: Cape Fear River is the spot to fish! This past week the water temperature went back up which has turned the fish on. If you like catching Virginia mullet, the mouth of the Cape Fear River is the spot to fish. Falling tide is the best time using shrimp or cut bait. Another fishing tip for this week: Sometimes I have felt like going surf fishing for just an hour or two so I would take a small amount of bait but then after 30 minutes of good fishing, I’m out of bait. But now you have “synthetic” alternatives to natural cut bait, bloodworms or shrimp. I have tried them and they do work. So now I always keep a few bags in my tackle box. Island Tackle and Hardware has a large variety of Berkley Gulps or Fish bites. Fort Fisher Trading Post also sells....

This week’s fishing tip: As of January 1, 2007, all saltwater fishermen must have a fishing license. If you fish on a pier or charter boat they will have a blanket coverage that will cover you for that day. Island Tackle and Hardware will be a certified location for purchasing saltwater and freshwater fishing licenses. Offshore there are still some king mackerel being caught. On the bottom people are catching gag, red and scamp grouper, pink snapper, black bass, grunts and ringtails. Inshore, the water temperature dropped to the mid 40’s which has slowed down the fishing. Still we are catching a few trout, black drum, red drum, catfish and striped bass. Keep fishing and stay safe. Captain John Carty Dean and Eileen caught these gag groupers on December 11, 2006. Price, Bogey and Andy caught this stringer of fish aboard Affordable Charters.

Hi Folks, 2006, The Rod-Man is out of the water until next season. We are adding a trolling motor to the boat and some other neat “customizations” I know you will enjoy. Even though I have been “out of the water”, I have been keeping up with what’s happening on the fishing scene. Now here’s my fishing report: Inshore: The trout are biting well and many are big citation size fish. You can find them in the inlet areas, the creeks and the river. If live bait is hard to get, don’t hesitate to throw some GULP SW at these hungry fish. I like the 5? jerk baits and the 3? shrimp. Reds are mostly in the ocean, patrolling the beach and near the inlets. On real calm days you can see them in large schools that look like dark clouds. You can catch them on anything from chunk bait....

The redfish are schooled up on the flats and scattered around on the shellbeds and oyster rocks. There is a lot of good inshore fishing going on lately. The speckled trout are around in good numbers. Large virginia mullet are being caught in the lower Cape Fear River. Striped bass are being caught in the upper Cape Fear River. The Ranger Banshee Extreme is ready for redfish and speckled trout in the shallows of Buzzards Bay and the Kenner Bay boat can handle the wide open deep water of the Cape Fear River. Looks like it is going to be a great time to go fishing during the Christmas break. If you want to go please give me a call. Thanks, Jeff Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters 910-619-9580 Fishing Report Photos:

First a couple important boating tips: If this cold weather has put an end to your boating for the year you need to do the following. Add some stable to your fuel, hook up your fresh water flushes, start up your motor and let it run for at least five minutes. If not they will condensate, oxidize and rust. If you have small portable fuel tanks, store them out of direct sunlight to prevent condensation. Trim motor all the way down. If not, water will fill the hub and if it freezes it might crack the hub. Then disconnect the battery. If you want to ensure that your motor will stay in good running condition you should start it up at least every two and a half to three months. If you follow these storage instructions it will save you some money in the spring. Inshore Fishing we are catching....

First a fishing tip: Whenever you have bait leftover, don’t throw it away. If it’s still in good condition, immediately after you get home, freeze it for another day. Shrimp and minnows are hard to get at certain times of the year, or it is excellent to take for backup bait the next time you go fishing. Inshore Fishing, we are catching flounder, red drum, black drum, gray trout, speckled trout, spots, croaker and Virginia mullet. Surf Fishing, people are catching speckled trout, some flounder, red drum, black drum, blues and Virginia mullet. Pier Fishing, they are catching spots, Virginia mullet, blues, croakers and black drum. Offshore Fishing, people are catching king mackerel, dolphin and barracuda. Bottom Fishing people are catching black bass, groupers and snappers. Keep fishing and stay safe, Captain John Carty If you're ready to go fishing consider our Carolina Beach Fishing Charters page were you can....

Hi Folks, I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend. I sure did. Fishing is very good right now. Specks are biting just about everywhere on just about any tide. You can catch them on live bait(shrimp) or artificials like GULP SW. The reds have somewhat moved to the ocean and are patrolling the beaches. We did catch a flounder this week, but he was undersize and we released him.Now here’s my report: Inshore: As mentioned above the main thing going on right now is the trout fishing. We have been having double digit days almost every time we have been out. The jetty, the ICW and the creeks are holding fish. Near shore: Reds are in the surf along with other fishes like blues, whiting and more. Offshore: The king mackerel bite has moved out a bit to the 23 to 42 mile areas. Gulfstream: No reports this week. Let’s....

Fishing tip of the week: I have been fishing since I was very young. My father was in the Air Force for 30 years and was a hunter and fisherman. So I had the opportunity to fish the Gulf of Florida, Swannee River, and lakes and rivers in Germany. When we move do to Carolina Beach in 1973 we realized from day one this was a fishing paradise. In the past few years I have paid close attention to fishing conditions. One day you can catch one right after the other and the next day nothing. The barometric pressure is one of the key elements. When the barometric pressure is dropping the fishing slows down. When the pressure is on the rise, the fishing picks up. There are other variables such as water temperature so go fishing before it gets too cold. Inshore, fishing has slowed up a bit this....

The shallow water redfishing has been really good lately. I have been catching good numbers of redfish in 6 to 12″ of water. Most of the time the water is too shallow to work the trolling motor, so I am poling the boat to get to the fish. We have found schools of 20 to 50 fish pushing up wakes and boiling up the mud. Some of these fish are over the slot and all have been caught on artificials. On the days that I could not get on the flats and sight cast to reds we have been able to catch them working the oyster points. On Sat. the 24th I had David from Conn. on the Ranger Banshee Extreme. The day started out slow, cold, and windy. After about two hours of working the trolling motor we finally located a school of reds and he caught around thirty....

Hi Folks, Happy holiday to all and don’t eat too much. The Rod-Man is on a diet and feels like everyone else should suffer too. Due to the terrible storms, rains and winds the last 3 days and continuing in tomorrow, I don’t know exactly what to say about fishing right now. It will be “pot luck” for sure. But, I can tell you the fishing prior to the storm was fantastic and hopefully will be back to that sooner than later. Now here’s my report: Inshore: The reds and trout have been biting the bottom of the boat out. The jetties, the docks, the creeks, the inlets, the marsh banks, all have been holding fish. We have been catching fish on GULP SW, live shrimp, dead mullet. Nearshore: Some gray trout and miscellaneous bottom fish have been biting. I still expect a run of albacore. The water temperature is....

This week’s fishing tip is on weather conditions. We have had a variety of weather conditions lately. For inshore fishing, get a good weather report on wind and tides. Base your fishing location on weather conditions and stay out of direct wind and heavy current. This will help make your fishing trip more productive. Now for the fishing report: In shore we are catching flounder, red drum, black drum, gray trout, speckled trout, spots, croaker and Virginia mullet. In the surf people are catching lots of pompano, some flounder, red drum, black drum, blues, spots and Virginia mullet. On the piers they are catching spots, Virginia mullet, blues, croakers and black drum. Offshore people are catching king mackerel, dolphin and barracuda. On the bottom, people are catching black bass, groupers, snappers, grunts and ringtails. Keep fishing and stay safe. Captain John Carty Berry Lucas caught this nice mess of drum and....

Hi Folks, Fall fishing is great. This past week the redfish have been nothing short of amazing. One lucky customer landed and released 18 reds between 24″ and 32″. The speckled trout bite is on as well. In the weeks left this fall my reports will focus primarily on inshore/near shore fishing. Now here’s my report: Inshore: As mentioned, the reds are on fire. We are catching them on finger mullet fished with a carolina rig. We are catching them on GULP SW fished on lead heads in shallow water, just giving them a twitch. Specks are biting well. They are hitting GULP SW fished on 1/4 oz. lead heads. I like the Pumpkinseed and Watermelon 4″ Swimming Minnow. Live shrimp fished from a float or on a carolina rig with a light weight is working well too. The flounder bite is slowing rapidly, but there are still some fish....

The first trip in the new Ranger Banshee Extreme was very successful! We caught 27 reds and found two nice 30 to 40 fish schools in about eight inches of water. What an awesome fishing machine. The fishing has been good lately even though I did have one tough day last week trying to catch trout in the lower Cape Fear river. There are lots of reds,still some flounder and the trout bite should be getting better all the time. There are lots of virginia mullet and some gray trout nearshore and in the mouth of the Cape Fear River. There are also some striped bass showing up in the upper Cape Fear river. There is still some good fishing ahead for redfish and speckled trout. My best day ever for redfish was on Dec.10th. Let’s go fishing, Jeff Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters 910-619-9580

Inshore we are catching flounder, red drum, black drum, gray trout, speckled trout, spots, croaker and Virginia mullet. In the surf people are catching lots of pompano, some flounder, red drum, black drum, blues, spots and Virginia mullet. On the piers people are reporting catches of spots, Virginia mullet, blues, croaker and black drum. Off shore, people are catching king mackerel, dolphin and barracuda. On the bottom, people are catching black bass, groupers, snappers, grunts and ringtails. This week’s fishing tip: Sometimes I have felt like going surf fishing for just an hour or two so I would take a small amount of bait but then after 30 minutes of good fishing, I’m out of bait. But now you have “synthetic” alternatives to natural cut bait, bloodworms or shrimp. I have tried them and they do work. So now I always keep a few bags in my tackle box. Island....

Our charter fishing trips out of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Bald Head have been doing great and the fall fishing is in FULL SWING! The recent cooler weather has everything biting well and this should continue on until around Thanksgiving or so. The redfish are holding in a bit deeper water and we are finding alot of them in the small creeks and pockets on the side of larger creeks. The Speckled Trout are holding in the same creeks but we are finding them more near the current rips and oyster bars and near the creek mouths. If you find one trout in a spot work it really good…there are probably a few more trout there. The flounder bite is still going strong and we have had back to back to back inshore slams and a few black drum thrown in for good measure! Now for the easy part.....

Cape Fear River fishing report: Fishing in the mouth of the Cape Fear River has been pretty good this past week. There have been lots of blues around the inlets and a few drag screamers mixed in. We have caught a few speckled and gray trout while fishing for them. The speckled trout bite continues to be strong and should only get better with the larger fish showing up. We are catching redfish of all sizes and most are over the slot. All of these fish have been caught on both artificial and live baits. The virginia mullet have shown up in good numbers in the Cape Fear around an hour before or after low and high water. Some of these tasty fish out of the are the larger ones and a lot of fun on light tackle. Let’s go fishing, Jeff Wolfe Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters 910-619-9580

Carolina Beach fall fishing continues in FULL SWING and we have been very busy. INSHORE: The red fishing bite continues to be pretty steady. We have been mainly dock fishing in the ICW this week, and the dock fishing is really paying off. We have had many awesome days and it will only get better as the water cools. Find a dock or series of docks that are near a channel and pitch a bait close by and HOLD ON! When fishing the dock we have the drag completely locked down so the redfish can’t wrap us in the docks. This is true one on one fishing and you get to feel every ounce of power the fish has to offer. Falling tide works best. Try the Gulp! Crab or a live mullet on a Carolina rig for best results. The Spanish mackerel have been right off of the beach....

Fall fishing is in FULL SWING in Carolina Beach and we have been very busy. INSHORE SLAMS * SPECKLED TROUT* FLOUNDER* SHARKS* IT’S TIME! INSHORE: The red fishing bite has been pretty steady. We are seeing reds from 25 inches down to about 15 inches. It is good to see the 15 inch reds coming up as they are another generation of reds and the way they are biting they will be really big, really quick! We have had many inshore slams and the trout are just about to start biting well. We need the water temp to fall just a bit more but we did pick up a NICE 3-4lb trout yesterday. The black drum and sheep’s head fishing is in full swing and the trout fishing is usually a week or so behind them, depending on the weather. The flounder fishing in the shallow water has been producing....

Inshore we are catching some nice red drum, black drum, blues, flounders, spots, gray trout, speckled trout and croakers. On the piers they are catching about the same as last week. Virginia mullet, flounder, bluefish, spots and croakers. In the surf, people are catching pompano, flounder, puppy drum, Virginia mullet, black drum, bluefish, spots and sharks. Offshore, they are reporting catches of barracuda, king mackerel, and dolphin and on the bottom some nice groupers, snappers, and black bass. Fishing tip of the week is on setting the hook for inshore fishing. I have noticed a lot of my charters go into the panic mode when they have a small bit. As soon as the fish comes in contact with the hook, don’t jerk, jerk, jerk. Let the fish pull and then set the hook. Keep the tip of the rod up in the air and reel in steady. Enjoy the....

In the surf there are reports of puppy drum, flounder, bluefish, Virginia mullet, croaker, black drum and pompano being caught. On the piers, people are reporting catches of flounder, spots, Virginia mullet, bluefish, croaker, black drum and still a few sheepshead. Offshore, there are reports of king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, mahi mahi, sailfish and white marlin. For bottom fishing, they are catching black drum, grunts, grouper, snapper and some amberjack. Inshore we are catching speckled trout, red drum, flounder, croaker, large bluefish and sharks. This week’s fishing tip: Getting hung-up is all part of fishing. I have found the best way to get your rig back is to point the tip of your rod towards the hang. Then tighten the drag and walk very slowly back. It will come lose or break the rig off. Do not wrap the line around your hand or you will get cut. If your....

Fort Fisher Surf Fishing report, let's get to it... This week has been a little slow in the surf, but there are still reports of Virginia mullet, bluefish, flounder, black drum and red drum. On the piers there are reports of flounder, Virginia mullet, speckled trout, bluefish, pigfish, black bass, and flounder. Offshore on the bottom they are catching black bass, gag grouper, red grouper, snapper, ringtail and grunt. On the top offshore, they are reporting good catches of king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, mahi mahi and sharks. This week’s fishing tip: The surf fishing has been a little slow due to the ocean being very calm and still. We need some hard northeast winds for a few days to churn up the bottom and get some activity in the surf. Keep fishing and stay safe. Captain John Carty Fort Fisher Surf Fishing Jeff from Charlotte caught this super sized croaker....

Time to start fishing for flounder in the mouth of the Cape Fear River. On the piers people are reporting catches of spots, flounder, Virginia mullet, bluefish, croaker and black drum. In the surf, people are reporting catches of black drum, Virginia mullet, bluefish, flounder, croaker and pompano. Inshore we are catching red drum, flounder, croaker, gray trout, speckled trout, bluefish and pigfish. On the bottom they are catching black bass, grunts, grouper, snapper and amberjack. Offshore, there are reports of nice size king mackerel, Spanish mackerel and mahi mahi. This week’s fishing tip: It’s time to start fishing for flounder in the mouth of the Cape Fear River. The small sharks are gone. Now the flounder, whiting, trout, croaker, black bass, pigfish, spots, etc., have moved in. this is a great place for a lot of action. Falling tide is the best time to fish. Use a light action....

On the piers they are reporting good catches of spots, flounder, Virginia mullet, blue fish, croaker and black drum. In the surf there are reports of spots, croaker, puppy drum, flounder, bluefish, black drum, pompano, Virginia mullet and sharks being caught. Offshore, there are reports of king mackerel, dolphin, sailfish and Spanish mackerel being caught. For bottom fishing, people are reporting catches of grouper, snapper, black bass, grunts and grey trout. Inshore we are catching speckled trout, flounder, red drum, croaker, spots, pigfish and large bluefish. This week’s fishing tip: You have your fishing rod, your tackle box, and your bait, but where’s your camera? Any time you are around the ocean you are liable to see things that you really wish you had a picture of. It might be a large fish that you’ve landed, a large school of porpoises playing in the water, a shrimp trawler at sunrise,....

Fort Fisher fishing report after tropical storm Ernesto, let's get to it... In the surf there are reports of puppy drum, flounder, blue fish, Virginia Mullet, croaker, black drum and still a few sheepshead. Offshore there are reports of king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, mahi mahi, sailfish and white marlin. On the bottom people are catching black bass, grunts, grouper, snapper, and some amberjack. Inshore we are catching speckled trout, red drum, flounder, croaker, large blue fish and sharks. This week’s fishing tip: If you have been inshore fishing in the last two weeks you have probably noticed our water is the color of tea. This is due to all the rain from tropical storm Ernesto. It will probably take about two more weeks of tides to get most of this fresh water out of the Cape Fear River, providing we don’t get any more heavy rains. Your better fishing spots....

Inshore, shallow water fishing people are reporting catches of large bluefish, speckled trout, red drum, flounder, croaker, Virginia Mullet and sheepshead. In the surf, people are catching flounder, bluefish, puppy drum, croaker and Virginia Mullet. On the piers people are reporting catches of croaker, flounder, bluefish, black drum, and sheepshead. Offshore there are reports of king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, sailfish and dolphin. On the bottom there are reports of catches of amberjack, grouper, grunts, snapper and black bass. This week’s fishing tip is on shallow water fishing. It is very easy to spook fish out of a fishing hole in shallow water. So it is important to approach your spot quietly and slowly. Have your anchor ready and don’t throw it overboard. Let it down gently. Even dropping or slamming a cooler lid will scare fish away. Your boat is like an amplified drum. Talking loud or radios have no....

Our fishing charter fleet here at Carolina Beach is great for all fishing enthusiast. Book a fishing trip. Now let's get to the report. On the piers people are reporting catches of croaker, flounder, black drum, bluefish and sheepshead. In the surf, people are catching flounder, bluefish, puppy drum, croaker and Virginia Mullet. Inshore, people are reporting catches of large bluefish, speckled trout, red drum, flounder, croaker, Virginia Mullet and sheepshead. Offshore there are reports of king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, sailfish and dolphin. On the bottom there are reports of catches of amberjack, grouper, grunts, snapper and black bass. This week’s fishing tip: Here at Carolina Beach we have a great fishing charter fleet. Head boats, sport fishing boats, and inshore fishing boats. These services are not just for tourist. I have customers that think it is great just to step on the boat with drinks and snacks. No gas,....

Fishing for flounder is no problem in Carolina Beach. Let's find out here they are... On the piers people are reporting catching croakers, flounder, bluefish, sheepshead and black drum. In the surf people are reporting catches of flounder, bluefish, puppy drum, croaker and Virginia Mullet. Inshore, people are reporting catches of speckled trout, flounder, bluefish, red drum, croaker, Virginia Mullet and sheepshead. Offshore there are reports of King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, dolphin, sailfish and white marlin. As for bottom fishing, people are reporting catches of grunts, black bass, gag and grouper, and tilefish. This week’s fishing tip: Whenever you have bait leftover while fishing for flounder, don’t throw it away. If it’s still in good condition, immediately after you get home, freeze it for another day. Shrimp and minnows are hard to get at certain times of the year, or it is excellent to take backup bait the next time....

Report: Best Flounder Fishing Tips and Tricks, let's get to it... In the surf people are reporting catches of puppy drum, flounder, blue fish, croakers and sharks. On the piers, people are reporting catching croakers, blue fish, flounder, sheepshead and black drum. Inshore, people are catching speckled trout, red drum, flounder, croakers, blue fish, Virginia Mullet, and sheepshead. Offshore, there are reports of dolphin, sailfish, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel and still a few white marlin. As for bottom fishing, people are catching black bass, grunts, flounder, gag and red grouper, and reports of some tile fish. This week’s fishing tip: Next time you go flounder fishing, set up one of your rods with a bigger hook than you would normally use. Put a 6 to 8 inch long minnow on and if a large flounder is around it will eat a large minnow before it will eat a small minnow. A....

Fishing charters for dolphin, kings, sailfish, white marlin hot at Carolina Beach, with Large Time Charters and Blue Marlin Fishing Charters. In the surf people are catching flounder, Virginia mullet, blue fish, croakers and sharks. On the piers, people are catching croakers, blue fish, black drum, flounder and sheepshead. Inshore, red drum are biting along with speckled trout, flounder, cobia, croaker, Virginia mullet and sheepshead. Offshore, King Mackerel are feeding along with dolphin, sailfish, some white marlin, and on the bottom, some red and gag grouper, snappers, and black sea bass. This week’s fishing tip is about fishing line. There are a lot of different types of line on the market. So recommending one certain type would be hard to do. Most of the time it depends on fishing conditions or just personal preference. But no matter what kind you use, the sun will rot it very fast, so when....

Kure Beach fishing report, let's get to it... The piers are reporting lots of bottom fishing action with Croaker, Spot, Ladyfish, small Bass, and a few Flounder. Inshore, the Flounder fishing is still picking up with some good catches of Red Drum. Speckled Trout are still around along with Spots, Croakers and still plenty of sharks. Offshore, King Mackerel, Dolphin, Spanish Mackerel, Blue Fish and some Sail Fish are being caught. On the ledges you can find nice Black Bass and Grouper. In the surf, people are catching Blue Fish, Croakers, a few small Spots, a few Virginia Mullet, Flounder and sharks. This week’s fishing tip is on casting. If you casting ability is not very good and you would like to improve it, it is very easy and fun to practice in your yard. Just set up a bucket or some sort of target and practice casting toward the....

Fort Fisher fishing report, let's get to it... On the piers they are catching a few Flounder, some Blue Fish, small Spots and Croakers. In the surf, people are catching Flounder, a few Virginia Mullet, small Puppy Drum, Blue Fish, Croakers and sharks. Inshore, the Flounder fishing has picked up a little bit. Still a few Red Drum in the waters. Good catches of Speckled Trout, small Spots and Croakers along with plenty of sharks. Offshore, people are catching King Mackerel and Dolphin. On the ledges, they are catching nice Grouper, Black Bass, grunts, and a mixed bag of bottom fish. This week’s fishing tip is on how to keep your live bait alive for the whole day. Some minnows – like mud minnows – are easy to keep alive. You can put them in a bucket and as long as they don’t get overheated they will stay alive. Mullet....

Kings Flounder Reds On the piers they are still catching a few Virginia Mullet, Flounder, Blue Fish, Spots and Croakers. In the surf, they are catching Flounder, small Puppy Drum, Virginia Mullet, Blue Fish, Croakers and sharks. Inshore, we are catching some nice Red Drum, Flounder, Spots, Croakers and sharks. Offshore we are catching King Mackerel, Dolphin and on for bottom fishing we are catching some nice Grouper, cobia and Black Bass. This week’s fishing tip is about weather conditions. The day before you go fishing it is very important to get a good weather report paying special attention to tides and wind direction. Some fishermen make their mind up where they’re going to fish and don’t take into consideration wind direction. Think about the wind and think about the spot you’re going to fish. Wind direction makes a big difference in how your boat will lay and how rough....

King Mackerel As everybody read and heard last week, Steve and Karen will no longer be our eyes and ears for the weekly hook, line and sinker report. They will be missed. This chore has been passed on to me. My name is Captain John Carty. I have been fishing the Cape Fear area since 1972. I own and operate Affordable Fishing Charters, so I am in close touch with our local fishing on a daily basis. I will try to give an accurate report on surf, pier, inshore, and offshore fishing. On the piers they are catching Virginia mullet, Flounder, Spanish Mackerel, a few small King Mackerel, Blue Fish, Spots and Croakers. In the surf, people are catching Flounder, Puppy Drum, Virginia Mullet, Black drum, Blue Fish, small Croakers and sharks. Inshore we are catching Red Drum, Black Drum, large Blue Fish (around the 10 pound range), Flounder, Spots,....

Pompano here we go! A quick warm up was all it took to bring the fish out to feed. We still have some wind issues to work out, but it's improving. This past week has made the difference. Surf fishing is 80% better than last week. Pompano are big. Some very big ones have been weighed in at three and a half pounds along with several two-pound catches. Whiting are also running in the surf as well as both piers. Although the larger Whiting are in the surf with catches as large as one and three quarter pounds. Big Blue Fish are also running in the surf with one fisherman weighing Blues in at three, six, eight and three quarters, and one at a whopping eleven and a half pounds. Fishing in the river is still a little slow. Some Whiting and Spots are down by Bald Head Island, but....

Affordable Charters fishing report, let's get to it... In the waterways, bays, & river we are catching some puppy drum, black drum, speckled trout, a few flounder, Virginia mullet, small spots, bluefish, lots of small croaker, sharks, & sting rays. In the surf catching a few small flounder, puppy drum, black drum, bluefish, Virginia mullet, croakers, sharks, & sting rays. On the piers catching some flounder, black drum, Virginia mullet, croakers, small spots, sharks, & sting rays. Remember you can’t keep any speckled trout until June 15. Not sure at this point how many but will keep you posted as we learn more. Also the limit on flounder is now 15 inches minimum & 6 per day. That's it for this weeks Affordable Charters fishing report. Keep fishing & stay safe. Captain John Carty Affordable Charters

Carolina Beach Fishing Reports Blast from the Past | Ultimate cbfishing

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