Carolina Beach Fishing Reports #523

Article by: Mark Mayo

Surf Fishing Reports

• Bluefish starting to appear as beachfront water temperatures rise
• Whiting catch inconsistent, but larger in size
• Daily mixed bag includes:
  • Black drum
  • Croakers
  • Pompano
  • Occasional sheepshead

Inshore Fishing Reports

Cape Fear River

• Red drum broken into smaller groups, staging around structure
• Schools spreading out, with plenty of smaller reds and slot-sized fish mixed in
• Best target areas:
  • Shell bottom banks
  • Lower tides
• Effective bait:
  • Dead shrimp
  • Live mud minnows
• Black drum mixed in the action
  • Mostly 15-17” fish
  • Staged in similar areas as reds
  • Most productive bait: dead shrimp
• Speckled trout up to 24 inches caught in early mornings
• Red drum fishing downriver picking up with pogies in the area
  • Carolina-rigged menhaden effective
• Black drum in good numbers
  • Shrimp top producing bait (live or dead)
  • Targeting hard bottoms, rocks, oyster shells, and structures
  • Depths: 2′ to 12-14′
• Sheepshead in the same areas
  • Mud or fiddler crabs on bottom sweeper jigs
• Red drum found in grass flats
  • Soft plastic paddle tails on 3/8 or 1/4 oz. jig heads
  • Menhaden on lightly weighted Carolina rigs or under Billy Bay corks
• Speckled trout scattered
  • Live shrimp or topwater plugs
  • Target current eddies around rocky bottoms in 2-8’ depths
• Whiting and croaker caught bottom fishing
  • Cut shrimp or artificial bait strips
• Casting action picking up with Spanish mackerel and bluefish
• Red drum fishing hit or miss, moving into smaller groups
• Speckled trout mixed in, bite not slowing down
• Black drum action good in creeks
  • Carolina-rigged dead shrimp around oyster or dock structures

Nearshore Fishing Reports

• Atlantic bonito in the area
• Trolling and sight-casting 1-3 mile range
  • Good-sized bluefish
  • Spanish mackerel (varying size)
• Calm, clear conditions
  • Atlantic bonito and Spanish mackerel in 3-5 mile range
  • Stingsilvers and similar jigs effective

Offshore Fishing Reports

• King mackerel holding in 70-degree waters further offshore
• Fish pushing onto beaches with bait
  • Anticipated similar trend off Pleasure Island in the coming weeks

Seasonal Expectations

• Warmer water temperatures expected to bring larger Spanish mackerel and increased action for other species
• As bait pours into inlets, red drum will spread out more, providing better fishing opportunities

Tips for Success

• Target areas with structure or hard bottoms for black drum and sheepshead
• Focus on current eddies around rocky bottoms in 2-8’ depths for speckled trout
• Monitor water temperatures and bait movement for optimal fishing conditions

Mark Mayo

I research and report on fishing, fishing gear/equipment, survival topics, and marketing for outdoors related business. I assist here on CB Fishing as the editor-in-chief. Articles may contain AI researched content. All content is published for education and entertainment purposes only. NOT LIFE, HEALTH, SURVIVAL, FINANCIAL, BUSINESS, LEGAL OR ANY OTHER ADVICE. Learn more about Mark Mayo