The warmer weather is finally starting to bring the water temps up and the fish are responding. The inshore fishing picking up with catches of speckled trout, redfish, blackdrum, sea mullet, and even a flounder or two. It is not uncommon to catch to catch red drum, black drum, and speckled trout all in one trip.
We are catching red and black drum around structure like dock pilings and rock piles. The bait of choice is fresh shrimp on carolina rigs or jig heads. The black drum are nice fish two to five pounds. The reds are mixed in size, just under the slot with a few slot fish mixed in. There are also some schools of reds on the flats, around shellbeds and oyster rocks. We are catching the schooling reds by sigthcasting and blindcasting artificials and live mud minnows on light jigheads.
We are starting to catch a few speckled trout and the numbers and size should get better as the water warms. Spring is the time to catch large specs in the Cape Fear area. The specs are hitting Doa and Gulp shrimp imitations and of course live shrimp when available.
The sea mullet are in the lower Cape Fear river. These tasty fish can sometimes be caught two at a time by fishing two hook bottom rigs with fresh shrimp Forty and fifty fish days are not uncommon.
I think we have finally turned the corner on the inshore fishing. Check out the photos from the past couple of weeks.
Thanks,
Jeff Wolfe
Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters
Fish Carolina Beach Blog
910-619-9580
