The inshore and backwater fishing has really picked in the lower Cape Fear area this week with catches of redfish, speckled trout, flounder, sheephead and black drum. The water temps have cooled down and has the fish feeding on the abundance of shrimp, crabs and mullet in the backwaters. This is my favorite time of year to fish for all of the inshore species, especially redfish and speckled trout.
The redfish bite has been up and down until recently and seems to be picking up significantly. We are seeing lots of reds chasing bait and the sightfishing has been good when conditions are right. Most of the reds have been caught blindcasting Gulp Shrimp, DOA soft plastics, and topwater plugs. We are also picking good numbers of redfish using the simple methods of fishing live mullet and shrimp on float rigs and bottom rigs. We are also picking a few flounder fishing artificials and live baits while fishing for redfish.
The speckled trout fishing has made an upward turn with the cooler air and water temps and should be getting better as we get into late October and November. The specks are around the inlets and creeks and falling for a variety of artificials. DOA soft plastic splittails, paddletails, DOA shrimp under popping floats, Gulp Shrimp, and mirrolures have all been effective. Live mullet and of course live shrimp on float rigs and bottom rigs are putting good numbers of these tasty fish in the boat.
The sheephead are on the move and normally larger this time of year. The sheephead are hitting fiddler crabs fished around structure like rocks and dock pilings. Sheephead fishing is a blast and these fish are very challenging to get away from the structure and into the landing net. There are also no regulations on sheephead and they are great to eat. We are also picking a few black drum while fishing for sheephead.
We are picking up a few flounder fishing DOA soft plastics, Gulp shrimp and jerkbaits, live mullet, and mud minnows. Flounder love Gulp baits and most of the flounder have been caught by dropping the trolling motor, covering ground and tossing Gulp baits. This a great way to get that Carolina inshore slam (flounder, redfish and speckled trout).
There are lots of panfish around like spots and croakers and the whiting should be showing up soon. Two hook bottom rigs baited with shrimp and bloodworms are filling up coolers in the mouth of the Cape Fear river. This is a great way to entertain small kids and put tasty fish in the boat.
There is a large variety of fish to target in the Cape Fear area this time of year and this trend will conitinue thru November. Thanks for reading the report and I should have a good one for the next couple of weeks. Check out the photos from some of my recent trips.
Thanks,
Jeff Wolfe
Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters
North Carolina Inshore Fishing Blog
910-619-9580
Robert, Lucas, Jerry, and Jeremy with a good catch of sheephead, along with speckled trout, redfish, flounder,and black drum on 10/5/11
Tim with a first for me, a flounder that hit a Rapala Skitterwalk topwater plug in about 5 inches of water
Tim completed his inshore slam and almost got it all on topwater. After catching the flounder, he picked up a spec on topwater and missed a couple of redfish. He finally got his redfish on a soft plastic.
Hunter, one of the original Goober Brothers with a nice flounder he picked up fishing a mud minnow on a carolina rig
Zach, the other half of the Goober Brothers with a nice redfish while Hunter concentrates on the next bite
My son, Christian and me getting our 4th place check at the IFA Redfish Tour Surf City, NC event
Bill with a overslot red that crushed a Rapala Skitterwalk topwater plug
Scott with a red he caught sightcasting to the fish tailing on a marsh flat
Two father and daughter double hookups on redfish. Great memories and very rewarding trips for me.
There are some nice specs starting to show up all around the Cape Fear area
Derrick and Angel with a catch of redfish, flounder, sheephead, and black drum
Robert with a nice flounder he picked up on a Gulp Shrimp
Greg and Ray with a couple of reds they caught fishing live mud minnows on carolina rigs
It’s a double rainbow!!!! Just one of the beautiful sights we see here on the lower Cape Fear