Improving water conditions and cooling temperatures have been the right combination for great fishing along our coast during the past week. Water temperatures have dipped into the lower 70s, which is still a little warm for this late in October. Water conditions are steadily improving after Hurricane Matthew and while not perfect, they are quite a bit better than even last week. Barring any torrential rains in the coming days, conditions should continue to recover.
Inshore, the speckled trout fishing has been fantastic with fish averaging 2-3 pounds with some larger fish being encountered. Just about any soft artificial bait, such as DOA shrimp, paddle tail or even a regular, green curly-tail grub will elicit a strike if the fish are around. Areas around Banks Channel, Shinn Creek and Lees Cut are all holding fish as is just about any deep creek in the marsh and the area inlets. Red drum are being found in the same areas and will eagerly hit the same baits.
With the flounder fishing now allowed, anglers have turned their attention back to them and are finding good action with some fat fall fish. The finger mullet are plentiful, and while a flounder will also eat an artificial bait, a Carolina Rigged mullet is hard for a trophy doormat flatfish to resist. The larger fish are being found around Carolina Beach and the Cape Fear River but there are some citation-sized fish around Wrightsville, you just have to work for them a little more. Good locations to try are around the local docks and creek mouths that are near muddy bottoms and banks.
The surf and pier anglers using shrimp and sand fleas are having some decent luck with Virginia mullet and pompano in the sloughs along the beach. Cut bait is producing some large bluefish along with an occasional red or black drum.
Johnnie Mercers Pier managed to deck a few king mackerel off the end last week, including one that weighed in just over 40 pounds. The king mackerel fishing just off the beach has also been really good within 5 miles with many boats getting their limits early. The mullet have started running the beach line and have obviously brought some predators with them, so now’s the time before the water temps take a plunge.
Anglers trolling spoons are still finding some Spanish mackerel around, but that fishing has diminished as the water temperatures decline. Anglers are finding plenty of bluefish along with some false albacore. Further off the beach, the bottom fishing has been good in the 20- to 30-mile range when boats can get out. Captains are still reporting a lot of debris being encountered, even out to 30 miles or more, so use caution and keep an eye out when making that trek. Â Â
