Fishing Reports

Well if the beginning of 2011 is any indication as to how the rest of the year is going to be we will be in for a good year!  Winter can be a great time to fish for red drum in the Cape Fear area.  All you need is a slight warm up and the redfish bite really gets hot.  We recently had a 60+ fish day and a few days with 20 to 30 fish caught.  Double digit days have been pretty common.  The Redfish can be caught by throwing soft plastic curly or paddle tail grubs fished SLOWLY.  These fish are cold and looking for an easy meal.  Soft plastic grubs with a curly or paddle tail will give the bait a lot of action without having to fish it fast, let it sit from time to time, let the current flick that tail and you should have good results.  Fishing around deep structure and in deeper holes will produce the most fish.  Unfortunately, like most of us, the other inshore species do not like cold weather and the fishing has been fairly slow.  However there has been a decent striper bite and I did get an early season 13” flounder.

I am really looking forward to the 2011 fishing season, fishing with old friends and making some new ones.  I have just decommissioned the 20’ McKee Craft and while I hate to see her go I have added a larger, brand new, 22’ Key West bay boat.  She is fully rigged out with a Yamaha 4 stroke, side imaging sonar, Power Pole, MotorGuide trolling motor and a Fusion stereo.  I have been very happy with this new rig and will post pictures soon.  

Capt. Mark

The fishing has been really exciting over the past couple of weeks!  The lower Cape Fear and waterways have been filling up with baitfish and shrimp.  The predator fish are taking full advantage of the abundant prey.  Most of the summer time fish that we target are here now and that makes for some great mixed bag days.  The water temps are really good right now, the water is warm enough to get the fish’s metabolism kicked into high gear but still cool enough to hold enough oxygen to provide plenty of energy for some blistering runs and long exciting battles.  The spring winds will calm soon and the sight fishing will be getting really good.

Redfish are still consistent and the water temps have them really fired up.  We have had some good days around Topsail island, with some big schools of Redfish and a handful of Flounder.  The Reds have been very willing to do their part and attack a topwater bait however getting them to the boat is always challenging.  Some larger Flounder in the 6+ pound range are in the river now and they are feeding on the Menhaden that have moved in.  The Speckled Trout fishing is starting to get better and a trip yesterday produced 2 in the 3.5 to 4.5 pound range along with some topwater Bluefish and 14 Redfish.  Spanish are thick off of the beach and trolling or casting jigs has been very effective.  Flounder and Grey Trout are also being caught off of the beach on the near shore wrecks.  

I am extremely excited about the coming up fishing season and so far things are starting out really well!  I hope to get the chance to fish with many of you and that you get the chance to enjoy all the great fishing and nature that the Cape Fear coast has to offer.

Capt. Mark