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
Carolina Beach 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

The inshore and backwater fishing in the Cape Fear area is picking up with cooler air and water temps. Hurricane Irene is brushing the Cape Fear area as I post this report, but should not affect the good fishing we have been experiencing over the past week or so. We are having good catches of redfish and flounder, along with a few speckled trout, sheephead, and tripletails.

The redfishing has been good to excellent in the backwaters of the lower Cape Fear. The reds are schooled up on the flats and the sightfishing and topwater bite has been incredible when conditions are right. We are also catching good numbers of reds in the creeks and bays blindcasting topwater plugs, Gulp baits and DOA soft plastics. Live mullet, mud minnows and shrimp on carolina rigs and float rigs are also producing good catches of redfish by anchoring down and pitching these baits to known productive areas. The reds are all slot fish with a few over slots (up to 33 inches) in the mix. These fish are super strong in the warm water temps and a absolute blast to catch on light tackle.

The flounder fishing is improving and should be getting better as the water cools and the fall fishing approaches. Most of the flounder have been caught fishing the same areas and baits that are also producing catches of redfish. Some large flatfish have been caught over the past couple of weeks.

We are seeing a few more speckled trout in the area and September is typically a good month for specs in the Cape Fear River. Some of my best catches of specs have been in the month of September. The specs are hitting DOA jerkbaits, mirrolures, Gulp Shrimp, and live shrimp on float rigs.

The sheephead bite is turning on after being slow for a few weeks. I picked up four nice sheeps on a charter on 8/25/11 along with some redfish and flounder. The sheephead are falling for fiddler crabs fished around structure. I have also picked up some nice tripletails suspended under floating debris and crab pot bouys.

I can make inshore and backwater fishing fun and simple for children and fisherman of all skill levels. Some of the tactics we use are similiar to fishing for crappie, bream, bass, and catfish in a local farm pond or lake. Fishing artificials for reds, trout, and flounder is similiar to fishing for largemouth bass.

Thanks for reading the report and I look forward to a good report for the middle of Sept. Check out the pics from some recent trips.

Thanks,
Jeff Wolfe
Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters
Carolina Beach Inshore Fishing Blog
910-619-9580

Rob was excited to get his first tripletail. Rob grew up in Texas and has always wanted a shot at a nice tripletail. Hey Rob, I decided not to post the pic of you looking at your hand shaking. He was a bit nervous and so was I that my landing net had somehow flew out of the boat. I had to get him with the boga grip. Congrats Rob.

Sisters Sydney and Sarah with back to back tripetails. Good job girls!!!

The kids are having a blast catching reds, flounder, sharks, croakers and other inshore species fishing the calm backwaters of the lower Cape Fear

Jessie, one of our fine military men from Ft. Bragg had a awesome day to sightfish for reds on the flats and also picked up a inshore slam fishing the creeks

The ladies with some of their recent redfish catches

Seth caught some good redfish and also picked up a keeper flounder on artificials. Way to go Seth!!!

Reel men with reel fish

Rodney and Seth with Rodney’s multi spotted redfish

Kevin Gray with a 4.5lb flounder and 5.7lb redfish that got us 1st place flounder and third place redfish in the Cape Fear Homebuilders Tournament

Christian and fishing buddy Luke took top honors in the speckled trout division and second place redfish in the Cape Fear Home Builders Inshore Tourney