[turtlestew]

I'm heading to Carolina Beach the week of July 4th and would like to catch some flounder. My brother is planning on bringing his 16 ftjon boat. Anyone know if the sound gets too rough for a jon boat around Carolina beach and the Snow's Cut area?
Also any advice on the best techniques for catching flounder this time of year? I plan on mud minnows or finger mullet on a carolina rig but not sure if we should drift or anchor and cast at docks or something?
Thanks

 

[Hunter's Haven]

Turtle,
You'll be fine in the sound in the jon boat. The report is that the flounder fishing is a little slow right now but hopefully it'll pick up by the time you arrive. The carolina rig will work. You may want to drift the inlet area where it enters the sound right on the edge of the sandbar. The big boys are usually caught near the pilings of the snows cut bridge. Good luck.
Gery

 

[sinker man]

I'd be more concerned about other boaters. Mix in a need for speed and booze and a bunch of once a yr boater's and one pretty girl in a bikini and a 16' john boat is all but invisible. Carry all your required safety gear.

 

[sundrop]

I'd be more concerned about other boaters. Mix in a need for speed with our required gear and booze and a bunch of once a yr boater's and one pretty girl in a bikini and a 16' john boat is all but invisible. Carry all your required safety gear.

Yeah, I think I'd fly some flags that day for sure!!! and keep the canned airhorn handy!

 

[turtlestew]

Canned airhorn...that's a good idea. Thanks, we'll have to bring one along just in case.

I'll have to try around that sandbar Hunter, thanks for the idea. We've had a place at Carolina Beach for a couple years now, but never had a boat. Looking forward to finding some good spots.

Next thing is to figure out how to get that darn cast net to open!

I'm a bass fisherman and don't have much experience with salt water yet other than bottom fishing the sounds and pier fishing. I'll be sure to post pictures if we have any luck. Might just be pictures of bikinis though.

 

[backlash]

This link will give you a video to help you with your Cast net. Calusa.com - Calusa & Cracker Cast Nets

 

[turtlestew]

Cool thanks Backlash. I surfed the web a little last night and found this video and two others...There's a link below if anyone is interested. I think I like the first method on this link the best, seems you'd stay pretty dry. I seemed to get pretty soaked the few times I've actually tried to use one in the past.

How to throw a Cast net - How to cast a Cast Net

I can taste the flounder already! Even if I do have to buy em'.

 

[backlash]

That's interesting. I have never seen either of those methods. I might have to try them out as I'm graduating from a 5' to a 8' net.

 

[backlash]

Never mind those methods. Check out this net device.ProKast:

 

[turtlestew]

Thanks, might have to try that out.

 

[wkillette]

Hope the reply is not too late, but-just got back from Carolina Beach.

Hard to find bait. Did try a trap for mud minnows but only got small pin fish (This is all that was around our dock). Small trout loved the pin fish and mud minnows just inside the mouth of the dredge pond. The kids loved this. As far as mud minnows go, the True-Value in town has them. Caught a 21” flounder outside the mouth on a plastic shrimp.

I would not consider drifting in Carolina Beach Inlet during the weekend. During the week drifting the inlet is fine. Caught some flounder drifting but not keeper size.


Near shore had more luck pulling the tide lines out of CB and Mansonboro inlets than the reefs. Caught kings and Spanish.

 

[turtlestew]

Hey thanks for the report wkillette. I actually made it down this past weekend myself. On Saturday we got some mud minnows at the True-Value you mention and went and tried on the banks at Snows Cut. No hits after about an hour so we went to the sound at Wrightsville and caught a bunch of pin fish on shrimp. Again no takers on the mud minnows.

Me and a few buddies went out on a charter Sunday though out of Wrightsville and managed to catch a few grouper, and a ton of grunts and sea bass. The picture is of me with my first grouper, tasty! Caught him with menhaden in about 100 foot of water.

Not sure I know where you are referring to when you mention the dredge pond. Where is that at?

Also, my brother decided not to take his boat down next week, so I guess we'll try from the Kure Beach pier or go out on a head boat. I just don't have much luck fishing in the sound from the shore.

 

[sundrop]

Nice grouper... That is the best tasting fish in the world to me!

 

[Topsail Angler]

Very nice looking red grouper, Turtlestew! Definitely one of the finest tasting fish in the ocean.

 

[Dave B.]

That is the best tasting fish in the world

I agree with ya there Sundrop!

And yup, that's a nice red!

 

[Net-work]

Anybody out there own or ever use one of those ProKasts? I really hate to admit it, but I usually throw tacos instead of pancakes. No matter how much I practice or which method I try. I'm thinking about breaking down admiting I stink, and buying one in hopes spending less time catching bait and more time using the bait.