[neverskunt]

Hello everyone, its my first time posting here so please go easy on the new guy.
I am headed down to Carolina beach this weekend to do a little inshore fishing. I am new to the salt water fishing game and I had a few questions. One does anyone know of any good spots to fish from the shore? I cant bring my boat down there as it is a bass boat and strictly for fresh water. Two, I'd really like to catch some flounder mainly as I heard that bite has picked up, but if there is another species worth cashing I'd be up for it. So any advice on how to catch flounder. I know these are basic questions here but I have very little experience with salt water fishing and I have moved close enough to the beach that I can make some day trips so I'd like to learn some good tricks to fishing down that way.
Thanks for any advice

 

[trigger22]

Welcome aboard, we are glad to have you.

 

[pgarick]

Welcome aboard. I am not familiar with the area but there are many in NCAngler that are. I am certain you will get some good information very soon

 

[h2ohhh]

General flounder catching tactics:

I'm assuming you are surf fishing and also assuming your gear may be bass tackle. This will work if you get some 3/8 oz. jig heads or a bucktail and thread a grub of some sort on it (most guys like the Gulp 3" or 4" shrimp (white or 'new penny' color) or the swimming mullet (it has a curly tail though and the pinfish will bite the tail off). If not averse to using a little meat on the jig go with a strip of squid (available at local bait stores...use 4-6" strips tapered in a triangular shape and hanging off the hook). A strip of large mullet (also available at bait stores...scale, filet and strip but leave the skin on..it's tough and hard for fish to get off) also works. Okay, now you are ready to catch flounder. Next, find a 'hole'. This is the hardest thing for a newbie to do as you don't have obvious 'cover' to fish. Walk the beach at low tide....look for drop offs on the beach and make note of the location (line it up with an object or house or whatever). Also look for small busted up shells gathered together at one location. This is where the waves met and 'receded' washing all that stuff back in the water. Flounder will ambush at these locations. Most of your flounder will be caught close to the shore in the 'sloughs' that they hide in (that deep spot you hit when you wade into the ocean right at the shore is an example), so casting distance is not important. The technique will be easy for you...think worm fishing. Slowly retrieve that jig back in keeping it close to, or on, the bottom. Flounder can be soft takers like a largemouth...sometimes its just a weight on the line as much as a bite. While many prefer the top half of the incoming tide and the first half of the outgoing tide you can catch them at anytime except slack tide. If the water's moving they're eating.

7 foot rod, medium action, 3000 series reel and 10-15 pound test (I use braid for the sensitivity) and you're on your way to a flounder. 15" minimum size in NC. Enjoy!

 

[pgarick]

General flounder catching tactics:

I'm assuming you are surf fishing and also assuming your gear may be bass tackle. This will work if you get some 3/8 oz. jig heads or a bucktail and thread a grub of some sort on it (most guys like the Gulp 3" or 4" shrimp (white or 'new penny' color) or the swimming mullet (it has a curly tail though and the pinfish will bite the tail off). If not averse to using a little meat on the jig go with a strip of squid (available at local bait stores...use 4-6" strips tapered in a triangular shape and hanging off the hook). A strip of large mullet (also available at bait stores...scale, filet and strip but leave the skin on..it's tough and hard for fish to get off) also works. Okay, now you are ready to catch flounder. Next, find a 'hole'. This is the hardest thing for a newbie to do as you don't have obvious 'cover' to fish. Walk the beach at low tide....look for drop offs on the beach and make note of the location (line it up with an object or house or whatever). Also look for small busted up shells gathered together at one location. This is where the waves met and 'receded' washing all that stuff back in the water. Flounder will ambush at these locations. Most of your flounder will be caught close to the shore in the 'sloughs' that they hide in (that deep spot you hit when you wade into the ocean right at the shore is an example), so casting distance is not important. The technique will be easy for you...think worm fishing. Slowly retrieve that jig back in keeping it close to, or on, the bottom. Flounder can be soft takers like a largemouth...sometimes its just a weight on the line as much as a bite. While many prefer the top half of the incoming tide and the first half of the outgoing tide you can catch them at anytime except slack tide. If the water's moving they're eating.

7 foot rod, medium action, 3000 series reel and 10-15 pound test (I use braid for the sensitivity) and you're on your way to a flounder. 15" minimum size in NC. Enjoy!

The esteemed and honorable Dr.H has spoken

 

[neverskunt]

Thanks Dr. H, Now what about Fishing the river? Would I go about I the same way? Are there any accessible areas around there to fish the ICW and Cape Fear without a boat? And which would be the best place to go about it? Beach side or Calm Waters.
One Last Question Dr. H, So when you say the flounder are in the slough do you mean right near the shore with the waves breaking, or do I want to go past that?

 

[2840-FISH]

or another thing you could do and have good luck at most of the time down there is hit the CB pier or KB pier. Seeing as how your talking about doing day trips, that may work out best. Just carolina rig some mullet or throw 1/4oz jig heads with gulp in close to shore near pilings. The closer the better, flounder fishermen are normally right where the waves are breaking when tide in coming in or just going out hope this helps. And if you go to CB, try the old pilings on the right

 

[Scott Hobbs]

Head to Snows Cut and fish the area around the boat ramp. Carolina rig with fresh caught finger mullet.

 

[GoneCatching23]

Will you be in a 4wd vehicle? If not I would look into driving to Fort Fisher and parking at Federal Point and walking out on The Rock Wall. There are breaks in the wall and I would fish those breaks. We were on our boat there last year and I believe it was on the incoming tide (not sure though), and there was 3 guys standing on the wall fishing the boat ramp side (See Map I've attached below). We sat and watched them pull up Fish! after Fish! and all we could do was just watch. They were fishing the opposite side of the wall from us as the water rushed through the break and I bet we saw them pull up easily 20 fish maybe more (The water was spilling/rushing into the boat ramp side). They looked like Black Drum to us but wasn't 100% certain.... Haha we had to leave cause we did not get 1 bite and watching that got old pretty quick..... Anyways If you will have a 4wd vehicle I would either drive out to the Carolina Beach inlet via Freeman park or still drive down to Fort Fisher and get a pass for the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area and drive down the beach and either fish the surf or keep driving down the beach and find Zeke's Island Reserve and you can pull off at one of the cuts and fish the Bays from the bank... Whichever you decide to do read h2ohhh's post again and again cause there's a lot of valuable info in there and have fun.... Almost forgot Snows Cut…. I’ve never fished the banks there but I see people doing it all the time… Stop in at Island Tackle Hardware and ask them how to navigate some of these places and get you some bait… If you don’t have a casting net pick up some mud minnows or live shrimp. The mud minnows will keep really well in a bucket without a bubble box as long as you refresh the water every hour or 2…. Check out Google Maps and find these places below.

 

[Reelpure]

Newbie
At Snows Cut boat access there is a public fishing pier and bank fishing access too. Back across the bridge just past CB Family Campground there is a small public park under the bridge with bank fishing. There are trails off the parking area that lead down to the bank.
And surf fishing between CB & Kure piers too if Snows Cut is not yielding or the wall barrier at Ft Fisher like mentioned.

 

[neverskunt]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll post the results after the trip.

 

[GQube68]

Carolina Beach inshore fishing advice.

Welcome aboard, we are glad to have you.

There is a very small park at the end of Florida avenue. It is very close to Snow's Cut and a perfect place to wet a hook. I have fished there several times and caught a number of species. The best rig is a simple red and white bottom rig with small hooks and 2 oz. sinker/weight.
You can get fresh, small shrimp at Blackburn Bros seafood. Use small pieces...break off the head of the shrimp, and save them if you do not have much bait. Break the small shrimp in half, and use the tail section and large upper section and put a piece on each hook. Try to get the hook through the piece two times instead of just once. Cast it out as far as you can and get ready...some times the fish start to bite before the rig hits the bottom.
I like to start my slow retrieve as quickly as possible after casting. Hope you hook a big one!

 

[drjon]

I'm curious to hear why you think your bass boat is strictly for fresh water. You asked about inshore fishing, a bass boat will do that very well as long as you don't get into the big water when the wind comes up. Would you describe the boat to us; maybe we can give you more answers that could expand your opportunities. I've used a 17-foot aluminum bass-style boat for inshore fishing for over 12 years, chasing redfish, speckled trout, black drum, flounder, etc., in NC, MS, LA, and and FL and use the same rig in freshwater for bass, crappie, trout, pike, and so on. I just wash it down carefully and flush the motor with fresh water after every use, no matter where I've been fishing. Because of the design of bass boats, I watch out for high winds and big waves, and fish shallow inshore waters that big bay boats have trouble reaching. I do appreciate the flounder information from earlier posts. Every time I come to this site, I learn something new about rigging or locations. Thanks, guys!

 

[Drum Runner]

the last professional bass tournament Bill Dance fished in was on the Pamlico. One of the last tournament locations I fished as well.
It can be evil. I've seen my share of boats come in swamped. had some calls to close for comfort as well.

You can run a bass boat in the ocean on the right day.
I've seen aluminum jons 15 miles out of Southport. Definately for the seasoned.

 

[NCMitch]

Carolina Beach State Park. Great foot access to Snows Cut and Cape Fear River areas. Convenient, clean, well kept, decent hours, Small pier, "beach" areas, store, marina, etc. Mullet should be plentiful. Mud Minnows are good too and **** near indestructible. You can get em along with tackle and good advice at Island Hardware (I think that's the name). You are going to lose a lot of rigs in Snows Cut. No way around it. Just part of the gig in there. Think about adding a poppin cork rig as well as the standard Carolina Rig and 2 hook bottom rig to your arsenal. I like the Gulp! baits. A lot of good advice above.