Southeast NC Archives - Page 86 of 117

A scent of a crab chunk on the bottom will attract the attention of any redfish in the area; it’s one of their favorite foods.

The best nose in the marsh

Like the character Tommy in the rock opera “Pinball Wizard,” red drum often feed in turbid or dirty water where they can’t see; this means they play almost entirely by their sense of smell, even relying on it in clear water. […]

North Carolina and South Carolina manage red drum — and several other inshore species — with different creel and size limits, so fishermen who cross the state line need to know when they’re in the right, or wrong.

Beware: different strokes for different states

Jerry Dilsaver

The actual position of the North Carolina/South Carolina border is not well marked in the marshes between Ocean Isle and Dunn Sound, and the fish don’t pay any attention. […]

Scented baits like this Gulp! shrimp appeal to a red drum’s extraordinary sense of smell.

Stank it up!

Jeff Burleson

In the fish-eat-fish world, having acute sensory systems is a critical life component for a fish. Their sensory organs are highly developed and unique, and they use all their senses each and every day to eat, detect currents and sense any potential dangers. […]

Fishermen are blessed with the latest tackle technology that can produce a sensitive rod capable of making long casts, yet powerful enough to subdue a hefty red drum.

Make the correct gear choices

Jeff Burleson

Out of the hundreds of different gamefish available in North Carolina, there is an equal number of rod and reel combinations available to fishermen for every set of conditions. […]

The crew of "Coverage" won the Cape Fear Blue Marlin Tournament last weekend with an 821-pound blue marlin, the biggest in the 41-year history of the tournament.

Huge marlin wins Cape Fear tournament, sets record

Jerry Dilsaver

Capt. Hunter Blount, Jim Holmes and the crew of the “Coverage” out of Morehead City, are on a tear this year having won two of the first three of the tournaments in the N.C. Governor’s Cup Billfishing Conservation Series, taking first place in the Cape Fear Blue Marlin tournament last weekend with an 821.2-pound blue marlin that set a tournament record. […]

Redfish are starting to hit live bait in the cuts and along spoil islands in the Cape Fear River and in coastal creeks around Carolina Beach.

Carolina Beach fishing on steady improvement curve

Jerry Dilsaver

Kyle Lewis at Island Tackle and Hardware in Carolina Beach said more fish are arriving daily in area waters and action is picking up from the backwaters to the Gulf Stream. […]

The South Carolina/North Carolina state-line area is full of red drum that have crab at the top of their menus.

CCR – Get crabby and catch more state-line redfish

Jerry Dilsaver

The tide was low as Capt. Mark Stacy headed to Tubbs Inlet to spend an hour or two fishing for redfish and flounder while waiting for the tide to rise enough to reach a section of marsh near Calabash where he had plans to chase redfish on the incoming tide. […]

Red drum are constantly on the move as the tides change, looking for the best areas to ambush baitfish and shrimp that are driven by the moving waters.

You can paint Cape Fear red this month — as in red drum

Jeff Burleson

Anglers ready to test their tackle during the late-spring redfish offensive can get all the action they can stand within a 10-mile or 100-yard boat ride from Carolina Beach. […]

Guide Rennie Clark has been catching plenty of nice Spanish mackerel around rocks off Carolina Beach.

Nice Spanish mackerel hanging out off Carolina Beach

Jerry Dilsaver

Capt. Rennie Clark of Carolina Beach’s Tournament Trail Charters reports that some Spanish mackerel in the 2- to 3-pound range are hanging around some rocks in about 30 to 40 feet of water off Carolina Beach, feeding on schools of passing baitfish and providing anglers with some great action. […]