Morehead City April 26, 2012
Anthony Floars, from Goldsboro, with an 81 lb. wahoo that bit a skirted ballyhoo near the Big Rock. Photo courtesy of Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that gray trout (many 18-20”+) are feeding in the inlet, around the Coast Guard Station, and beneath the railroad tracks and Atlantic Beach Bridge. Working Stingsilvers, green grubs, or spec rigs tipped with shrimp just off the bottom will tempt the grays to bite.
Some large pigfish are mixed in with the gray trout, but the sea mullet action has slowed down.
A few flounder are coming from the Fort Macon area, and anglers have had good luck with the flatfish at AR-315, AR-320, and other nearshore structure. Live baits and Gulp-tipped bucktails are fooling the flounder.
Puppy drum and a few speckled trout have been feeding in the Haystacks, where live mud minnows and Gulp baits fished under popping corks are tempting them to bite.
The speckled trout bite is still solid in Slocum Creek and other creeks off the Neuse River, and most anglers are fooling the fish with Yo-Zuri 3D Shrimp and Minnows.
Spanish mackerel have shown up in Beaufort Inlet, along with huge numbers of bluefish. Anglers can hook up with both while trolling Clarkspoons or casting Sea Striker Jigfish or other small metal lures at fish feeding on the surface.
Surf casters are catching good numbers of red and black drum on shrimp and finger mullet around Fort Macon. Some chopper bluefish have also shown up in the surf and are taking an interest in cut baits and finger mullet.
Offshore, the wahoo bite is still solid at local spots like the 90’ Drop, Big Rock, and Rise, and a few dolphin are beginning to show up as well. Both skirted ballyhoo and baitless lures like Blue Water Candy’s new Jag-a-Hoo are producing solid results in the blue water.
Paul, of Freeman’s Tackle, reports that sea mullet and pufferfish are still feeding along the beaches and inshore, and both will bite bottom rigs baited with shrimp, bloodworms, and other baits. Some gray trout are in the same areas and will take an interest in spec rigs tipped with natural baits or metal jigs like Shore Lures.
Anglers are still catching some red and black drum around the rock jetties and the Coast Guard Station, with shrimp and cut baits producing most of the action.
Speckled trout and a few puppy drum are feeding in the Middle Marsh, Haystacks, and other backwaters in the area, and live mud minnows or Gulps and other soft plastics will get their attention.
Bluefish and some spanish mackerel are feeding in and outside of Beaufort Inlet, with the best action in the early mornings. Trolling Clarkspoons or casting small metal jigs at the fish will tempt them to bite.
Some Atlantic bonito have been feeding around nearshore structure off the inlet in the early mornings, and they’ll respond to the same tactics as the spanish and blues.
Matthew Etheridge, from Kenly, NC, with a 3.5 lb. pompano that bit cut shrimp in the Atlantic Beach surf near Oceanana Pier. Weighed in at Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Some cobia have been reported in the hook of Cape Lookout, but the big run hasn’t started yet.
Offshore, boats are still finding action with yellowfin and blackfin tuna, wahoo, dolphin, and seeing some billfish while trolling around the Big Rock and other local Gulf Stream spots. Naked and skirted ballyhoo are fooling most of the blue water predators.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that the spring cobia have yet to make their appearance around Cape Lookout, but it won’t be long now, and the action should be hot by the May full moon. Casting large bucktails tipped with soft plastic baits is the way to tempt bites from the cobia.
Some red drum are feeding around Shark Island and along Lookout Shoals (ranging from puppies to citation-class 40”+ fish). They’ll also take an interest in a bucktail/plastic combo.
Large chopper bluefish are also feeding along the shoals and will viciously strike topwater plugs in the early morning hours.
Spike speckled trout are feeding in the creeks inshore, with a few larger fish and puppy drum mixed together around Point of Marsh, Swan Island, and other marshy areas. Fishing early in the morning will produce the best results with both the specks and pups, and 7M and 17MR MirrOlures or a variety of soft plastic baits will tempt bites from both.
Pete, of Energizer Charters, reports that blue water trollers found some excellent fishing off Morehead last week. Solid catches of dolphin and wahoo have been filling the fish boxes, with blackfin tuna and scattered yellowfin tuna in the mix as well. Some larger predators are around as well, as several blue marlin encounters and a 150 lb. mako shark attest.
Closer to the beaches, cobia have begun to make an appearance, and anglers caught several around bait balls off Atlantic Beach last week.
Stephen, of Bill Collector Charters, reports some fine blue water fishing for the local fleet last week. Trolling along a 78 degree temperature break from the Big Rock south, anglers hooked up with excellent numbers of gaffer dolphin, wahoo, and some blackfin tuna. The first blue marlin of the year were also released last week right along the break, and boats saw some sailfish as well, so the billfishing is beginning to heat up for the season right along with the meat fishing.
All the offshore pelagics are taking an interest in ballyhoo under sea witches and other skirted lures.
Myron Midgette, of New Bern, NC, with a chopper bluefish that bit cut mullet at Fort Macon.
Thomas, of Dancin’ Outlaw Charters, reports that the wahoo, dolphin, and blackfin tuna were chewing last week in the Gulf Stream, with the best action in around 40 fathoms of water south of the Big Rock. Ballyhoo under sea witch skirts are producing most of the action with all three species.
Closer to shore, spanish mackerel and bluefish are on the feed near the inlets and along the beaches, and anglers are hooking big numbers while trolling Clarkspoons behind trolling weights and small planers.
