Ocean Isle April 12, 2007
Brant, at the Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that spring Gulf Stream action is off to a great start with boats finding and catching dolphin, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna. The fish have been spread out, but there have been good bites at the 100/400, Blackjack, and the MacMarlen Hole.
Trolling spreads of ballyhoo under skirted lures is the best way to find fish. Cape Lookout CJ25’s in blue/white, red/black, or purple/black are currently the hottest lures.
King mackerel are concentrated in the 35-45 mile range, and they will be moving closer to the beach as the water warms. Live baits are tough to find right now, but the kings will readily eat a dead cigar minnow.
Atlantic bonito have shown up at the 390 and the General Sherman. Trolling Clark spoons behind planers and on the surface is the way to hook up with these speedy gamefish.
Nearshore, large black sea bass are biting at bottom structure within a few miles of the beach. The sea bass are as close to the coast as they will come all year, giving anglers in smaller boats a chance to get in on the action.
Kyle, at the Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that trout fishing is the best thing going right now. Anglers are finding speckled trout averaging 1.5-3.5 lbs. at the Sunset Beach Bridge, the Little River jetties, and in the Shallotte and Lockwood Folly Rivers. Halo shrimp are the ticket to hooking up with the specks.
Some puppy drum are mixed with the trout at the Sunset Beach Bridge, and larger slot sized fish are in the Shallotte and Lockwood Folly Rivers.
A few flounder have begun to bite, although most are small this early in the year.
As long as it stays warm, flounder fishing should pick up very soon, and larger trout will show up as well.
Pam, at the Ocean Isle Beach Pier, reports that sting rays and sharks are providing most of the action right now. However, as the water warms over the next few weeks, fishing will heat up.
Whiting will appear soon, and fresh shrimp fished on bottom rigs are the way to fill a cooler.
Plug casters can look forward to the arrival of snapper bluefish soon, and spanish mackerel won’t be too far behind them.
