Southport March 2007
Dave, at Ocean Crest Pier, reports fishing is starting early, with anglers catching decent numbers of whiting from the pier over the past several weeks. Fresh shrimp fished on bottom rigs has been the best bait. Along with the whiting, anglers are catching some bluefish (weighing around one pound) and an occasional black drum.
In the next few weeks as the ocean warms, the whiting bite will improve. By mid-April, snapper bluefish should be making a strong showing, giving plug casters plenty of action. The pier has already seen its first flounder of the year, and more will not be far behind it. Solid speckled trout fishing from the pier isn’t far off either.
Ocean Crest Pier has a new blanket fishing license, meaning that anglers do not need a saltwater license to fish on the pier.
Butch, at Yeah Right Sportfishing Charters, reports that there are plenty of fish available right now, but strong winds have kept most boats at the dock over the past few weeks.
Big sea bass are holding in the 50-80′ range. Anglers can find sea bass at spots as close to shore as Lighthouse Rocks, but the bigger fish are further offshore around the Horseshoe. Lots of spiny dogfish are mixed in, and anglers should use squid and cut baits for best results.
A little farther offshore, grouper are holding on the 80-100′ ledges and live bottoms.
King mackerel are holding near the Frying Pan Tower, and anglers can hook up with kings by trolling #3.5 Drone Spoons behind planers or pulling cigar minnows on Hank Brown or live bait rigs.
Boats have found yellowfin tuna and wahoo around the 100/400 recently, and prime Gulf Stream season is just around the corner. April is the best month of the year for yellowfin and blackfin tuna, wahoo, and dolphin off Cape Fear. Start trolling with a spread of ballyhoo, but be prepared to switch over to cedar plugs and speed up the boat if the fish are feeding on flying fish and other fast baits. Keep a big plug like a Mann’s Stretch 50+ short in the spread either way.
John, at Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are finding a few trout along with some red drum in the creeks and at the inlet to the Bald Head Island Dock. Some fish have been caught on artificial lures, but most of the action has come on live mud minnows.
Some whiting are biting shrimp on bottom rigs in the surf and off the deck of Ocean Crest Pier.
With the rising water temperature, the drum and trout fishing should get much better over the next few weeks. At the end of March/beginning of April, we should see an excellent whiting bite in the ocean.
Mike, at Haag and Sons Seafood, reports bluefish, croaker, and whiting biting in the surf. Bottom rigs baited with shrimp or cut baits are best.
Plenty of trout are coming from the Bald Head Island area, particularly the inlet catwalk. The trout are running from 1-4 lbs., and red/white Mirrolures or white curly tail grubs are the most effective lures.
When the water temperature comes up just a few degrees, the inshore fishing will heat up. In the next few weeks, smaller flounder will begin migrating into the inlets, the waterway, creeks, and the Southport waterfront.
Peanut pogies will move into the area as well, giving anglers a source of live bait. Trout and drum action will move into the creeks, where the fish will stay most of the year
Jimmy, at Wreck Hunter Guide Service, reports anglers are still catching trout in a variety of areas, including Dutchman’s Creek, Walden’s Creek, Lockwood Folly River, and the Davis Canal. Mirrolures and grubs will catch the trout, but live shrimp will outfish either one if anglers can find them.
Chopper bluefish (8 lbs. and above) will be showing up soon on Jaybird Shoals and in the inlets. Anglers can catch the hard fighting blues on big live baits, but they also respond well to artificial lures such as Clark and Kroc spoons and big Rattle Traps.
Following the choppers, small flounder will begin showing up all over around the first of April. The little flatfish will fall for bucktails, mud minnows, and mullet. Good places to look for flounder include the Caswell Pier, ADM/Pfizer Dock, Southport waterfront, and the Bald Head entrance.
