Swansboro – March 26, 2015
Rob, of Sandbar Safari Charters, reports that anglers are finding plenty of red drum schooled up in the bays and marshes behind the local barrier islands at present. The fish are getting much more pressure from anglers than they have in past years, so it can be a bit tough to get them to bite. Scented soft plastics like Gulps and other lures laced with Pro-Cure are some of the best bets for anglers who want to cast artificials. When the drum still won’t commit, cut mullet, live mud minnows, and other natural baits will often do the trick.
David Edwards with a 24” red drum he hooked on a Zoom Super Fluke in a creek near Emerald Isle while he was fishing with Capt. Jonathan Garrett of On Point Fishing Charters.
There are still some red drum and likely some black drum feeding in the surf zone, particularly around local inlets. Anglers may be able to spot the reds and sight-cast to them, but the black drum are far more likely to take an interest in cut shrimp pinned to bottom rigs.
Jon Espinoza, of Jacksonville, NC, with a 7 lb. speckled trout that bit a Salty Bay soft plastic while he was fishing the New River near Sneads Ferry with Capt. Allen Jernigan of Breadman Ventures.
Some sea mullet and pufferfish should be showing up in the surf zone soon as well, and both of the panfish will also take an interest in shrimp fished on the bottom.
Out in the ocean, anglers can likely find some black sea bass, tautog, and sheepshead looking for meals around nearshore rocks and live bottoms. All the bottom feeders will pounce on shrimp or crabs fished on bottom rigs, and small metal jigs may also attract their attention.
False albacore and Atlantic bonito should be making an appearance at nearshore structure within 10 miles of the inlets as April progresses. Anglers can find the fish by looking for diving birds or surface disturbances and cast metal lures like diamond jigs around the activity to hook up.
Chesson, of CXC Fishing Charters, reports that anglers found some excellent bottom fishing at spots in 100’ of water and deeper last week. Black sea bass and red porgies have been producing most of the action. Anglers can hook both on bottom rigs baited with squid or cut baits, but artificial lures like bucktails and vertical jigs were producing the larger fish last week.
False albacore, amberjacks, almaco jacks, and a few Atlantic bonito are feeding higher in the water column in the same areas, and all will pounce on vertical jigs worked quickly through schools of fish that anglers mark on the depthfinder.
Bob, of The Reel Outdoors, reports that anglers are finding some action with black sea bass while bottom fishing around the Southeast Bottoms and other spots not too far from Bogue Inlet. There are likely some keepers even further inshore around the Keypost and smaller reefs and wrecks. Squid and cut baits pinned to bottom rigs or small vertical jigs will attract attention from the bass.
Inshore, there’s been some outstanding red drum action recently in the marshes behind Bear Island. The fish are schooling up in the bays in the area and biting soft baits like Gulps along with a variety of natural baits.
The speckled trout bite has petered out a bit, but anglers are still hooking a few in the creeks and rivers off Bogue Sound.
Surf and pier anglers haven’t seen much action yet this spring, but rising water temperatures should turn on the sea mullet and pufferfish bite over the coming weeks. Shrimp and bloodworms pinned to small hooks on bottom rigs will fool both panfish.
Mike, of Bogue Inlet Pier, reports that anglers have only seen action with skates, dogfish, and a few small sea mullet around the pier, but rising water temperatures should kick the spring bottom fishing into gear in the coming weeks. Sea mullet, pufferfish, and some red and black drum will likely be among the first catches, and all will pounce on cut shrimp fished on bottom rigs.
