Southport – April 14, 2016
Nesbitt, of The Tackle Box, reports that there has been some great action with whiting around the mouth of the river and Bald Head Island. Catches between 50 and 100 fish have not been uncommon, and cut shrimp on bottom rigs has been successful for anglers targeting the fish.
Along the ICW, flounder are being caught around ledges and banks, while black drum and sheepshead are being caught around pilings, rock piles, and bridges. Live mud minnows have been the best way to connect with the flounder, while the black drum are biting best on cut shrimp. The sheepshead are mostly taking an interest in fiddler crabs.
There have also been reports of over-slot red drum being caught around Yaupon Reef.
Daniel Simmons and Tim Gallimore with a snowy grouper they landed on cut bait while commercial fishing 90 miles south of Ocean Isle in 700′ of water.
Annette, of Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that the recent winds have deterred many boats from making it offshore.
Surf anglers are reporting Virginia mullet and croakers, and both species have been caught using cut shrimp on bottom rigs.
Up in the backwaters and the canals, there have been a few trout, with most of the fish falling for Rapala X-Raps.
Nathaniel Goodwin, of Charlotte, with a 21″ black drum he caught on dead shrimp around Bald Head Island. He was fishing with Capt. Christian Wolfe, of Seahawk Inshore Fishing Charters.
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait & Tackle, reports solid action with trout and drum around the Southport waterfront area. Live mud minnows and peanut pogies have been the successful bait for both the trout and the drum.
Up in the Davis Canal, as well as the Elizabeth River, there has been good action with trout, drum, and flounder. Live mud minnows, as well as Gulp shrimp on jig heads, have been effective for all three species. MirrOlure MR17’s and Bomber Badonk-A-Donks have proven effective in hooking up with the trout.
Chris Casper, of Clemmons, with an 18″ speckled trout he caught on fresh shrimp off the Oak Island point.
Wally, of Oak Island Charters, reports that whiting have been biting around the mouth of the Cape Fear River over the past couple of weeks. There have also been nice sea bass caught in the 65’ depth areas.
Ryan, of Fugitive Charters, reports that the recent windy conditions have made it difficult to get offshore.
Inshore, the trout are still biting, and the black drum bite is picking up as well. Around the inlets, plenty of whiting and puffers have been caught.
Once the water near the beach gets up to 65 degrees, expect the spanish mackerel to show up and the kings to move in closer to the beach.
Steve, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that there have been whiting and black drum coming up over the rails. Cut shrimp on bottom rigs have done the trick.
The water temperature is currently around 60 degrees.
