Ocean Isle – April 14, 2016
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that there has been some solid king mackerel action. The kings can be found 35 miles out around the Horseshoe. Finding water temperatures in the upper 60’s and slow trolling dead cigar minnows has been effective in hooking up with the kings.
Bottom fishing a few miles further out has found vermillion snapper, sea bass, and assorted bottom fish.
Taylor Richburg, of Rowland, NC, and her grandfather Mike Miller with black drum caught next to the Sunset Beach Bridge.
Kyle, of Speckulator Inshore Charters, reports that there has been a decent trout bite around the creeks along the ICW between Ocean Isle and Little River. Vudu shrimp as well as topwater lures like the Spook Jr. have been effective in hooking up with the trout. Black and red drum are also feeding in many of the same areas, and fresh cut shrimp or crabs have been a good way to get the drum to strike.
Amy Miller, of Rowland, NC, with a tripletail caught in the Shallotte River.
There are reports of flounder being caught around the Tubbs Inlet, Cherry Grove, and Murrells Inlet areas. A majority of the flounder have been small, but a few keepers have been caught as well. Live mud minnows have been the go to bait for the flatfish.
Kyle Warren with a 17″ flounder he caught under the Ocean Isle bridge. The fish fell for a 4″ Gulp minnow on a 3/16 oz. Bluewater Candy jighead.
Kevin, of Rigged and Ready Bait & Tackle, reports that anglers have caught large numbers of bull whiting in the Lockwood Folly Inlet. Fishing cut shrimp on two hook bottom rigs, before and after the falling tide, has been the best way to get the whiting.
Black sea bass are chewing good offshore, and they can be caught using artificial baits. Using 2-4 oz. Spro bucktails tipped with 5” white Gulp swimming mullet has been effective, and these baits are fooling a few flounder as well.
False albacore have showed up within 10 miles of the beach. Look for birds working the surface, and try casting 1-2 oz. diamond jigs into the schools. When the bite slows down a bit, try trolling Yo-Zuri diving plugs.
Alex Wood (age 10) caught this keeper sized flounder and speck while fishing Sea Assassin artificial lures with Capt. Jacob Frick in the Ocean Isle creeks.
Philip, of The Rod and Reel Shop, reports that there has recently been some incredible action with the Virginia mullet in the surf and around the inlet. As the water warms up, the trout bite will also be increasing in the surf.
Fish are tucked back up in the canals and in the river as well. Fishing Vudu shrimp on a popping cork with 5-6’of leader has been very effective for the trout in the river, and Gulp mantis shrimp on 1/4-3/8 oz. jig heads have been effective in most other places.
Boats that have ventured offshore have reported solid catches of black sea bass around the local reefs. Dropping cut squid to the bottom, as well as diamond jigs, has been effective in putting sea bass on the boat.
Jordon Brown with a speckled trout he landed on a MirrOlure Surface Walker in Ocean Isle area.
Bob, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are catching Virginia mullet and black drum, as well as a few trout and small flounder. Cut shrimp on bottom rigs has been the most successful.
The water temperature is currently around 60 degrees.
Brett Herndon, of Sunset Beach, with a 16″ flounder he caught on a new penny colored Gulp shrimp under the Sunset Beach Bridge.
