Hatteras – April 27, 2017
Blake, of Hatteras Jack, reports that the big bluefish, in the 10+ lb. range, are dominating fishing in the surf and sound, and anglers are catching them on cut bait or metal lures.
Puppy drum have started to show up in the surf and in the sound as well. Chunking cut bait is the way to connect with the reds.
The sea mullet bite is good in the surf, too, and guys are also starting to connect with trout, on little grubs under a popping cork or grubs on jig heads out in the sound.
Megan Klein, of PA, with a 15 lb. blue caught in the surf of Buxton Beach. Photo courtesy of Teach’s Lair Marina.
Jim, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that anglers are connecting with blowtoads, sea mullet, and a bunch of small stripers. A few puppy drum have also been landed, and most anglers fishing from the pier are using bloodworms and shrimp on bottom rigs.
Stephanie, of Frank and Franks, reports that anglers are still connecting with the big bluefish, citation size and larger. Metal lures like stingsilvers are the way to connect with the fish, and if you can come by fresh bait on the island, cut bait will work well, too.
Those fishing bottom rigs have landed sea mullet, blowtoads, and a few croaker here and there.
Brandon Lyne, of Summerfield, with a Hatteras bluefish that bit a finger mullet near Fort Macon. The fish weighed in a over 8 lbs.
Kristen, of Avon Pier, reports that most anglers are dropping shrimp to the bottom and connecting with the big blues that are still in the area, along with sea mullet and blowtoads.
Bev, of Frisco Tackle, reports that anglers are catching big bluefish, as well as citation-sized drum, on cut bait in the surf. Bunker is the go-to cut bait choice. Sea mullet and blowtoads are also being landed for those soaking shrimp and bloodworms.
JAM, of Teach’s Lair, reports that fishing for bluefish has been the best that the area has seen in almost two decades. Four citations have been weighed in recently, and anglers are using a variety of metal lures and bait to catch the fish.
Big drum are also moving back into the area, with citation-sized fish being caught from the beach.
Inshore, the cobia have moved back into the waters around Hatteras. A boat recently landed four, and the best way to connect with the fish is to sight cast to them with bucktails. Some anglers prefer to dress up the bucktails with Gulp eels, Pro-Cure, or Gulp Alive! Spray.
Offshore, scattered yellowfin up to 40 lbs. are being landed, but most of the action is coming from the blackfin tuna. Boats are returning with multiple citation-sized fish.
The mahi have returned, and gaffer dolphin are being found from Hatteras to Ocracoke.
Aaron, of Tightline Charters, reports that citation-sized drum are being caught and released from schools around the inlets, and they can be targeted with bucktails.
Schools of large black drum, from 50-100 lbs., are migrating north through the area along the beaches, and they will also take bucktails.
The chopper bluefish are everywhere, from the beaches to the sounds and inlets. These fish aren’t picky about what they bite, and Hopkins lures and gold spoons should hook anglers up to the fish.
Cobia have started to move back into the region as well, with bucktails also working on these fish.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that the mahi have returned, and they can be found under grass lines that are starting to appear in area waters. They are bailer size for now, but bigger ones should move in shortly.
Yellowfin are still around, with a 40 lb. fish landed, and blackfin are everywhere in the Stream.
Bill, of Predator Sport Fishing, reports that dolphin have returned to the area and are mixed in with the blackfin tuna. Trolling traditional ballyhoo, mostly naked, should tempt bites from the mahi, and anglers should use bird bars for some of the tuna.
The blackfin are in the 15-25 lb. range, and the dolphin are just above bailer size. The mahi aren’t schooled up yet, but they can be found about 20 miles out in the blue water.
Alan, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that anglers are connecting with 30-36” bluefish. Use chunk cut bait (like mullet, pinfish, or bunker) to connect with the fish, though they will occasionally take metal lures.
Drum have shown back up, both citation-sized and puppies. The big drum will take cut bait, and anglers can cast cut bait for the puppies, as well as shrimp.
Cobia have appeared nearshore along the beaches and can be sight casted to with bucktails.
Offshore, blackfin tuna and wahoo are being landed, and the first mahi of the year have started to show up.
There have also been reports of a few kings and amberjack.
