Hatteras/Ocracoke – April 25, 2019
Jam, of Hatteras Jack, reports that anglers bottom fishing with shrimp are catching great numbers of blow toads.
Large sea mullet (up to 18”) are mixed in in the deeper holes.
Medium-sized bluefish (2-6 lbs.) are biting Carolina-rigged cut mullet.
The old drum bite at the Point has been awesome, with the action at night being a borderline blitz. Drum to 48” have been coming over the sandbar and feeding on larger cut baits.
Puppy drum are scattered from Buxton to the inlet.
Paul Park, of Greenville, NC, with a 42″ citation red drum caught soaking fresh mullet on a fish finder rig on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Jim, of Rodanthe Pier, reports that bottom fishing with shrimp and bloodworms has been producing excellent numbers of blow toads.
Large sea mullet (up to 16”) are mixed in with the puffers.
A handful of small flounder have been caught closer to the breakers.
Schools of puppy drum have been cruising by the pier, and a few are caught on each pass with cut mullet.
A few large stingrays are also feeding on cut baits.
Heather, of Frank and Fran’s, reports that anglers are catching sea mullet on most beach accesses while fishing bottom rigs.
Puppy drum are being caught in good numbers with Carolina-rigged mullet.
A few bluefish are being hooked around Avon, and anglers anticipate their numbers rising as the water warms.
Pufferfish are biting around Avon Pier, and they’re mostly hitting bloodworms and Fishbites strip baits.
The Point has been seeing a good run of citation-sized red drum over the last week, with most fish being caught in the early mornings or in the evenings.
A few large sharks have also been landed at the Point, using the same large cut baits.
Julie Keen, of Fredericksburg, VA, with an 18″ speckled trout caught on a Storm shrimp. She was fishing around Oriental with Capt. Gary Dubiel, of Spec Fever Guide Service.
Kristen, of Avon Pier, reports that fishing has been productive for opening week, with gray trout, blow toads, and sea mullet all being caught. Shrimp on a bottom rig has been the most popular setup, with bloodworms and Fishbites also producing bites.
A few flounder have been landed, and staying closer to the breakers has been helpful for anglers targeting the flatfish.
Bluefish are being caught in the area, and when the weather settles, anglers anticipate seeing even more come over the rails.
Larry, of Frisco Tackle, reports that slot red drum are being caught from ramp 55 to the inlet.
Citation-sized red drum have been running at the Point, with most fish coming at night.
Bottom fishing with shrimp is producing sea mullet and blow toads.
Bluefish numbers have been scattered since the last storm, but steady weather should bring more blues into the surf.
Lee, of Teach’s Lair, reports that anglers are catching very good numbers of wahoo, with some days the action being non-stop.
Blackfin tuna have been around in good numbers, and the fish coming back to the docks have provided anglers with a few citations.
A couple of yellowfin tuna are mixed in with the daily counts.
Dolphin have started to show up on more trips, but numbers aren’t consistent yet.
Surf fishing has been very good on the island, with red drum showing up just about everywhere.
Citation-sized red drum (up to 50”) are being caught out at the Point, especially around the full moon cycle.
Slot and yearling red drum are scattered from the Point to the inlet, and they’re feeding on cut mullet.
Smaller bluefish (2-3 lbs.) are hitting cut baits in the surf, and steady weather should push better numbers into the surf zone.
Bottom fishing with shrimp is getting hits from sea mullet and blow toads in the area.
A few legal flounder (up to 19”) have moved into deeper holes between the breakers.
Large sharks are being caught at night with cut baits.
Joey, of Fingeance Sportfishing, reports that anglers are finding good action on 3-4 lb. class bluefish while casting Stingsilvers and similar metal jigs to feeding schools.
Red drum have been moving into the inlet, and bottom fishing with cut mullet is producing both slot and citation-sized drum.
On days that weather has allowed boats into the ocean, anglers are sight-casting Meat Hog and Bowed Up bucktails to schools of these large 40” class fish.
Aaron, of Tightline Charters, reports that really good numbers of bluefish have shown up, and casting glass minnow jigs to the feeding schools is providing plenty of hookups.
Citation-sized red drum have pushed inshore, and anglers have found these fish while bottom fishing with Carolina-rigged mullet. Areas around the inlet and the hook have been the most productive zones for this first wave of fish.
Jay, of Bite Me Sportfishing, reports that wahoo have steadily been biting in the area, with multiple fish being caught on each trip.
Blackfin and yellowfin tuna are hitting skirted ballyhoo, and some of the blackfins are citation-sized.
A spearfish, mixed in with the tuna, was landed.
Closer to shore, king mackerel have been feeding on baits around live bottom.
Jeremy, of Calypso Sportfishing, reports that wahoo fishing has been excellent, with fish biting both skirted baits on top and off the planer rod.
Some blackfin and yellowfin tuna are mixed in the counts, and they’re feeding on the same skirted baits.
Jessie, of Carolina Girl Sportfishing, reports that yellowfin tuna have been biting well at the rocks out in the Gulf Stream.
Blackfins are mixed in with the yellowfins, and anglers are pleased to find good numbers of citation-sized class fish.
To the south, anglers are finding really good numbers of wahoo.
Alan, of Tradewinds Tackle, reports that the old drum bite at the Point is the big news. Anglers fishing with large cut baits in the evenings have caught reds to 45” as these fish push into the shallows to feed.
Some large (6-7’) sharks are being caught at the Point using the same large baits.
Puppy drum are being caught all over the Hatteras Island beaches using Carolina-rigged baits.
A few mid-sized blues (up to 6 lbs.) are mixed in, and their numbers should only go up in the next few weeks.
Sea mullet and scattered black drum are biting shrimp fished on smaller bottom rigs.
