Northern Beaches – April 2023
Kyle, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that both speckled trout and red drum action is getting better as the water temperatures have started to move up. As a result, some of the popular spring trout spots will be seeing pressure from area anglers looking to enjoy the more favorable fishing conditions. The Little Bridge, Kitty Hawk Bay, and western Albemarle Sound banks (around Belhaven) are all good areas to start.
Surf fishing on the beaches from Nags Head and north has remained slow, with most of the catch limited to skates, dogfish sharks, and a couple puppy drum.
Offshore boats are still finding catch-and-release bluefin tuna action as a byproduct of the cooler waters that continue to be prevalent in the area. Yellowfin tuna, large bigeye tuna, and blackfin tuna also fill out these offshore catches, and some anglers are finding a few good-sized wahoo mixed in with the tuna.
Aaron, of Carolina Sunrise Charters, reports that speckled trout are getting more active as we move into spring. Anglers have been seeing the soundside action picking up as these fish start to leave their wintering areas and spread out. Some fish have even worked their way out into the surf zone where anglers are having success casting soft plastics into deeper holes.
Bottom fishing in the sound will start to produce sheepshead and black drum as we move through April. Both species are pushing back inshore and staging up around the deeper hard structures.
Nearshore reports have been bleak, but anglers are on the lookout for schools of citation red drum to start arriving any time now. This kicks off the spring sight-casting action, as these fish will show up first around Hatteras and then push their way up to outside Oregon Inlet.
Ryan Wirth, from Nags Head, with a pair of redfish caught throwing gold spoons over some grass flats near Oregon Inlet.
Ben, of Salty Waters OBX, reports that with warm weather coming back, the speckled trout and red drum are becoming more active in selected areas of the sound.
Sight-casting anglers have been targeting reds pushed up onto some of the shallower grass flats. With weather patterns still so up-and-down, though, these schools have been spooky, so being patient in your efforts has been key.
The trout have been staged up around the grassier bottoms and drop-offs in the 3-6’ depth range. On sunnier days, these fish have pushed up onto shallower areas to warm.
Jack, of Afishionado Charters, reports that tuna fishing is the top priority of anglers looking to get back offshore after recent cold fronts. Bluefin tuna haven’t yet left the area, with some big fish still around the Point and smaller ones off Hatteras.
Yellowfin tuna are starting to mix into the catches in better numbers as we move into spring. More anglers targeting them in the coming weeks should provide a better gauge on how this bite is progressing moving through April.
There are some nice-sized blackfin tuna off of Oregon Inlet and the offshore areas outside Hatteras Inlet.
Yellowfin and blackfin tuna will continue to be the most common targets moving through April. The bluefins will probably be around for a bit longer as well, as a result of cooler nearshore water temperatures still prevalent.
Andy, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that April is a great month for tuna fishing. Anglers not only will get more favorable fishing days, but fish boxes full of yellowfin and bigeye tuna definitely make the trips well worth it.
There are still bluefin tuna around, though they should be pushing out any time now.
Meredith, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that weather patterns have been largely unfavorable, but moving into April, this typically changes and anglers will start to get out more with lighter winds and longer weather windows for running offshore.
April in the area is all about tuna fishing. Yellowfin tuna will be accompanied by scattered blackfin and scattered (larger) bigeye tuna.
With water temperatures still cool, anglers are finding bluefin tuna hanging around.
Not much has changed for inshore anglers with sound temperatures still low. The bite is primarily just some trout around for patient anglers.
Nearshore anglers anticipate the schools of citation red drum starting to show up relatively soon.
Alex Rich, from Elizabeth City, with a striper that fell for a Rattlin’ Rogue in the Albemarle Sound. He was fishing with Capt. Grey Davis of Hyde Guides.
Cindy, of Avalon Fishing Pier, reports that cold water temperatures still have fishing a bit slow, but bottom fishing currently has been producing shad and stingrays.
Paul, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers on the northern beaches are waiting on the arrival of some of the bottom species that are in the reports from Hatteras Island. Up on the northern beaches, anglers are seeing action on dogfish sharks, skates, and the occasional puppy drum.
Sound fishing anglers are slowly starting to see speckled trout become more active as the inshore waters warm up. Up north of Duck, the sound is mostly only seeing action on the freshwater species.
Moving into April, anglers anticipate seeing more typical spring weather with less winds and longer stretches of warm weather that will help the surf action. Sea mullet, croakers, and better numbers of puppy drum will be some of the first arrivals. There is also the possibility of seeing a little spot run.
The first bluefish will also start showing up, with these early schools usually being the smaller “tailor” blues.
