Morehead City April 28, 2011
Chris and Scott, from Greensboro, NC, with a 11 flounder and a pair of slot red drum they hooked at the Cape Lookout rock jetty on live mud minnows. Photo courtesy of Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that the flounder bite is turning on in the area. Anglers are hooking up with the flatfish in the inlet, the turning basin, the Haystacks, and there’s been a particularly good bite at the Cape Lookout jetty lately. Live mud minnows have been fooling the majority of the flatfish.
The nearshore reefs are also turning on, and anglers have been putting together some good flounder catches at AR-315, 320, and 330 while bouncing 2 oz. Spro bucktails tipped with Gulp baits off the bottom.
Plenty of bluefish have moved inshore, and they’re feeding voraciously along the beaches, in the inlets, and around Cape Lookout. Metal lures like Jigfish, Stingsilvers, and Gotcha plugs will provide fast action once anglers find the feeding blues.
A few spanish mackerel have been spotted amongst the blues in recent days, and the spanish bite should go wide open over the coming weeks. Trolling Clarkspoons or diving plugs and casting metal lures at surface feeding activity is the way to hook up with the spaniards.
Red drum are feeding throughout the inshore waters and around the Cape Lookout jetties. Some larger reds (35-45”) have been spotted and hooked along Lookout Shoals, especially around Shark Island. Bucktails will fool the big reds, and anglers can hook up with the slot-sized fish on Gulp baits, topwater plugs, and spinnerbaits.
Gray trout fishing has been excellent from the turning basin to the Coast Guard Station, and anglers are hooking big numbers (but only allowed to keep one) while bouncing Stingsilvers and spec rigs tipped with shrimp along the bottom.
Surf casters are hooking up with some sea mullet, black drum, and spot. Shrimp and bloodworms are fooling all three bottom feeders.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that boaters spotted the first few cobia of the year along Lookout Shoals last week, and it shouldn’t be long until the main body of fish moves inshore. Once they do, sight-casting bucktails and eel imitations and fishing live and dead baits on the bottom near the inlets will be the way to hook up.
Spanish mackerel also made their first appearance of the season last weekend, and boats hooked some while trolling off the beaches in 20’ of water and deeper last week. Like the cobia, it won’t be long until the spanish bite is in full swing.
Surf anglers are connecting with some excellent numbers of sea mullet and a few nice pompano while baiting up with shrimp.
Inshore, the gray trout bite is excellent in the deeper waters from the inlet to the port, and spec rigs tipped with shrimp or Shore Lures and other metal jigs will fool the grays.
Matt Sadler, of Greenville, NC, with a red drum he hooked on a 3" Gulp pogy behind Carrot Island near Beaufort.
Flounder fishing has been a bit slow, but anglers have found a fairly solid bite in the old Coast Guard cut. Live mud minnows are doing the damage on the flatfish.
Offshore reports have been fairly slow due to high winds and a lack of boats fishing. Some blackfin tuna and dolphin were reported around the Big Rock last week, and anglers will likely see reports improve as more boats are able to get out over the coming weeks.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that the Cape Lookout cobia bite should turn on over the next few weeks. When it does, anglers can hook the fish while sight-casting bucktails with soft plastic trailers at fish they spot cruising on top in 15-20’ of water. Fishing live and dead baits on bottom rigs on the edges of the inlet channels is another proven way to connect with the cobes.
Some large red drum will also be showing up with the cobia and feeding on bait balls of pogies. Allowing lures to sink under the pogies and cobia will offer anglers a chance to hook up with the reds
Surf fishermen have been beaching a few big red drum while fishing large cut baits at night from south Core Banks.
Inshore, the puppy drum fishing will be solid over the next few weeks in the marshes, particularly around Swan Island, Raccoon Island, and in West Bay. Soft plastics by Gulp, Trigger-X, and Zoom will draw strikes from the reds, and anglers should also be able to hook up on topwater plugs.
Royce, of Sheraton Pier, reports that anglers are hooking some large sea mullet while baiting bottom rigs with fresh shrimp. Some small spot are mixed in.
Bluefish are showing up for the season, and anglers are hooking excellent numbers while working Gotcha plugs from the planks.
Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that plug casters are connecting with bluefish while working Gotchas from the pier.
Bottom fishermen have been decking some sea mullet and croaker on shrimp and bloodworms.
