Morehead City April 1, 2010
Richard Broughton, of Morehead City, and Shorty, from Atlantic Beach, with a pair of 27" red drum they hooked out of a school trapped in a large tide pool near Cape Lookout. All their other fish were released from the pool back into the ocean. Photo courtesy of Chasin Tails Outdoors.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that some schools of redfish have moved from the surf into the marsh areas around Morehead. Anglers are finding the reds in the Haystacks, the Newport River, and the flats around the Middle Marsh. The most effective artificials lately have been Gulp, Redfish Magic, Trigger-X, Z-man, Deep Creek, and D.O.A. soft baits. Fish reluctant to strike the artificials have been falling for live mud minnows and cut mullet.
Some schools of reds are also still hanging around the Cape Lookout and Bear and Bogue Inlet shoals and anglers are catching good numbers on Gulp baits.
A few flounder are showing up in the marshes as well, and anglers are fooling the early-season flatties with Gulp baits and live mud minnows. The warming water temperatures should spur the flounder bite on the nearshore artificial reefs as well. Live mud minnows and Gulp-tipped Spro bucktails will fool the ocean flounder.
Gray trout will be showing up in the inlet and around the turning basin any day now, and anglers can fool them on spec rigs tipped with shrimp or metal jigs like Stingsilvers and Crippled Herrings.
Some whiting have been caught just to the south of the area, so they’ll be moving into the inlet and beachside areas like the Dead Tree Hole soon. Spec rigs tipped with shrimp and Fish Bites baits will attract attention from the whiting.
Anglers can also expect a good run of pufferfish in April and shrimp-tipped bottom rigs are the best way to fill a cooler with the tasty puffers.
Some bluefish have been caught around Cape Lookout and along the beaches, and they’ll be everywhere as soon as the water warms a few degrees.
Offshore, anglers are finding a great sea bass bite around the Big 10/Little 10 and 210, 240, and 305 Rocks. Squid pinned to bottom rigs are producing the best catches.
Some fat blackfin tuna and a few yellowfins are feeding in the Gulf Stream, and both are falling for medium ballyhoo under skirted lures. Some nice wahoo and a few dolphin are in the offshore mix as well.
Blake Grissom, Greg Kline, and Greg Kline, from Wrightsville Beach with a wahoo they hooked near the Swansboro Hole on a horse ballyhoo behind a black/purple Ilander.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the puppy drum bite is as good as it’s been in memory. Anglers are finding the pups inshore in the marshes and in the surf around Cape Lookout. Gulp baits are producing most of the action with the drum.
Anglers are picking up some early season flounder inshore around the docks, and Gulps and swimbaits are fooling them as well.
The speckled trout bite around Morehead has been a bit off lately, but anglers are picking up a few specks to the west around Bogue Inlet.
A few whiting are beginning to show up in the surf and on the piers, and it won’t be long until they move into the inlet and the turning basin. Some gray trout will be feeding alongside the whiting, and anglers can hook both bottomfish on spec rigs tipped with shrimp.
The wahoo and blackfin tuna bite has been pretty good offshore when boats can make it out, with most of the action located along temperature breaks between the 14 Buoy and the Big Rock. A few yellowfins are mixed in, and skirted ballyhoo are producing most of the action.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that red drum are moving inshore and anglers are catching them in the creeks and marshes. White soft plastics and MR17 MirrOlures are attracting attention from the reds.
The speckled trout bite is turning on inshore as well. The best action has been in the South River, Turnagain Bay, and other spots to the north, and anglers are fooling most of the fish on pearl white Gulps.
Bluefish (most 2-2.5 lbs.) are feeding along the shoals at the Cape and in the inlets, and they’ll strike just about anything.
It shouldn’t be long until the Atlantic bonito show up at nearshore structure in the area, and when the speedy predators arrive, anglers can hook them on soft plastic jerkbaits on 1/2 oz. jigheads.
Shane, of Second to None Charters, reports that when the boats can get out lately, the blue water bite has been pretty solid, with wahoo, blackfin tuna, and a few yellowfins filling the fish boxes. Ballyhoo under Blue Water Candy Witches and Mini-Jags are fooling most of the fish, and dark colors like red/black and purple/black prove especially tempting to the wahoo.
Jigging along the break is producing fast action with amberjacks and a variety of bottomfish.
Casey Sasser, of Tarboro, NC, and Caleb Stroud, of Snow Hill, with Casey's first red drum. The red fell for a pearl white Gulp shrimp near Cape Lookout.
Pete, of Energizer Charters, reports that blue water trolling has been producing good catches of wahoo, blackfin tuna, a few king mackerel, and other species. Skirted ballyhoo are drawing most of the bites.
Nearshore, some bluefish are turning up around the reefs, and it shouldn’t be long until spanish mackerel begin feeding alongside them.
Doug, of Sheraton Pier, reports that the season has finally begun. Anglers are hooking up with small bluefish, puffers, and plenty of dogfish on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Whiting should be joining the mix shortly, and anglers are also anticipating the arrival of large Hatteras bluefish sometime in April.
