Morehead City April 12, 2012
Greg Marquart, of Falkland, NC, and Joe Phillips, of Greenville, with 55 and 42 lb. wahoo that struck skirted ballyhoo near the Big Rock. Weighed in at Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Matt, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers have found some excellent action with red and black drum while fishing from shore at Fort Macon recently. Fresh shrimp on bottom rigs have been producing plenty of action with both drum.
Elsewhere in the surf, sea mullet, pufferfish, and sharks are all taking an interest in shrimp, and bluefish (including a few big choppers) are also starting to make an appearance.
Inshore, the sea mullet bite is still going strong from the turning basin to Beaufort Inlet and around the Dead Tree Hole and Barden’s Inlet. Shrimp on bottom or spec rigs will tempt bites from the mullet.
The speckled trout bite has been best in the creeks off the Neuse River lately, with a few fish turning up locally in the Haystacks. Soft plastics and suspending hard baits like Yo-Zuri 3D Shrimp and Minnows or MirrOlure MR17’s are producing most of the trout.
Flounder are beginning to feed inshore, and anglers are starting to see decent numbers of keepers while fishing live mud minnows and Gulp baits around the inlet, turning basin, and ICW.
Anglers are finding some sheepshead action around the port wall and the Cape Lookout jetty, mostly while baiting up with fiddler crabs.
Bluefish are feeding strong from the inlet to Cape Lookout, and a few spanish mackerel have already been caught as well. Trolling Clarkspoons or casting metal jigs to breaking fish is the way to put both in the boat.
Offshore, the wahoo, dolphin, and blackfin tuna are still waiting between the 90’ Drop and the Big Rock for boats making the run to blue water. Ballyhoo rigged under skirted trolling lures are the way to go for all three.
Marty, of Freeman’s Tackle, reports that spanish mackerel have already begun showing up for the season and the water only needs to warm a bit more to really get the bite going. Plenty of bluefish are around to provide action as well, and both will take an interest in trolled Clarkspoons or small metal jigs.
As long as we remain in a warm trend, it won’t be long until the cobia will show up around Cape Lookout and Beaufort Inlet, where anglers can bottom fish with live and dead baits or sight-cast to the fish with bucktails and other lures.
Sea mullet are feeding along the beaches and in the turning basin and other deeper water inshore. A few croaker and spot are mixed in, and a surf caster landed one of the year’s first pompano last week as well. Cut shrimp will fool all these bottom-feeding panfish.
Flounder are getting off to a slow start inshore, but anglers are catching a few while jigging bucktails at the wrecks and reefs off the beaches.
Tom and Mike, of Pine Knoll Shores, with black and red drum they hooked on fresh shrimp near Fort Macon. They released another ten reds. Photo courtesy of Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Pete, of Energizer Sportfishing, reports that there are still plenty of wahoo to be found out around the Big Rock when boats make the run. Some dolphin and blackfin tuna are also in the mix. All the blue water predators are taking an interest in ballyhoo behind sea witches and other skirted trolling lures.
Closer to the inlets, the spanish mackerel bite is getting started, and there are plenty of bluefish around as well. Both are taking an interest in Clarkspoons trolled behind planers and cigar weights.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that there are plenty of bluefish and a few 1-2 lb. class spanish mackerel around the mouths of the inlets right now. Trolling green flash Clarkspoons has been the most effective tactic lately, but anglers can also hook up while casting small metal lures when the fish are feeding on the surface.
Off the beaches, there’s been a decent flounder bite around structure in 60-75’ of water, though it can be difficult to get past the numerous black sea bass in all the same areas. Gulp baits on 1-2 oz. bucktails are fooling most of the flatfish, and they are also producing bites from some large gray trout.
A few false albacore are also nearby and feeding around the same structure.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that red drum (from slot fish up to 40+”) are feeding along Cape Lookout Shoals. Looking for the schools of fish on calmer days is the best way to find them. When anglers do, casting bucktails with soft plastic trailers, swimbaits, large MirrOlures, and even topwater plugs will tempt the reds to bite.
Bluefish and a few spanish mackerel are feeding around the rock jetty and along the shoals, where trolling small spoons or casting metal jigs will tempt them to bite.
Inshore, there’s been a good trout bite in Turnagain Bay, South River, and other nearby backwaters (with plenty of smaller fish but some 20+” in the mix). A few puppy drum are in the same areas, and both will take an interest in MR17’s and other MirrOlures.
