Morehead City April 23, 2009
Tom Blevins, of Morehead City, with a 26" redfish caught on a Berkley Gulp in the marsh around Morehead City. Photo courtesy of Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Tim, of Chasin Tails Outdoors, reports that gray trout are beginning to show up around the Atlantic Beach Bridge, and they should only get more numerous over the coming weeks. A Tsunami glass minnow or green grub on a jighead will fool the grays.
Anglers can also expect to catch some gray trout around the railroad tracks, where jigging a Stingsilver off the bottom will produce results.
The inshore bite is firing up in area marshes like the Haystacks, where anglers are catching speckled trout, red drum, and a few early flounder. Gulp baits, 27 and 17 MR Mirrolures, and topwater plugs have all been effective lately.
More trout are feeding in Slocum and Hancock Creeks, where the MR Mirrolures are also effective.
The area around Core Creek Bridge is producing good numbers of flounder and reds for anglers fishing live mud minnows on float rigs and on the bottom.
Gray trout and whiting are schooled up in the turning basin, and anglers are hooking big numbers of both fish while bouncing shrimp-tipped spec rigs off the bottom. The Shrimp Glow color has been easily the most effective.
Black and puppy drum are feeding around the Lookout rock jetty and the surf nearby. Fresh shrimp and cut mullet are drawing bites from the drum.
Some sea mullet are feeding in the surf closer to Atlantic Beach, and they’re biting fresh shrimp.
Bluefish are feeding around AR 315 and 320, and anglers have been hooking them on Stingsilvers. The spanish mackerel haven’t shown up yet, but they should be along soon.
Bottom fishermen have been catching some big sea bass around the Big 10/Little 10. Squid and cut baits pinned to bottom rigs will get attention from the bass.
The kings have moved into the area of the 210 and 240 Rocks, and boats trolling cigar minnows have put together solid catches lately.
Blue water anglers have found a good wahoo and yellowfin tuna bite around the Swansboro Hole and east of the shoals at the Chicken Rock. The fish are falling for skirted ballyhoo.
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Kevin Collie, from Fayetteville, NC, with a 3 lb. speckled trout he hooked while fishing near Swansboro with Capt. Jeff Cronk of Fish'N4Life Charters.
Marty, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that the whiting and gray trout bite is on in the turning basin. Anglers are catching the whiting on spec rigs tipped with shrimp, and they’re targeting the gray trout with success by working Shore Lure Glass Minnows just off the bottom.
Some black drum are feeding in the area’s sounds and surf. Fresh shrimp are hard to beat for these crustacean-lovers.
Some large Hatteras-sized bluefish are starting to appear in the surf as well, with a few biting off the piers. Large cut baits or metal lures should tempt bites from the big chopper blues.
Offshore, bottom fishing boats have had decent catches of sea bass within 15 miles of the beach lately. Fishing squid on bottom rigs near offshore structure is the way to hook up with the bass.
Gulf Stream trollers are catching a few wahoo and dolphin in the vicinity of the Big Rock.
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Shane, of Fight N Lady Charters, reports that when the wind has let the boat get out, the blue water fishing’s been excellent. Over the past week, anglers have caught yellowfin (some 50-60 lbs.) and blackfin tuna, dolphin, and wahoo (most in the 30-40 lb. class). The best bite has been north of the Big Rock right on the break in about 40 fathoms. Blue and white sea witches and Mini Jags over rigged ballyhoo are producing most of the action.
Anglers have also been taking a break from the trolling to drop deep jigs in the area. They’re hooking up with some stout amberjacks, good for a serious battle in 200’+ of water.
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Ken, of Swell Rider Fishing, reports that bottom fishing’s been excellent lately, with good catches of sea bass, gag grouper, and American red snapper at structure in around 100′ of water. Cut mackerel and squid have been producing most of the bites, but the sea bass have also been quite willing to eat diamond jigs as well.
Out a bit further, the red and scamp grouper are biting well at structure in around 130′, and squid and cut mackerel are striking their fancy as well.
The offshore wrecks are covered with amberjacks right now, and they are quite willing to strike jigs ripped up through the water column.
King mackerel have moved into the 25-30 mile areas, and the jigs have also proven quite effective on them lately.
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Willis, of Oceanana Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are hooking black drum, whiting, and a few pompano on cut shrimp.
The bluefish have shown up, and plug casters are catching a few.
