Morehead City/Atlantic Beach – March 2023
Nick, of Chasin’ Tails, reports that anglers have been seeing some good speckled trout and red drum action back in the creeks off the sound and local river systems. With water temperatures slowly moving up, artificial baits (both soft plastics and MirrOlures) are getting some reaction strikes.
Red drum are also being found schooled up throughout shallower bays back in the marshes.
Anglers fishing nearshore ARs and inshore structure around the Turning Basin are catching sheepshead and black drum. Both the sheepshead and black drum are also being found staged up around the rocks of the Cape Lookout jetty, with shrimp or sand fleas being the best bait options.
Those fishing the jetty are also seeing some bluefish starting to show up.
Running over to fish around Shark Island for red drum and working these areas with soft plastics or shad spoons has been producing strikes.
Those doing some bottom fishing in the 20-40 mile range are finding great black sea bass action, with triggerfish mixed in.
Over the coming weeks, look for the schools of sea mullet and pufferfish to start moving in through the inlets. These fish will stage up throughout the Turning Basin and in some of the shallower trout holes.
Joe, of Carolina Traditions Guide Co., reports that nearshore bottom fishing action has been really good, with a mix of black sea bass and triggerfish being found around structure in 80’ and less. The black sea bass have been aggressively feeding, so cut baits aren’t necessary, as just about any variety of bucktail jigs or metal jigs will get the attention of these fish. For the larger fish, look to target the lesser-known ledges and natural bottom contours versus the public ARs.
There are some gray trout starting to show up on the shallower nearshore structure.
Anglers running off the beach should keep an eye out for schools of false albacore and Atlantic bonito that should be arriving this month.
The nearshore water temperatures have started trending up already, which could also start moving a few early king mackerel over the deeper structure.
Anglers have had some fun sight-casting at schools of red drum running the surf zone. The lower and falling tides have seemed best for anglers targeting these schools.
Inshore anglers have been fighting through a lot of the “snot” grass that plagues the inshore waters every early spring. Fishing weedless soft plastics or suspending lures (such as MirrOlure Catch 2000 or MirrOdines) are key to keeping your line free of snags, and efforts are being rewarded with some speckled trout action. There are even trout already hitting topwater plugs on these warm weather stretches.
Daniel, of On Deck Fishing Charters, reports that sea mullet and gray trout will start stacking up in deeper holes both inshore and around the inlets. Anglers will find success jigging Blue Water Candy Thingama Jigs or Sam’s Gitter Rigs tipped with shrimp.
A mix of sheepshead, black drum, and red drum will be staged up around these same areas as they push inshore for the spring, and anglers can also find red drum while scouting the clear inshore flats with casting spoons or soft plastics.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that most offshore anglers have had their efforts focused on the great bottom fishing and bluefin tuna action that has hung around Morehead City.
Most of the bluefin have been really large, on the upper end of keeper size for recreational anglers with some commercial-sized giants (73”+) in the mix. The tuna are being caught with both live bait and large ballyhoo. While hunting giant bluefin, it has been encouraging to see good numbers of “old” red drum and an endless supply of big sharks of all species.
The better weather days have provided some great bottom fishing action in the 140-300’ depth range. Anglers have found catches of triggerfish, vermilion snapper, blackline tilefish, red porgies, almaco, and greater amberjack.
Nearshore bottoms closer to the beach are producing really good numbers of black sea bass, as well as a wide assortment of other bottom species.
Structure near the inlets, including the jetties, are holding a bunch of undersized and barely legal black drum and scattered red drum.
The best red drum action has been from the surf around Cape Lookout and in a few select locations inside creeks and shallow bays that held these slot-sized fish all winter long.
Byron, of Going Bogue Outdoors, reports that bottom fishing has been excellent. Black sea bass are being caught anywhere in the 40-100’ range, with many true “knot head” sized-fish being found on the deeper edges of this spectrum.
The deeper areas on out to the break will also see vermilion snapper and triggerfish mixed in the action.
Most of these bottom trips are able to produce limits, which is a great sign for the coming spring.
Cody, of Reel Time Charters, reports that bottom fishing remains really good in these cooler winter months for anglers looking to take advantage of early season weather windows. These trips produce a mixed bag of large black sea bass, triggerfish, and scattered other bottom dwellers.
Offshore trolling action will be focused on the blackfin tuna and scattered wahoo hanging around.
Bri, of Oceanana Pier, reports that anglers getting out to wet a line are finding some good battles with dogfish sharks feeding on cut baits.
Some pufferfish and bluefish have also started to show up in the action, and over the coming weeks, anglers look forward to warming water temperatures pushing some sea mullet into the surf zone.
