Morehead City/Atlantic Beach – May 2022
Spencer, of Chasin’ Tails, reports that the first Atlantic bonito of the season have been pushing up from the south as they migrate through the area. Anglers have had the most success while targeting the local artificial reefs.
False albacore and spanish mackerel will be mixed into this action any day now.
Anglers anticipate cobia arriving sometime around mid-May. The key is to watch for pods of menhaden to arrive off Shackleford Banks and Cape Lookout.
Bottom fishing in the Port Wall area has been producing sheepshead, sea mullet, bluefish, and gray trout.
Inshore fishing for red drum and speckled trout has been both steady at times and then sporadic, with weather patterns and their seasonal transitions coming into play.
Offshore fishing will be heating up in May. A mixed bag of blackfin tuna, wahoo, mahi, and billfish will be caught by anglers working the 50-mile range out to the Big Rock.
Bottom fishing will be a mix of vermilion snapper, triggerfish, grouper, and large black sea bass.
Capt. Joe Tunstall, of Carolina Traditions Guide Co., caught this redfish on a Slayer 4″ paddletail with a weedless hook and Pro-Cure scent near the Morehead ICW.
Joe, of Carolina Traditions Guide Co., reports that the NE winds have helped clear inshore waters of the winter “silt,” and then the following west winds blew in warmer water. This has helped the speckled trout bite as these fish start to push out of the creeks and move to grass beds. These conditions have kicked off the topwater bite, too.
Puppy drum are also in these same transition areas. Anywhere from backwater mud flats out to marsh points and grass beds can be holding pods of reds.
Massive schools of the tailor-sized bluefish have moved into the inlet area and inshore flats.
Sea mullet and gray trout are holding just about anywhere from 12-50’ depths inside the inlet and out to the nearshore reefs.
A good number of pufferfish are mixed in this bottom fishing action. The pattern has been to target deeper holes on lower tides and then push up into shallower waters on high tide cycles.
Nearshore anglers have been finding schools of Atlantic bonito from Divers Rock to Cape Lookout.
Daniel, of On Deck Fishing Charters, reports that sea mullet and gray trout action is still strong in the inlets and up around the port. Sam’s Gitter rigs and spec rigs tipped with shrimp are great setups to start with. Anglers are also having success with Blue Water Candy Thingama metal jigs.
Nearshore anglers are starting to find trolling and casting opportunities for bluefish, spanish mackerel, and false albacore from the inlets to out over nearshore artificial reefs.
Red drum, speckled trout, and flounder are filtering into the backwaters. Anglers are having success finding strikes with a variety of topwater plugs, popping corks with Gulp shrimp, and cut baits.
Dewayne (left) and Ty Leonard (age 11) with the 46″ drum Ty hooked on a 2 oz. bucktail while fishing in 40′ of water near Cape Lookout. They were fishing with Capt. Chris Kimrey of Mount Maker Charters.
Chris, of Mount Maker Charters, reports that anglers are still catching good numbers of slot-sized red drum in the ICW and other deep-water spots. Most of the action has been with bait and soft plastics.
Gray trout, pigfish, and bluefish are inside the inlets. Spec rigs tipped with shrimp and Stingsilvers are producing strikes.
Nearshore ARs are holding the larger gray trout (to 22”) as well as bigger bluefish (to 3 lbs.), and anglers are starting to see some Atlantic bonito showing up.
Offshore fishing remains steady, with a mixed bag of black sea bass, triggerfish, vermilion snapper, grunts, and porgies.
A good number of springtime kings and amberjacks are moving into these same areas.
Justin, of Breakday Charters, reports that anglers still anticipate the larger schools of Atlantic bonito to move into the area. There are fish around, but most action is centered just south of the area. Trolling is a great method to find these schools, with Yo-Zuri deep diver plugs and Clarkspoons under planers having success. Jigs or casting lures are also having success when finding surface-feeding schools early.
Anglers fishing at the nearshore reefs are catching keeper gray trout and bluefish.
Spanish mackerel are in many of the areas to the south, so they will be arriving any day now.
False albacore will also be mixed in as they move in from off the beach.
The first cobia tend to arrive around Mother’s Day weekend, and then they really move into the area as it gets later into the month.
Anglers are looking forward to the start of grouper action when keeper season opens. Target these fish anywhere from 60’ out to the break.
Byron, of Going Bogue Outdoors, reports that anglers sneaking out to the break to troll have found decent wahoo and blackfin tuna fishing.
A few yellowfin tuna are also mixed in the action. Most of the fleet has concentrated their efforts out towards the Big Rock, but the few running further south to the Wall or Devils Hole are being rewarded.
Bottom fishing remains consistent, with good vermilion snapper and triggerfish being caught in the 108-140’ range.
Black sea bass fishing has been fair in the nearshore waters.
With the season opening on the shallow-water grouper species, expect to see an uptick in efforts and catch reports.
Woody, of Rigged Right Charters, reports that anglers are rfinding spanish mackerel and Atlantic bonito showing up in spurts.
The 80-130’ range will be holding amberjacks and some almaco jacks.
Bottom fishing remains good, and with grouper season opening, expect to see more catch reports from opening day on.
The gaffer-sized mahi will soon be showing up offshore, and this could happen anytime over the next few weeks.
Kelly, of Oceanana Pier, reports that bottom fishing has been picking up, including better numbers of sea mullet being caught.
The first couple bluefish have started moving onto the beaches, and cut baits have produced some rays.
