Morehead City March 31, 2011
Richard Broughton, of Morehead City, with a 7.5 lb. red drum, one of many he hooked on mud minnows and Gulp and Trigger-X baits at the Cape Lookout rock jetty. Weighed in at Chasin' Tails Outdoors.
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are finding action with puppy drum all over the area. There’s been a particularly good bite at the Cape Lookout jetty, but the reds are also feeding around the Ft. Macon and Radio Island rocks, in the Haystacks, and in the surf. Gulp baits in new penny, white, and nuclear chicken have been fooling most of the fish, but anglers are also enjoying plenty of action on live mud minnows.
A few speckled trout have been reported from Core Creek, but not many anglers are fishing for them right now.
Bottom fishing with shrimp around the Coast Guard station has been producing some action with black drum (many 5+ lbs.).
Gray trout and a few sea mullet are moving into the inlet, and anglers are hooking them around the Coast Guard station and in the shipping channel. Spec rigs tipped with shrimp will attract attention from both fish.
Surf and pier anglers are hooking up with some sea mullet (some approaching 2 lbs.), bluefish, and puffers. Shrimp on bottom rigs are the best bets in the surf.
It’s just about time for the flounder to begin feeding on nearshore structure like AR-315, and anglers may already be able to hook a few while bouncing bucktails tipped with Gulp baits off the bottom.
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers had some solid surf action with sea mullet, black drum, and a few big (1.5-2 lbs.) pompano during last week’s warm weather. Most of the action was around the Ft. Macon rocks, and the bite should turn back on when the weather gets warm again. Shrimp on bottom rigs will fool the mullet, black drum, and pomps.
Good numbers of bluefish and puppy drum are feeding around the Cape Lookout jetty, and both will fall for soft plastic baits or a variety of lures.
A few anglers are reporting some scattered gray trout and sea mullet in the turning basin and the inlet, but a dredging project has made the fishing tough and the best spots hard to get to.
Ryan Caudill and Patrick Kannan, from Wilmington, with two of nearly twenty puppy drum they hooked on live pogies while fishing in the Pamlico Sound with Steve Caudill.
Charlie, of Old Core Sound Guide Service, reports that red drum (ranging from slot fish to well over 27”) and bluefish are feeding around Cape Lookout Shoals. Anglers can often sight-cast to schools of the reds and hook up on soft plastics or suspending hard baits. The blues are feeding in the same areas and will attack the same lures or metal jigs.
Pufferfish have shown up along the beaches as well, and anglers fishing the surf or deeper holes can hook big numbers of the tasty panfish on bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Puppy drum are schooled up and feeding in the marshes off the sounds and rivers, and scented soft baits will tempt them to bite inshore.
Pete, of Energizer Charters, reports that offshore fishing is still steady when the winds let the boats get out. Trolling temperature edges along the break from the Swansboro Hole to north of the Big Rock is producing action with wahoo and blackfin tuna. Some yellowfins are showing up as well, and the first dolphin of the year made an appearance last weekend. Rigged ballyhoo under sea witches are the standard trolling baits for all the blue water predators.
Royce, of Sheraton Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are decking some fat sea mullet and pufferfish along with a few black drum. The best fishing lately has been on the incoming tides, and fresh shrimp are producing the most action.
