Morehead City March 7, 2013
Jimmy Grantham, of Dunn, NC, with a 8.77 lb. gator speckled trout that secured first place in the Chasin’ Tails Speckled Trout Challenge. An MR17 MirrOlure fooled the big fish in a creek near Morehead City.
Tim, of Chasin’ Tails Outdoors, reports that anglers are catching a few black drum and puppy drum while fishing from the beach at Fort Macon, with skate and dogfish providing additional action. When the water warms up over the coming weeks, some sea mullet, pufferfish, gray trout, and bluefish should mix into the catch. Shrimp and cut mullet on double-drop bottom rigs will fool all these bottom feeders.
As winter turns to spring, many of those bottomfish will move into the inlet, where anglers can hook them on spec rigs or bottom rigs in the inlet, around the Coast Guard Station, and in the turning basin. The gray trout may also take an interest in Stingsilvers or other jigging lures.
Speckled trout are scattered right now, but anglers are finding a few. South River and Broad Creek have been two of the better areas recently, and most fish are falling for MR17 MirrOlures.
Some black and red drum are feeding around structure in Core Creek, and both will take an interest in cut shrimp fished on the bottom.
Rumor has it a few flounder have already been caught on bucktail jigs at AR-315 this year, and the flatfish should become more numerous there and around other nearshore structure as March fades into April.
Bottom structure further offshore is holding big numbers of black sea bass and gag grouper, but they’re closed to harvest at present. Plenty of dogfish are in the same areas and providing more action.
Anglers making the run to the Gulf Stream should be able to find some wahoo and blackfin tuna action while trolling ballyhoo paired with skirted lures. The Rise and Swansboro Hole are two traditionally productive spring blue water spots and good places to begin the hunt.
Leslie Whitford, of Morehead City, with a tautog and a speckled trout she hooked while fishing near Radio Island with her husband.
Paul, of Freeman’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are still catching some sheepshead and a few tautogs around the Morehead port wall. Cut shrimp will attract attention from both.
Anglers are reporting some speckled trout and puppy drum action in the local creeks. The bite has been consistent for those who can find the fish, but they’re grouped up tightly, so anglers could be a few feet from the right spot and never hook up. Both fish are taking an interest in suspending lures like MR17 MirrOlures (particularly the new C-Eye series) and Rapala X-Raps. Surf casters are picking up an occasional black drum, speckled trout, flounder, or dogfish, but the bites are few and far between. As the weather warms up in the coming weeks, anglers should start seeing the first spring push of sea mullet and pufferfish in the surf.
After they show in the surf, the bottom feeders will make their way inshore, where anglers can hook them in the inlet and turning basin. Bottom rigs with shrimp, Fish Bites, and other baits will tempt bites from the mullet and puffers.
Some large chopper bluefish often turn up in the surf and nearshore as spring begins, so anglers may see a run of them begin in the next month. The big blues will bite nearly anything when they’re around, but cut baits on bottom rigs are some of the best producers in the surf.
Not many boats have been making the run offshore lately, but there should be some decent blackfin tuna action when the weather calms enough to make the trip.
