Northern Beaches – April 2022
Ward, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that puppy drum have started to move into the surf zone around Oregon Inlet. Anglers look forward to action getting better as these schools migrate north along with rising water temperatures.
Most surf action along the northern beaches has included a mix of dogfish sharks, skates, speckled trout, and shad.
Going into April, look for sea mullet to also start arriving in good numbers for anglers looking to bottom fish from the beach.
Soundside anglers have started to find a few speckled trout and puppy drum feeding. More bait moving inshore will only help this action get better in the coming weeks.
Offshore anglers are seeing the first few yellowfin tuna of the year. This action can fire off any day and is a huge fishery for the region during spring.
Some large catch-and-release bluefin tuna are still in the reports.
Jack Simms, of Lenior, NC, caught this drum using Fishbites on an Ugly Stik Elite with a Penn Fierce 2500 while fishing from the Hilton Garden Inn Kitty Hawk Pier.
Aaron, of Carolina Sunrise Charters, reports that signs of spring fishing have started with speckled trout and red drum moving into the surf.
Anglers are finding speckled trout while targeting deeper holes with MirrOlures or soft plastics, and red drum are holding in the same areas, with soft plastics and cut baits having the most success.
Anglers fishing in the shallow back bays and out towards the mainland banks have been finding the trout bite starting to come alive. Inshore water temperatures are on the rise and, with that, bait will be moving into the area and getting these inshore species fired up.
John, of Drumbeat Charters, reports that puppy drum have slowly been moving their way up north and are now staged on beaches from Hatteras to Oregon Inlet.
Speckled trout have also moved onto the beaches for anglers surf fishing deeper holes around Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head.
Those fishing in the sounds are starting to see the action come alive with water temperatures rising and weather stabilizing. Both speckled trout and puppy drum are going to be more common catches throughout April.
The citation-class red drum are moving into the area. They are moving up off the beaches around the shoals, and anglers are excited to see these trophy fish move in early. These schools will make their way up towards Oregon Inlet over the next few weeks.
Offshore trips are still seeing some large catch-and-release bluefin tuna around, but the water temperatures will have the last of these fish moved out shortly.
Yellowfin tuna are starting to trickle in and will quickly dominate the offshore action over the next month.
Anglers fishing south are able to get on good blackfin tuna action with jigs. Currently, getting out of the inlets has been the biggest factor in getting to these fish.
Gerry, of Fishing Unlimited, reports that speckled trout have started to show up around the little bridge. A few anglers have found limits, with a couple larger (to 20”) fish being caught.
Surf anglers have reported puppy drum now moving into the Nags Head area from the southern beaches. They are mixed in with dogfish sharks, skates, and shad.
Andy, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that offshore anglers are earning large catch-and-release bluefin tuna citations.
A few good-sized bigeye tuna were mixed in when boats were able to get out.
Spring tuna fishing is right around the corner, and April anglers look forward to seeing blackfin and yellowfin tuna move into the area.
Nearshore trips have produced good bottom fishing for black sea bass, dogfish sharks, sea mullet, and ribbonfish.
Meredith, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that offshore anglers are still finding some large catch-and-release bluefin tuna around (mixed in with the other tuna action).
Yellowfin tuna are starting to show up in the region. As more stable weather brings out more anglers, the yellowfin action should pick up greatly.
Blackfin tuna and scattered king mackerel round out the recent offshore fish counts.
Nearshore trips are finding plenty of keeper black sea bass.
Inshore trips have been just waiting for water temperatures to come up. Speckled trout and puppy drum are starting to come alive, and the next few weeks should see big changes in action throughout the sound.
Andy, of Nags Head Pier, reports that shad have been hanging around the piers.
Bottom fishing with shrimp will be the most productive method over the next few weeks as sea mullet move into the area. This bite should be on about the middle of the month, with action already starting on the Hatteras Island beaches.
A few speckled trout will also be moving into deeper holes around the piers. Casting soft plastics will be best for the trout.
Phyllis Withers, of Stanley, NC, caught this cobia while sight fishing with a bucktail in the Chesapeake Bay.
Cindy, of Avalon Pier, reports that shad have moved in around the pier.
The first puppy drum and speckled trout of the year were just caught, and as water temperatures rise, more of both species will be migrating north onto the Kill Devil Hills beaches.
John, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that red drum are getting more active as weather starts to stabilize moving into April. The puppy drum have now stretched from Ocracoke up to Oregon Inlet.
Anglers up on the Corolla area beaches have started to see their first keeper red drum of the season, along with scattered bluefish.
Dogfish sharks are also plentiful along the surf zone on any of the northern beaches.
Jeff, of Albemarle Fishing Charters, reports that striped bass have been thick in the Albemarle region. Anglers have been experiencing some 50+ fish days while targeting these schools as they transition into spring pre-spawning patterns.
Targeting shoreline structure and pilings in the 9’ depth range has seemed best. Anglers are finding action while both trolling or casting artificials. For trolling, minnow-pattern lures such as Rapala Husky Jerks have been producing well, and then casting anglers are having success using Bill Lewis Rat-L-Traps in a variety of color patterns.
