Northern Beaches – March 24, 2016
Betty, of TW’s Tackle, reports that the fishing has been picking up along the southern beaches (generally from Avon south), with anglers reeling in sea mullet, specks, grey trout, and bluefish. There has also been some puppy drum, big sharks, bluefish, and blow toads at the Point in the past week or so (including a 32” drum and a 200 lb. shark), and blues and blow toads have been caught off the Frisco and Hatteras beaches.
Locally, there have been a few puffers caught off Jennette’s Pier reports of a few shad, small specks, and small rockfish off the Little Bridge on the causeway.
Gabby, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that offshore boats have been catching some bluefin tuna that have been in the 200-300 lb. range, measuring anywhere from 70” to more than 100”.
The yellowfin tuna are also starting to come in strong, as earlier in the month they were receiving reports of 1-2 yellowfin per day, and this number has increased steadily over the past week or so. There have also been reports of scattered blackfin tuna, and at least one wahoo caught in mid-March. As water temps heat up, offshore anglers can expect to see a much improved tuna bite, as well as more wahoo.
Tim, of Outer Banks Fishing Charters, reports that inshore fishing is starting to pick up in Oregon Inlet and the surrounding waters, with a 12 lb. drum, a 10” gray trout, and stingrays being reeled in within the past few days. There’s also been an uptick in pufferfish that should continue to increase as they start moving into the inlet.
Water temperatures in the inlet have been about 61 degrees, and the impressive drum catches should start to pick up quickly in the next couple of weeks.
Nicke Walke, from TWs Tackle, with his first red drum of the season caught from the surf.
Helen, of Jennette’s Pier, reports that fishing has been slow, with mainly skate and dogfish catches reported in March, but it’s starting to pick up with reports of bluefish, shad, and a number of pufferfish in the past couple of days off the pier.
Ed, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that it’s been a little slow on the northern beaches, but as the water temperatures warm up in the next couple of weeks, the blow toads, bluefish, and sea mullets that are currently being caught along Hatteras and Ocracoke islands should start to move up to the northern Outer Banks shorelines.
There have been some bluefin and yellowfin tuna catches reported offshore, as well as tilefish, and the local offshore fishing should really start to pick up in the next couple of weeks.
Keith, of
, reports that anglers are reeling in dogfish and skates off the beaches, as the water is still cold with temperatures hovering in the 50s. As the water starts to warm up, anglers will see a few bluefish, and then when temperatures reach the upper 50s and 60s, the fishing season will really kick off as sea mullet, blues, croaker, and blow toads start to make an appearance.
