Northern Beaches March 31, 2011
Carey Newbold, from Disputanta, VA, with a 41 lb. striped bass she landed while trolling umbrella rigs off of Oregon Inlet while fishing with her husband Don on the "Anchor Management."
Nick, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are still finding world-class bluefin tuna fishing out of Oregon Inlet. The fish are feeding around temperature breaks offshore of the area, and boats are hooking up with the big tunas (150-800+ lbs.) while trolling skirted ballyhoo, vertically jigging, and even working topwater plugs around feeding schools of fish. A few bigeye tuna and a scattering of yellowfins are feeding in the same areas as the bluefins.
Not much is happening in the surf off the northern beaches yet, but anglers are starting to pick up some pufferfish and other bottom feeders on the southward facing beaches at Hatteras and Ocracoke.
Inshore, the sound water temperatures are still on the chilly side, but anglers have reported some action with puppy drum on warmer days. The pups should become more active and numerous as the inshore waters continue to warm up, and anglers can hook up with them while casting Gulp baits and other soft plastics around marshy areas in the sounds.
Keith, of Corolla Bait and Tackle, reports that this winter’s red-hot striped bass bite has come to a close, but fast offshore action with bluefin tuna has taken its place. Boats are finding the tuna around temperature edges and warm-water eddies pushing off of the Gulf Stream and locating the feeding schools by trolling rigged ballyhoo and skirted lures. Once they find feeding fish, many boats have had success working vertical jigs and topwater plugs around the schools. Some bigeye and yellowfin tuna have also been feeding alongside the giant bluefins.
Anglers are still picking away at a few smaller resident striped bass inshore around the Currituck and Mann’s Harbor bridges, though the cold snap this past weekend will likely slow the bite a bit. Once warmer weather patterns return, the action should improve. Rat-L-Traps are some of the most effective lures for the resident stripers.
Jeff Gross, of South Carolina and Ocracoke, with a double header of black drum he hooked on a two-hook bottom rig in the Ocracoke surf. Photo courtesy of Tradewinds Bait and Tackle.
Korin, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that the bluefin tuna bite offshore of the inlet is still going strong. Boats are catching big numbers of bluefins, with some smaller (<73”) keeper fish and many trophies (>73”) being released. Trolling with skirted ballyhoo, working vertical jigs, and casting topwater popping plugs around feeding schools of fish are producing the lion’s share of the action.
A few yellowfin and bigeye tuna are in the mix with the bluefins, and their numbers should only increase as spring goes on.
