OBX/Northern Beaches – May 2024
Cameron, of TW’s Bait and Tackle, reports that surf anglers are seeing some red drum action down by Oregon Inlet.
Up on the Nags Head beaches and north, the surf bite has mostly been sea mullet and the cold-water standards: dogfish sharks and skates.
Red drum and speckled trout are both starting to feed better soundside.
Offshore anglers have too often been hampered by the winds, but they should see some good tuna action in the coming weeks, with wahoo scattered in the counts.
Going into May, anglers might see a push of large bluefish move through, and typically not too far behind them are the first spanish mackerel.
Aaron, of Carolina Sunrise Charters, reports that speckled trout have started showing back up in the bays and creek mouths closer to the inlet. Popping corks, twitch baits, and topwater plugs are all having success enticing bites.
Red drum are showing up on the flats, where gold spoons, popping corks, and topwaters are all getting attention.
The big red drum are moving up the beaches, and anglers rigged with Cobia Killer jigs are sight casting to these schools with success.
Zoe Morris, of Kitty Hawk, caught this speckled trout in the Albermarle Sound using a Steve’s Lure artificial bait. She was fishing with Capt. Ben Morris of Salty Waters OBX Charters.
Ben, of Salty Waters OBX, reports that action closer to the inlet is starting to pick back up. Fish are moving out of the western edge of the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds, creeks, and rivers, and they’re headed east. Anglers are finding speckled trout, red drum, and some striped bass showing up on the grass flats and points along the marshes north of Oregon Inlet.
Some sight-casting opportunities at schools of red drum closer to the inlet are presenting, though the better action remains north where the water temperatures are warmer.
Topwater plugs are producing some insane action in the lowlight hours of the early mornings and evenings.
Billy, of Fishing Unlimited, reports that Little Bridge anglers have been finding some black drum action using shrimp.
A few speckled trout are being caught as well, as water temps warm up and fish move back into the area.
The surf anglers have been finding some puppy drum, scattered speckled trout, and sea mullet.
John, of Drumbeat Charters, reports that the area is starting to see a bunch of bluefish moving into the surf zone and the sounds. These blues have been a larger class of fish (to 5+ lbs.).
Red drum action has been slowly picking up in the surf zone. Fish are being caught around Oregon Inlet, though the southern Hatteras beaches have been more consistent.
Some of these yearling-sized reds (35-40”) are also pushed into the sound. Cut bait has been the best way to target them.
Speckled trout fishing has been picking up, with anglers finding that the quality in size is currently better than the numbers. Topwaters such as Heddon Spook Jrs. are a great choice for anglers out on the water in the early morning.
Sheepshead fishing on the nearshore wrecks has been solid, with both quality fish and good numbers.
Some spanish mackerel are just now showing up nearshore. Anglers will have success casting Hogy Epoxy or Stingsilver jigs to surface-feeding schools.
False albacore will also be mixed in the action.
Jack, of Afishionado Charters, reports that wind patterns have been brutal over the past month.
In the next couple weeks, offshore anglers should see a strong push of tuna into the area. Yellowfin, blackfin, and bigeye tuna will all soon all be a part of the daily catches.
The area should also see some of the first few mahi any day now. This is all in anticipation of the real push of fish by mid to late May and into early June.
Louie Hoppe, of Kitty Hawk, found this yellowfin tuna out of Oregon Inlet using ballyhoo. He was fishing with Capt. Jack Graham of Afishionado Charters.
McKayla, of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, reports that the yellowfin and blackfin action is starting to heat up when anglers can find a weather window to get offshore.
Some bluefin tuna are also still around, mostly a couple of short keepers in the mix.
An early season blue marlin was landed, a good sign we are moving into spring action right on que.
Nearshore trips have been seeing a mixed bag of dogfish sharks and black sea bass.
Inshore action is picking up with the slightly warmer water temperatures. Red drum and speckled trout are both being caught regularly.
Meredith, of Pirate’s Cove Marina, reports that the area should start seeing some of that spring wind settling down and then tuna fishing firing up. Recent trips have basically found blackfin tuna, but yellowfins are also surely around.
Nearshore action is just about to kick off, with areas to the south already seeing bluefish. For now, a run out to the reefs is producing black sea bass and dogfish sharks.
Andy, of Nags Head Pier, reports that anglers looking to get out on the pier for opening week look forward to some good bottom fishing action. Anglers expect to see a mixed bag of sea mullet, speckled trout, pufferfish, and the occasional puppy drum.
Kenny, of Avalon Pier, reports that anglers out on the pier in the early mornings (right at daybreak) have been landing some speckled trout.
A few pufferfish and some skates have filled in the action most of the afternoons.
The occasional red drum is also included in the bottom action.
John, of Bob’s Bait and Tackle, reports that bottom fishing efforts from the surf are producing pufferfish, bluefish, dogfish sharks, skates, and some speckled trout.
Inshore trips around the inlet are landing speckled trout and red drum, and some early season bluefish are pushing inshore.
Offshore anglers are currently catching tuna and looking forward to mahi showing up sometime in May.
