Ocean Isle April 10, 2008
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that offshore reports have been scarce due to all the windy weather, but plenty of fish are out there when anglers can get out to them.
Typically, the Gulf Stream pushes inshore around this time of year, and where the Stream’s warm water is pushed up onto the break, anglers should be able to find action with wahoo, yellowfin and blackfin tuna, some dolphin, and possibly billfish. Ballyhoo trolled behind skirted lures will prove attractive to all these fish.
Recently, OIFC Captain Roger Gales found some action with American red snapper around structure in 80-95′ of water. These delicious and hard-fighting snappers aggregate at spots inshore of most of the grouper in early spring, and anglers who target the wary fish with long fluorocarbon leaders and live baits should be able to put together decent catches. Sea bass, triggerfish, and other tasty bottom dwellers are feeding around the same structure as the snapper.
The best grouper fishing through May will be found far offshore around the break. Butterfly jigs offer anglers a new method to target the larger, deepwater groupers and other fish on lighter tackle than traditional bottom fishing gear.
Few boats have been king mackerel fishing recently, but as warm water pushes inshore over the next month, the fish should be schooling at temperature breaks around Frying Pan Tower and the Horseshoe.
Closer to shore, anglers have been finding good sea bass action in 30-40′ of water within sight of land, although many of the fish are undersized.
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Kyle, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that anglers are hooking up with some red drum in the ICW around docks and the Sunset Beach and Ocean Isle bridges. Most of the drum are 16-18″. Live mud minnows, fished either beneath floats or on Carolina rigs, are the best baits for the reds.
A few speckled trout are around the area, and the trout bite should get much better after a few days of stable weather.
Anglers are starting to catch some flounder around Shallotte, Tubbs, and Little River Inlets. Surprisingly, many of the fish are solid keepers. Live mud minnows fished on Carolina rigs will get bites from the flatfish, and there are also some bait-sized finger mullet in the area.
The water is still hovering around 60 degrees, but the temperature should be coming up over the next few weeks. Once it hits the mid-sixties, the inshore fishing should take off.
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David, of Captain Hook Outdoors, reports that bottom fishing has been good recently at ledges 20-25 miles offshore. Anglers have been landing some nice (18-20″) flounder, keeper sea bass, small groupers, and other bottom fish while dropping two-hook bottom rigs baited with squid.
The best action for keeper grouper is further offshore, around structure in 100-120′ and deeper. Live cigar minnows, pinfish, or other baits are the best bets for big grouper, and anglers can jig them up around Frying Pan Tower or other live bottom areas and wrecks. Those who can’t get live baits should be able to tempt the grouper to bite frozen squid, cigar minnows, and Boston mackerel.
Gulf Stream fishing should also be hot right now, although the wind hasn’t let many boats make the long run recently. Blackfin and yellowfin tuna, wahoo, and dolphin should be feeding around temperature breaks and spots like the Steeples and Blackjack Hole when anglers can get offshore. As April progresses, the blue water action will likely move southwest toward the Winyah Scarp.
Rigged ballyhoo are the gold standard of Gulf Stream baits, but anglers shouldn’t be afraid to troll faster (up to 9 knots) with cedar plugs, particularly if good numbers of smaller tuna are around.
