Ocean Isle April 12, 2012
Jan Oliver, of Greenville, SC, and Capt. Mark Dickson, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, with a red drum that bit a chunk of softshell crab on a flooded grass flat.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the biggest news lately is that the first few spanish mackerel of the year have shown up along the Brunswick County beaches. Most are on the small side, but larger and more fish should soon be behind them. The recent front cooled the water back into the mid/upper-60’s, and the spanish bite should improve when it again reaches 70 degrees. Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and trolling weights will tempt bites from the spanish and from the numerous bluefish in the same areas.
The bluefish have been spread from the beach out to bottom structure in the 40-50’ depths where there are also huge numbers of black sea bass (unfortunately closed to harvest until June).
Boats are finding some king mackerel action southwest of Frying Pan Tower in the vicinity of the Navy Wreck. Trolling dead cigar minnows is deadly on the kings when they’re feeding offshore, and anglers may also be able to hook up on strip baits, Drone spoons, or other lures.
The Gulf Stream bite remains consistent, with some excellent blackfin tuna fishing last week around the Blackjack Hole. Wahoo have been feeding around the Blackjack on down to the 100/400. Local boats landed some of the first dolphin of the year last week. Many more have been reported to the south around the Georgetown Hole, so there should be plenty on their way north. Both baitless lures trolled quickly and traditional ballyhoo/lure combinations will tempt bites from all the blue water gamefish.
Capt. James Gauldin, of Whatever's Chewin Charters out of Southport, with a 46" red drum that bit a white bucktail at Yaupon Reef.
Mark, of OceanIsleFishingCharters.com, reports that there’s been a consistent red and black drum bite at structure like docks along the local ICW. The fish have also been feeding in flooded grass at higher tides. Live mud minnows and chunks of crab fished on jigheads have been the most productive baits for the drum lately.
Some speckled trout are feeding along the ICW as well, with more in the deeper creeks in the area. Popping cork rigs with Gulps or Billy Bay and other soft plastic shrimp imitations are fooling the specks.
Flounder fishing has been decent (but with a lot of undersized fish). Tubbs Inlet and nearby areas are producing most of the flatfish action, and Gulp baits or live mud minnows on jigheads and Carolina rigs are the ways to tempt bites from the flounder.
Paul, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that there’s been a solid bluefish and sea mullet bite over the past week. Both are falling for cut shrimp on bottom rigs.
Some flounder are also showing up around the pier, and they’ll take an interest in live mud minnows or other small live baits.
