Added on Thursday, April 23, 2009  Fish Post

Ocean Isle April 23, 2009

Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that last week boats making it to the Gulf Stream found mixed action, with a slow bite one day improving greatly on the next.

Boats trolling along the break from the Blackjack Hole to the Steeples found the best bite, landing wahoo (most 30-40 lbs.) along with some scattered dolphin and blackfin tuna. Ballyhoo underneath skirted lures produced most of the trolling action.

Deep jigging in the same areas, anglers hooked up with some big grouper, African pompano, and plenty of stout amberjacks.

The bottom bite was slow last week around the 100-110′ spots, but boats found some good bottom action further inshore in 70-90′. Big sea bass and genuine red snapper are feeding on the shallower structure. Squid and cut baits on bottom rigs are producing action with the bass, and live cigar minnows fished on long fluorocarbon leaders are attracting attention from the genuines. The cigars have been plentiful in the same areas, so be sure to take some sabiki rigs when headed out bottom fishing.

A pocket of cool water moving into the area slowed the king bite last week, but the fish should be making their way closer to shore when the warm (67+ degree) water returns.

Nearshore, anglers caught some spanish mackerel while trolling around Yaupon Reef last week.

 

Kyle, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that the local speckled trout bite is getting better by the day, and the big fish have finally shown up (with good numbers up to 6 lbs. landed last week, and most fish from 1.5-4 lbs.). The trout are feeding around the inlets (particularly at the Little River jetties) and at inshore spots like the Sunset Beach Bridge and the shell banks near Little River Inlet.

Live shrimp fished beneath floats are the prime baits for the largest trout, but they’re a little difficult to obtain this time of year. A few small pogies are around the area, and they’ll produce trout action, too. Anglers casting artificials have been having luck while casting Billy Bay Halo and Storm Wildeye shrimp imitations along with 17MR Mirrolures.

Red drum are feeding alongside the specks and in some of the same places they’ve been all year, and they have difficulty resisting the same baits and lures that anglers are tossing at the trout.

Inshore docks and bridges are holding plenty of black drum right now (with many fish 5-10 lbs.), and they’ll fall for live or dead shrimp.

The spring flounder bite is picking up, and anglers are catching several on most trips while targeting the specks, with a few keepers in the mix. The flounder bite should be steady around Tubbs and Cherry Grove Inlets, and with the water still in the low 60’s, it will be getting better every week.

 

David, of Capt. Hook Outdoors, reports that the wind has kept most boats from making it offshore lately, and the boats that have gone haven’t posted great results.

Inshore, however, the fishing’s been excellent, with anglers hooking up with speckled trout (up to 4 lbs.) and red and black drum at the Sunset Beach Bridge and other area inshore hotspots. Flounder are also becoming a more regular catch as the water warms up.

Live shrimp produce the best results on the reds and specks, but a variety of lures will work as well.

The black drum will take an interest in dead shrimp fished on bottom rigs.

 

Caleb, of Ocean Isle Pier, reports that anglers are catching whiting, a few small bluefish, and stingrays on cut shrimp fished on bottom rigs.