Ocean Isle March 10, 2011
Michael Zumda (age 10) with a 3.5 lb. black drum he hooked while fishing with his father and Capt. Bob Merritt of Ocean Isle Fishing Charter.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that very few people have been fishing offshore of the area lately, but there should be decent fishing in the Gulf Stream when boats get the weather to run to blue water. Trollers should be able to connect with some wahoo while dragging ballyhoo or high-speed lures around warmer water offshore. Blackfin tuna are around as well, and anglers are waiting to see if any yellowfins show up this spring.
Jigging at structure along the break is productive for amberjacks, cobia, African pompano, and grouper and other bottom feeders. Anglers taking the trip offshore would do well to bring along some jigging gear in case the trolling bite doesn’t materialize.
Patrick, of Twister Charters, reports that the spring blue water bite should be getting started. Anglers who can find water warmer than 68 degrees along the break should be able to tempt bites from some wahoo while trolling Yo-Zuri Bonitas and other lures or rigged ballyhoo.
Blackfin tuna are feeding in the same areas, and scaling down your leaders and trolling smaller lures like cedar plugs or feathers will improve anglers’ odds of connecting with the blackfins. Some yellowfin tuna may show up as the water warms over the next few weeks, and anglers are hoping this will be the year they return to the area in force.
Jigging in the blue water can produce action with the blackfins when they won’t rise to take trolled baits, and it will also attract attention from amberjacks and other species feeding in the blue water.
King mackerel should be feeding near Frying Pan Tower wherever anglers can find water in the high-60’s, and trolling Drone spoons or dead cigar minnows around bait marks should produce fast action with the kings if anglers can find them.
Bottom fishing is excellent at offshore structure, but with all the closures, it’s difficult for anglers to find anything they can bring home to the table.
Mark, of Oceanislefishingcharters.com, reports that anglers have been hooking up with good numbers of shallow water red drum all winter, and the action continues. The fish are starting to break up from their big winter schools and move into deeper springtime haunts, so anglers may be able to find them around docks and other structure inshore as well. Gulp shrimp and crabs on light jigheads have been producing the best results with the reds lately.
The speckled trout bite is turning on in the canals behind Ocean Isle, and anglers are hooking a few on Halo and D.O.A. shrimp imitations under popping corks. The trout are a catch-and-release fishery until their season opens in June, however.
Some flounder are feeding in the same areas as the reds and trout, and anglers are picking up a few while casting for both species.
