Ocean Isle March 28, 2013
Ryan Felts, of Cincinatti, OH, with his first red drum, caught while fishing with Capt. Jacob Frick of the Ocean Isle Fishing Center.
Brant, of Ocean Isle Fishing Center, reports that west winds and cold temperatures have conspired to keep the water temperatures cool even out at some of the typical Gulf Stream hotspots.
There have been some fish around in the cool water, however, as a recent Stream trip produced a wahoo and big numbers of false albacore while trolling skirted ballyhoo. Vertical jigging at structure along the break has been productive as well. Anglers working jigs in 150’+ of water last week found plenty of amberjacks along with tilefish, tautog, triggers, and other bottom dwellers.
Closer to the beaches, virtually every spot between shore and the 100’ depths is playing host to big numbers of dogfish and black sea bass. Both fish aren’t choosy eaters, so anglers dropping baited bottom rigs or small vertical jigs should find plenty of action. The sea bass remain closed to harvest until June 1, though.
Fortunately, air temperatures should be warming up by the weekend and the winds calming down, so prospects look good. And as the water continues to warm over April, the blue water bite should get better.
Not many anglers have been king mackerel fishing lately, but there should be some fish in the vicinity of Frying Pan Tower as long as there’s some warm (upper-60’s+) water around. A temperature break leading to 70 degree water is ideal and should be holding kings as long as there’s also some bait around. The bite can be excellent when those conditions materialize within sight of the Tower, and anglers trolling dead cigar minnows should be prepared for fast action.
Mark, of OceanIsleFishingCharters.com, reports that fishing has been a bit tough in the face of the cool, windy, and rainy weather of late, but persistent anglers are still connecting with some fish.
Most of the area’s red drum are still feeding in the creeks, where they’ll hold around oyster bars and deeper potholes. Casting Gulp baits, live mud minnows, or shrimp on jigheads will tempt the reds to bite when anglers find them.
Speckled trout are feeding in the ICW around Little River and the backs of the Ocean Isle canals. Billy Bay and D.O.A. shrimp imitations are fooling most of the specks right now. Once the water temperatures climb a few degrees, the trout bite should turn on in earnest. This trout season looks to be a good one, too, as big numbers of fish wintered in the area and there weren’t any significant freezes to kill them off.
Anglers are also connecting with some black drum in potholes in the local creeks and around ICW structure. These crustacean lovers have a hard time turning down cut or whole fresh shrimp on split-shot rigs or jigheads.
