Southport April 11, 2013
Carly and Finn Casteen (age 3) with a 4.66 lb. speckled trout that fell for a Gulp grub in a creek near Southport while he was fishing with his dad, Capt. Chad Casteen.
Steve, of The Tackle Box, reports that red drum are on the move and feeding in shallow water off the lower Cape Fear River and ICW. Most anglers are finding the fish by sight, and then casting live shrimp, Gulp baits, or other soft plastics to tempt them to bite.
The speckled trout bite has also improved in the area, with most of the fish still coming from the creeks (and trout to 5 lbs. weighed in recently). Wildlife and Walden’s creeks, as well as the Bald Head area, have all been producing good numbers of fish lately. Live shrimp are nearly irresistible to the specks, but anglers can also hook up while working a wide variety of artificials like Gulps and other soft plastics or suspending hard baits like Yo-Zuri’s 3D series lures.
Sea mullet are feeding around the mouth of the river, where anglers are putting together some solid catches on double-hook bottom rigs baited with shrimp.
Not many boats have been offshore lately, but anglers should be able to find some feeding king mackerel if they can locate water in the upper-60’s with some bait in the area.
Gulf Stream trollers can expect to encounter some wahoo and blackfin tuna while pulling spreads of skirted ballyhoo at local spots like the Steeples and Blackjack Hole.
Angie, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle, reports that some fat sea mullet are on the feed around the mouth of the Cape Fear River. Anglers are hooking good numbers on two-hook bottom rigs baited with shrimp and squid. A few pufferfish and skates have also been taking an interest in the baits.
Trout are still feeding in the local creeks, with Wildlife, Dutchman, and Davis Canal all producing good catches lately. Live shrimp and a variety of soft plastic lures are top choices for the specks, and some anglers are also hooking up while working suspending hard baits like MirrOlure MR17’s.
Todd Jordan with an 18″ red drum that bit a shad-colored suspending jerkbait in the Cape Fear River.
Some black drum are looking for meals around hard structure in the creeks and ICW, where fresh shrimp are tough for them to turn down.
With the rising water and air temperatures, it should only be a matter of days before anglers start seeing bluefish in the area, and all the other spring targets will be close behind them.
Wally, of Oak Island Fishing Charters, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of black sea bass and smaller sharks at nearshore structure off Southport. Bottom rigs baited with squid or virtually any other natural bait will provide near-nonstop action with the bass and sharks.
Warm water is finally moving over the break in the area, and the blue water trolling is getting better. Wahoo and blackfin tuna are still the main sources of action in the Gulf Stream right now, but it shouldn’t be long until dolphin are joining the party. Skirted ballyhoo are top bets for all the blue water predators.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that bottom fishermen are connecting with some sea mullet, croaker, pufferfish, and plenty of sharks and skates while baiting up with shrimp.
The water is 56 degrees.
Vance, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that sea mullet and pufferfish are providing the majority of the action right now, and both are taking an interest in shrimp.
